高盛旗下的Goldm anSachs Capital Partners Fund已与吉利汽车签署协议，将以2.5亿美元购买吉利汽车的可转换债券和认购权证。方达和司力达律师事务所为GS Capital 提供法律咨询和服务，而盛德国际为吉利方的法律顾问。盛德团队的牵头合伙人Constance Choy曾经为吉利的重组并购项目提供过法律服务。

吉利汽车的母公司日前曾确认，正在参与收购福特旗下轿车品牌沃尔沃。分析人士认为，此次高盛的投资可能是为减轻母公司参与竞购的资金压力。有充裕的资金收购福特旗下轿车品牌沃尔沃。

China’s Geely Automobile Holdings has offered up US$243m in convertible bonds and warrants due in 2014 to GS Capital VI Fund, an affiliate of Goldman Sachs.

Sidley Austin’s Hong Kong-based partner Constance Choy advised Geely on this transaction. Choy also previously advised Geely on its acquisition of majority stakes in five jointly held automakers controlled by its parent, Geely Group.

Fangda and Slaughter and May’s Hong Kong-based partner Neil Hyman represented GS Capital in its subscription.

Based in Hangzhou, Geely is China’s 10th largest vehicle maker and has plans to double its car-making capacity in the next few years. The company’s bond issuance is said to be a means to raise funds for its US$2bn bid for Ford’s Volvo unit.

If Geely does secure the purchase, the company is expected to further inject as much as US$10bn on top of the purchase price into the brand development, including a new production line in Guangdong where the first Volvo under Geely stewardship will be made.

China has the world’s largest auto market which has been further boosted by policy initiatives including tax cuts and subsidies.