Editing Lotus Cars (section)

===International ownership===
[[File:Final assembly.jpg|thumb|Lotus final assembly]]
Despite having employed designer [[Peter Stevens (car designer)|Peter Stevens]] to revamp the range and design two new concept cars,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.peterstevensdesign.co.uk/welcome/biography-|title=Peter Stevens &#124; Biography|website=www.peterstevensdesign.co.uk|access-date=23 June 2020}}</ref> by 1985 the British investors recognised that they lacked the capital to fund production and sought to find a buyer.<ref name=LEWToy/> In January 1986, Wickins oversaw the majority sale of the Group Lotus companies and 100% of North American–based LPCI to [[General Motors Corporation|General Motors]].<ref name=LEWToy/> After four months, Toyota sold GM its stake. By October 1986, GM had acquired a 91% stake in Group Lotus for £22.7 million, which allowed GM to legally force the company buyout.<ref name=LEWToy/>

On 27 August 1993, GM sold the company for £30 million, to A.C.B.N. Holdings S.A. of [[Luxembourg]], a company controlled by Italian businessman [[Romano Artioli]], who also owned [[Bugatti#Bugatti Automobili SpA|Bugatti Automobili SpA]]. In 1996, a majority share in Lotus was sold to Malaysian car company [[PROTON Holdings|Proton]].

Lotus Cars was awarded the [[Queen's Award for Enterprise]] for contribution to international trade, one of 85 companies receiving the recognition in that category in 2002. Lotus cars wore the badge of the award for several years.<ref>{{cite news |title=The Queen's Awards for Enterprise 2002: international trade – Focus: Queen's Awards |newspaper=The Times |publisher=Times Newspapers Limited  |location=London |format=NewsBank |date=22 April 2002 |url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AWNB:LTIB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=0F92034CC007C0A6&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=0EAD847D4966C8AF |access-date=14 February 2011 }}</ref>

On 24 May 2017, Chinese multinational [[Geely]] announced that it was taking a 51% controlling stake in Lotus.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.topgear.com/car-news/chinese-car-giant-geely-has-bought-lotus|title=Chinese car giant Geely has bought Lotus|website=topgear.com|date=24 May 2017 |access-date=25 May 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://money.cnn.com/2017/05/24/autos/lotus-geely-china-proton/index.html|title=Lotus has been purchased by Chinese automaker Geely|first=Alec|last=Macfarlane|date=24 May 2017|website=CNNMoney|access-date=25 May 2017}}</ref> The remaining 49% was acquired by [[Etika Automotive]], a holding company of Proton's major shareholder [[Syed Mokhtar Albukhary]].<ref>{{cite web|author=Anthony Lim |url=https://paultan.org/2017/05/24/drb-hicom-to-sell-lotus-in-its-entirety-for-100-million-geely-to-acquire-51-etika-automotive-to-buy-49/ |title=DRB-Hicom to sell Lotus in its entirety for £100 million – Geely to acquire 51%, Etika Automotive to buy 49% |publisher=Driven Communications |date=24 May 2017 |access-date=27 May 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170527074901/https://paultan.org/2017/05/24/drb-hicom-to-sell-lotus-in-its-entirety-for-100-million-geely-to-acquire-51-etika-automotive-to-buy-49/ |archive-date=27 May 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In January 2021, Geely announced a joint venture with [[Renault–Nissan–Mitsubishi Alliance]] and its [[Automobiles Alpine|Alpine]] division to develop a range of electric performance cars sharing some of their future platforms.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.autoblog.com/2021/01/14/alpine-lotus-electric-sports-car/| title = Alpine joins forces with Lotus to develop an electric sports car | access-date=January 23, 2021 | work=Autoblog |date=Jan 14, 2021 |first=Ronan |last=Glon }}</ref> In April 2021, Lotus announced plans to produce only electric cars by 2028 and increase production numbers from around 1,500 per annum to tens of thousands. Geely and Etika Automotive provided two billion pounds (US$2.8 billion) to fund the changes.<ref name="electric">{{cite news |last=Carey |first=Nick |date=April 27, 2021 |title=British sports carmaker Lotus aims to expand, go all-electric by 2028 |url=https://uk.news.yahoo.com/british-sports-carmaker-lotus-aims-111657140.html |website=Yahoo News |agency=Reuters |location=London |access-date=April 27, 2021}}</ref>

Lotus Technology, the electric-vehicle division of Lotus, which has a different ownership structure (30% by Etika and the rest by Geely and Nio Capital), was listed on [[Nasdaq]] in February 2024, following the completion of a merger with a [[special-purpose acquisition company]] affiliated with [[L Catterton]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lotus Technology Celebrates Public Listing on Nasdaq
 |url=https://ir.group-lotus.com/news-releases/news-release-details/lotus-technology-celebrates-public-listing-nasdaq |access-date=2024-08-27 |website=ir.group-lotus.com}}</ref> After the listing, 10.3% of shares are held by the public.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/jan/31/chinese-owner-of-lotus-technology-to-list-a-stake-in-us-via-blank-cheque-firm | title=Chinese owner of Lotus Technology to list a stake in US via blank cheque firm | newspaper=The Guardian | date=31 January 2023 | last1=Lawson | first1=Alex }}</ref>