Proton Saga Proven Frugal on Fuel

The Proton Saga has proven to be a car that is economical not only to own, but is economical to run as well. In a recent competition held for Proton Saga owners, the top winners returned some very impressive consumption figures.

In the Proton Saga Economy Run, a total of 30 Proton saga owners registered for the event. The rules were simple; over a set course of 190 kilometres, with a driver and one passenger who also acts as the navigator, the winner is the saga that uses the least amount of fuel between the two points. Under the contest regulations, no fuel-saving devices are allowed, and cars have to be mechanically in ‘series production’ specifications. There were handsome prizes for both the manual and automatic category winners.

Registered participants were required to undergo ‘scrutineering’, during which all cars were inspected for compliance with the rules and regulations, and the bonnets, all fuel lines, all possible points where the fuel line or the fuel tank can be accessed, including the fuel lids, were sealed by the main motoring authority in Malaysia, the AAM (Automobile Association of Malaysia). Before the final sealing of the bonnet and fuel lid, all participants were given the opportunity to fill their fuel tanks to the brim.

As the event was to start on the next day, all the sealed cars were impounded and under strict security for the night at the Centre Of Excellence, the headquarters of Proton.

The Proton Saga Economy Run route took the competing cars from the Proton COE to Clearwater Sanctuary in Ipoh, with a stop over at an appointed petrol station where the cars were again topped up to the brim to measure the amount of fuel used in the economy run. Before the refuelling, AAM officials were on hand to inspect all the seals, and to the credit of all the very sporting spirit of the competitors, not one seal was found to have been tampered with.

In the Proton Saga 1.3 Automatic category, Ahmad Saifuddin Bin Abdullah, co-driven by Ahmad Zharif Bin Ahmad Zubid took top honours with an impressive 27.429 kilometres per litre (3.645 litres per 100 kilometres) fuel consumption. Second spot went to the young couple of Azmi Samsuddin and Rozna Ramli, who clocked in with 25.99 kilometres per litre (3.846 litres per 100 kilometres). The third and final prize for this category went to an all-girl team, Nur Fatihah Abdul Hamid, partnered by Nor Salehah Md Isa, who came all the way from the East Coast to participate in the event.

In the Proton Saga 1.3 manual category, the results were even more impressive. Norazila Binti Azimi and Mohd Zulkernain Bin Buahab returned an astounding 44.719 kilometres per litre (2.236 litres per 100 kilometres) to win top honours. In second place was Illesarah Binti Abdul Haziman and Rohaizad Bin Ithnin with 32.908 kilometres per litre, while third place was awarded to Mohd Faizol Bin Razak and Mohd Nazri Bin Othman.
When interviewed, Mohd Zulkernain said that his technique was to apply very gentle throttle, and make sure the engine is running below 2,000 rpm. “Of course, in our normal driving, the fuel consumption is more than what he achieved in the competition; sometimes we are in a hurry, so I use more fuel when I drive the car hard, or in situations where traffic is heavy. But now I know just what the Saga is capable of, and if I generally drive gently, there will be savings in the long run,” he added.

As a finale to the competition, Proton Edar organized a contest to see how many people would squeeze into a Proton Saga, and amazingly, the winning team managed 17 adults!

Proton Persona Elegance

Newly Proton Persona Elegance launched on 18 Mac 2010 from the local Proton Showroom. The release of this production is to replace the Persona SE, which the car mid-sized sedan model.
Like old model this car is available in base, medium and high line variants. The base and medium line types come with either a four-speed automatic transmission or a five-speed manual transmission, while the high line type only comes with automatic transmission. It also equipped with a new 32-bit siemens ECU that allows more configuration and integrated to more systems in the car.

The enhanced of this model includes redesigned headlights and rear LED combi lights,new upholstery, meter combi fascia,a more cool front grille and door mirrors with built-in indicators.It also comes with a rear bodykit and a nicer finish of tailpipe.
The base line and medium line types come with twin front airbags and full body-kit, while the high line type comes with leather seats.
Source :- TheEdgeMalaysia
Fastmotoring

Good production by Proton. Persona is such a good value for mid sedan car. The car is worth for family user and the upgrade to Elegance will help to boost their sales especially outside Malaysia. Let’s hope this car better the old one.

Review On Proton Exora

Finally, the long-awaiting first Malaysian MPV has a name. With the long awaiting rumors for several years that Malaysia will have their own MPV, now we get the name for that MPV, the Proton Exora.

Proton had been announced that they will name the first ever Malaysian MPV with Proton Exora with the tagline “Keriangan Keluarga” (Joyful Family). The name and the tagline had been taken from the winner of the “Name The Proton MPV Competition”. Many of the Malaysian might already know about this Proton Exora but those the readers that come outside from Malaysia, let’s look at how this Proton Exora might attract you to buy this MPV when it is available in your country.

