The thing about Proton & VW venture

Referring to this article where Dr Mahathir return Proton & VWs cars a friend of mine wrote this :

"on a more serious note, why did they give him a VW? a perdana not good
enought ah? kay en en.. use foreign cars but want us to use local.."

and this is my reply

that's what most people don't understand. Those VWs was sent by VW to Mahathir for a long term test to prove their goods and credential. And It is also previously agreed that there is NO NEED for SIGNIFICANT share sales to VW (or even a single shareholding) for a VW proton venture. Its a great opportunity that has been brokered by Mahathir.

Just about everybody wants proton, they have cash, R&D knowledge and more importantly one of the most advance & flexible factory in the world. All ready to be "exploited".

We don't need to sell proton, period but obviously the BOD "thought" of something else and decides to give more sweetener to the VWs. Dunno why but maybe they want to excercise their ESOS at a higher price lah?

anyway, you see the kind of "press campaign" that's been carried out by these people (those involved in VWs and proton sales)? Suddenly we read a lot of VWs achievement when there are none before and they KEEP HARPING on VWs SUCCESS with skoda.

What they fail to mention is VWs failure (or deemed lack of direction) with SEAT. What happened to this brand? their prototype is the same year in year out? no proper "differentiation" and direction. Then Add proton in this stable? gosh!! where do they want position Proton?

*I got lot more longer reply but Time is something that I don't have
** It kinda hurt when I wrote the above cause I drive Audi and admire VWs product but one should not let that cloud one's judgement