Judge refuses to halt sports car maker’s claim against French dealer

BOSSES AT one of Britain’s most famous sports car makers have won an early stage of a High Court row with a French motor dealer.

A judge has refused to halt legal proceedings that Lotus Cars had launched against Marcassus Sport in London.

Mr Justice Phillips handed down a ruling yesterday after analysing arguments at a High Court hearing in London in October.

Three years ago Lotus, which is based in Hethel, Norfolk, had gone into business with Marcassus, the judge said.

Bosses had agreed to Marcassus dealing in, and repairing, Lotus cars in Toulouse and Bordeaux.

Last year the relationship had ended and both firms subsequently began legal action. Marcassus bosses sued in a Toulouse court, claiming that they had lost profits and bonuses.

Lotus bosses began High Court proceedings in London, claiming they were owed hundreds of thousands of pounds for cars and parts supplied to Marcassus.

Bosses at Marcassus wanted Mr Justice Phillips to halt the London litigation.

They said the same arguments were being heard in Toulouse and said they had begun legal action before Lotus.

But Mr Justice Phillips dismissed Marcassus’s application.

He said the French firm was not entitled to “a stay” of the London litigation.

Lotus manufactures sports cars and racing cars in its headquarters.

Lotus was previously owned by DRB-HICOM through its subsidiary Proton, which acquired it following the bankruptcy of former owner Romano Artioli in 1996. In 2017, Chinese multinational firm Geely announced that it would take a 51 per cent controlling stake in Lotus and thus became the owner of the car manufacturer. The remaining 49 per cent were acquired by Etika Automotive.