GM to aquire Proton?

General Motors is considering acquiring Malaysian automaker Proton, according to reports by the Business Times and Reuters. Auto enthusiasts in North America may be most familiar with Proton as the company that acquired Lotus in 1996. Analysts say the problems at loss-making Proton could be solved by a foreign partnership. There is speculation GM could use Proton's state-of-the-art production facilities to build low-cost cars. Proton is valued at as much as $1.6 billion.