This 7-seater MPV is really useful to the big family.The modern steering design has been installed in Proton Exora. There is audio control button as long as the Bluetooh hands-free system with the phone button.

The speedometer as long as the RPM meter. From the RPM meter, we know that the redline for this MPV is up to 7000 RPM. So, you get the feeling of the power when you ramp the car to the maximum performance. The speedometer indicate that the maximum speed on the meter is 180 km/h but maybe this MPV can go as fast as 160 km/h.

Perdana Car

The Proton Perdana is a mid-size car
Mid-size car
A mid-size car is the North American/Australian standard for an automobile with a size equal to or greater than that of a compact...

produced by Proton. It is a badge engineered
Badge engineering
Badge engineering is a term that describes the rebadging of one product as another. Due to the high cost of designing and engineering a totally new model, or establishing a new brand , it is often more cost-effective to rebadge a single product multiple times.The term derives from the trademark...

version of the seventh-generation Mitsubishi Eterna. Perdana is a Malay
Malay language
Malay is a group of languages closely related to each other to the point of mutual intelligibility but that linguists consider to be separate languages. They are grouped into a group called "Local Malay", part of a larger group called "Malayan" within the Malayo-Polynesian branch of then word for "Prime".

The Perdana was first introduced by Proton in 1995 with Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi
The , Mitsubishi Group of Companies, or Mitsubishi Companies is a Japanese conglomerate consisting of a range of autonomous businesses which share the Mitsubishi brand, trademark and legacy...

's proven 2.0L 4G63 engine. It was based on the Mitsubishi Galant platform and was thus similar to the Mitsubishi Eterna in Japan, but received minor internal and external changes when it was launched locally in Malaysia.

The Proton Perdana is a mid-size car
Mid-size car
A mid-size car is the North American/Australian standard for an automobile with a size equal to or greater than that of a compact...

produced by Proton. It is a badge engineered
Badge engineering
Badge engineering is a term that describes the rebadging of one product as another. Due to the high cost of designing and engineering a totally new model, or establishing a new brand , it is often more cost-effective to rebadge a single product multiple times.The term derives from the trademark...

version of the seventh-generation Mitsubishi Eterna. Perdana is a Malay
Malay language
Malay is a group of languages closely related to each other to the point of mutual intelligibility but that linguists consider to be separate languages. They are grouped into a group called "Local Malay", part of a larger group called "Malayan" within the Malayo-Polynesian branch of the...

word for "Prime".
Perdana SEi (1995-1998)

The Perdana was first introduced by Proton in 1995 with Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi
The , Mitsubishi Group of Companies, or Mitsubishi Companies is a Japanese conglomerate consisting of a range of autonomous businesses which share the Mitsubishi brand, trademark and legacy...

's proven 2.0L 4G63 engine. It was based on the Mitsubishi Galant platform and was thus similar to the Mitsubishi Eterna in Japan, but received minor internal and external changes when it was launched locally in Malaysia. The first generation Perdana was also Proton's first car to offer an anti-lock braking system (ABS)
Anti-lock braking system
An anti-lock braking system, or ABS is a safety system which prevents the wheels on a motor vehicle from locking up while braking....

and cruise control
Cruise control
Cruise control is a system that automatically controls the speed of a motor vehicle. The system takes over the throttle of the car to maintain a steady speed as set by the driver.-History:...

.

In 1997, the Perdana was given a facelift with a chrome grille, a new rim design, new body colours and upgraded interior trimmings.
Perdana V6 (1999-present)

In 1999, Proton shoehorned a 2.0 L 6A12 V6 engine
V6 engine
A V6 engine is a V engine with six cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of three cylinders, usually set at either a right angle or an acute angle to each other, with all six pistons driving a common crankshaft...

(also sourced by Mitsubishi) into the Perdana. The so-called Proton Perdana V6 also had a new bodykit and 16" rims. The original Perdana in Malaysia is soldiered on for a short while before it was dropped. With Lotus-tuned and upgraded suspension settings, the car handles well through tight corners and it is a good high speed cruiser.

In 2003, the Perdana V6 was given a major facelift, gaining a new Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A. is an Italian automaker founded on June 24, 1910 in Milan. Alfa Romeo has been a part of the Fiat Group since 1986, and since February 2007 a part of Fiat Group Automobiles S.p.A. The company was owned by Italian state holding company Istituto per la Ricostruzione...

