Bit unseen, but may change Skoda's standing in the group??

Reuters | Latest Financial News / Full News Coverage

Could be very interesting indeed.

2.0 TFSI or Twincharged elise would be a nice bit o' kit

Very interesting!! I take it theres no ties with Mitsubishi anymore?

didn't audi own cosworth at one time??

Lotus Perodua RS4 Cosworth Quatro....

Naah it's ok thanks :P

I believe Audi still do own Cosworth but it is now part of the Mahle Powertrain group.

i didn't think ford ever owned cosworth as such??? i thought they just did tune-ups/factory specials etc??

I thought they sold Cosworth to Ford after Ford cried about the technology in their F1 engines.

Oh well looks like neither VAG or Ford own Cosworth.....

Corporate history

The original company was founded as a British racing engine maker in 1958 by Mike Costin and Keith Duckworth (1933-2005 [1]) (COStin and duckWORTH). Despite being an independent company Cosworth was supported by Ford for many years and most of the Cosworth engines were branded Ford.

The company has been through a number of owners. United Engineering Industries (UEI) purchased the company in 1980; UEI were taken over by Carlton Communications in 1988. Vickers plc bought Cosworth in 1990. In 1998 Vickers sold the company to Volkswagen Group, who then signed a deal with Ford, which bought the racing division which had long made racing engines for Ford. Cosworth Technology (also known as CT) offers powertrain development consultancy, and its patented aluminium casting process is used by several car makers including Audi and Aston Martin. Volkswagen sold CT to the Mahle Group in December 2004.

Cosworth was split in 1998 into two companies, Cosworth Racing and Cosworth Technology. With the acquisition of Cosworth Technology into the Mahle Group, Cosworth Technology became Mahle Powertrain.

In September 2004, Ford announced that it was selling Cosworth Racing, along with its Jaguar Formula One team. On November 15, 2004, the sale of Cosworth was completed, to Champ Car World Series owners Gerald Forsythe and Kevin Kalkhoven, who renamed Cosworth Racing to Cosworth.

?? has my computer gone tits up again?? this thread has gone funny on my screen

I think the purchace is more an attempt to get into the far east / china market.

This would make kind of sense...what with rumblings that Seat might be for the chop and Skoda's push upwards in price.

I belive Cosworth Tech is owned by VW Group...which is diferent from the Engine side which was bought by a couple of guys who run the Indy / Champ...can't remember which one.... car series in the States.

Looks good for some spot on Chassis technology for future models.

Looks good for some spot on Chassis technology for future models.

Be interesting if they use the technology elsewhere or just leave Lotus as a separate entity...

PD130 Lotus Elise?

Actually, I kind of like the sound of that.

Didn't realise Lotus weren't owned by GM any more - think I'm a bit out of touch by the sounds of it!

Chris

PD130 Lotus Elise?

Actually, I kind of like the sound of that.

It'd be bloody awful I bet! Imagine how screwed up the handling would be with that big lump in the back!

It'd be bloody awful I bet! Imagine how screwed up the handling would be with that big lump in the back!

But think about the mpg in such a light car

So does that mean a Fabia model down the line might handle well?

Seat are for the chop?! :eek:

So does that mean a Fabia model down the line might handle well?

I'm sure Vauxhall used to boast that all their Corsa's had "Lotus-tuned" suspension, so I wouldn't get your hopes up

Chris

i wouldn't mind being the proud owner of a lotus carlton tho!!

I'm sure Vauxhall used to boast that all their Corsa's had "Lotus-tuned" suspension, so I wouldn't get your hopes up

Chris

Yeah and the original SEAT Ibiza used to have a 1.5 litre engine by

Porsche and VAG (especially Audi) have worked closely together for a while, the old 924 was more audi bits than porka, and the other way on several of the old rs audi models they used porsche brake which still had the porsche name on the callipers.

Corsas did once boast lotus suspension but they still handeled like a big bag of poo.

Personally id like to see a exige with the W8 in the back!!