-esque front grill (earning the moniker "Alfadana" in Malaysia) and new bumpers. Inside, it was given a new aluminium-effect trim. This iteration remains on sale to date. Also made available is a luxury variant of the Proton Perdana V6 with an extended length of 25 cm (10 inches) in the rear door, dubbed the Proton Perdana V6 Executive. The Executive is essentially a conversion of the Perdana V6 by Automotive Conversion Engineering (ACE), a subsidiary of EON specialised in developing limousines for statesmen and building TD2000
TD2000
The TD2000 is a retro-styled roadster styled after the British MG TD. Produced by TD Cars Sdn. Bhd., a 70% Malaysian-owned operation with the remaining 30% share owned by Australian partners, the car is assembled in Malaysia and exported overseas...

s. Two Perdana V6 Limousine variants are additionally released by ACE with extended lengths of 66 cm (26 inches) and 91 cm (36 inches), and sport far more luxuries then the Executive variant.

Like the original Perdana, the Perdana V6 was not exported to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus Mountains , and the Black Sea to the southeast...

, although it was tested by Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...

's Top Gear magazine
Top Gear (magazine)
Top Gear is an automobile magazine published by BBC Worldwide, and named after the BBC's Top Gear television show. It was first published in October 1993 and is published monthly at a price of £3.95. The major presenters of the television series - Richard Hammond, James May and Jeremy Clarkson -...

in their April 1999 issue, as there were plans at the time to sell the V6 in Europe. The plan never materialised.

Use in the Malaysian government

Under the guidelines of Malaysia's automotive policies, cars for use by federal and state governments
Official state car
An official state car is a car used to transport heads of state. It is usually a limousine or an executive car. Official state cars are often those of domestic manufacturers, giving leaders an opportunity to demonstrate faith in their nation's products and therefore domestic manufacturing...

are required to be of national makes. As Proton is the only purely local carmaker to produce cars large enough to qualify as upper-range vehicles, the Perdana, along with the Waja
Proton Waja
The Proton Waja is a saloon car designed in-house by Malaysian automotive company, Proton, first released in August 2000. The Waja is the first Malaysian-designed car, with a chassis derived from a Mitsubishi Carisma and a Volvo S40. The name Waja, which means "tough ", reflects the strength of the...

, is favoured as a government car for high-ranking government officials, including the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Malaysia
The Prime Minister of Malaysia is the indirectly elected head of government of Malaysia. He is formally appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the head of state, and is invariably the leader of the largest party in the House of Representatives, the elected lower house of Parliament...

. With the exception of Sarawak
Sarawak
Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang , it is situated on the north-west of the island...

, the Proton Perdana V6 Executive is currently the standard Perdana in use for such purposes.
Maintenance cost controversy

The build quality and cost of maintenance of the Perdana V6 Executive was questioned following a controversy in July 2008 on a move by the Barisan Nasional
Barisan Nasional
Barisan Nasional is a major political coalition in Malaysia. Formed in 1973 as the successor to the Alliance , it has been Malaysia's ruling political party since independence...

-ruled Terengganu
Terengganu
Terengganu is a sultanate and constitutive state of federal Malaysia. The state is also known by its Arabic honorific, Darul Iman...

state government to purchase 14 Mercedes-Benz E200 Kompressors
Mercedes-Benz W211
The Mercedes-Benz W211 series entered production in 2002. They are sold under the E-Class model names. The W211 models replaced the W210 E-Class models.The W219 CLS-Class, which was released in 2005, is based on the W211's mechanical package....

, which were intended to replace existing 2004 Perdana V6 Executives as part of their fleet of state government cars. Terengganu State Secretary Mokhtar Nong argued that the decision was made as a result of the Perdanas' lack of reliability, explaining the Perdanas often require costly maintenance, especially on the gearbox, when used for continuous, long distance journeys. Two of the Perdana V6s in particular needed cumulative repair costs of RM
Malaysian ringgit
The Malaysian ringgit is the currency of Malaysia. It is divided into 100 sen and its currency code is MYR...

175,229.97 and RM132,357.76 respectively since 2004.

Proton denied the allegation of high maintenance costs from Terengganu state government, citing the regular maintenance (motor oil and oil filter replacement) for the Perdana to be around RM200. The controversy has raised suspicion of maintenance fraud by the state government of Terengganu, as the regular cumulative maintenance costs of a typical Perdana V6 for the same period is far lower than the claim by the state government and also due to the fact that there was no such warranty claims being made by the state government since October 2004 for one of the defected cars.

The Pakatan Rakyat
Pakatan Rakyat
Pakatan Rakyat or PR was established on April 1, 2008. The political coalition comprises a group of Malaysian political parties, namely, the People's Justice Party , Democratic Action Party , and Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party , who collectively worked together as the Barisan Rakyat during the 12th...

-ruled state of Perak
Perak
Perak is one of the 13 states of Malaysia. It is the second largest state in Peninsular Malaysia bordering Kedah and Yala Province of Thailand to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, Selangor southward and to the west by the Strait of Malacca.Perak means silver in...

also said the same for the Perdanas, and has recently purchased a fleet of Toyota Camrys
Toyota Aurion
The Toyota Aurion, is a mid-size car produced by Toyota in Australia and parts of Asia since 2006. The Aurion, given the model designation GSV40R, is essentially a Toyota Camry with revised front- and rear-end treatment, along with changes to the interior...

to replace the Perdanas. It is said that after 3 years in service the cost of servicing those cars was so high that buying Toyota Camrys would save money.

Proton EMAS: New Proton Concept Car at Geneva International Motor Show

If you still don’t know Malaysia’s national car manufacture, Proton is currently developing their own concept car or maybe will go into production soon, here I tell you. The name of new Proton’s concept car is EMAS which stand for “Eco Mobility Advance Solution” and for the first time, it was shown at Geneva International Motor Show. Proton EMAS, it is a great name in my opinion.

This Proton EMAS concept car is the result of Proton collaboration with Lotus and Italdesign-Giugiaro, and as you can see from several pictures that I have shared below, only one word pop up in my mind “WOW!”. Something totally different from what Proton have produced before. I know some of you may say this is the result of foreign company, but well, knowing that this car is the result of collaboration of engineers from Proton and Lotus and designer from Italdesign-Giugiaro, I think as Malaysian, we should proud of this result. Well, I don’t know you, but me, I’m proud of it. :)

Driving to understand Lotus ride & handling in Proton cars

Words cannot even begin to do justice to the world-acclaimed “Lotus ride and handling”, and it was precisely with this in mind that Proton Edar Sdn Bhd decided that the best way to allow people to experience this technology that has gone into designing today’s new generation of Proton cars was to simply allow people into the driver’s seat and behind the wheel.

In a fun-filled weekend of driving on Saturday, 6 March 2010, Proton Edar together with popular radio station Hitz.fm organized the PROTON Ride & Handling event at Danga Bay in Johor Bahru.

The event consisted of a number of activities, all evolving around enabling consumers to better understand the importance of ride and handling, and more importantly, how Lotus engineering wizardry influences the driving dynamics of today’s Proton car.

In an extreme test of agility and driving dynamics, a total of 50 participants signed up to compete in a ride and handling challenge behind the wheel of a Proton Saga SE and Satria Neo CPS. With the choice of driving a showroom model car fitted with an automatic or a five-speed manual transmission, contestants pitted their driving skills against one another around a safely-designed vehicle obstacle course in a race against time.

“The objective of the challenge was to enable contestants to experience what is precisely meant by Lotus ride and handling and as we had anticipated, most were absolutely surprised at the cars’ driving characteristics,” said Proton Edar Chief Executive Officer Mohamad Shukor bin Ibrahim.

“Many concluded their drive pleasantly surprised, and while many expected the Satria Neo to perform well, they never expected that even an introductory model like the Saga has the balance, agility, cornering dynamics, predictability and precise handling characteristics capable of rivaling many of today’s vehicles that are priced much higher.”

While it may be common knowledge that PROTON owns world-renowned British engineering firm Lotus, Mohamad Shukor said many still remained skeptical as to whether the latter’s technical inputs are actually incorporated into Proton cars.

“Ride and handling is unfortunately not an element that can be visually appreciated, and more often than not, underestimated and much misunderstood. As much as the challenge was about demonstrating the Saga and Satria Neo’s capabilities, it was also to correct misconceptions and inform car owners that excellent ride and handling does not need to come with an expensive price tag.

“While the level of refinements, engineering and electronics wizardry will obviously vary according to the pricing of any vehicle, the basic and fundamental importance of ride and handling remains consistent and one that evolves around the safety of a vehicle.”

Similarly, while there are differences between the Saga and Satria Neo - to suit the car’s individual characteristics and type of buyers and usage - both are designed and built with the common goal of providing drivers with greater control, safety and driving enjoyment.

Like the Saga and Satria Neo, Lotus ride and handling in the new generation of Proton cars are conveyed in the form of improved steering precision, cornering and handling capabilities via its suspension set-up, which translates into the vehicle being more agile, well-planted, stable, and allows the driver to register great precision in terms of lane changing behavior. Lotus ride and handling begins with structural and body rigidity of a vehicle which is the most important pre-requisite to a vehicle’s superior handling and agility.

Combined, this is what underlines the Active Safety components in a Proton car. Active safety is the technology designed to assist in the prevention of a crash.

While exceptional ride and handling doesn’t defy the laws of physics, it does provide drivers with a higher degree of vehicle safety in relation to control and the behavior of the vehicle especially when being driven hard.

The quality of ride meanwhile, is influenced by various factors such as high frequency vibrations, body roll and pitch. An uncomfortable ride is defined by the vehicle body rolling (leans to the side) excessively in turns, or lurches and pitches during acceleration and braking, or if the body produces a booming resonance.

Mohamad Shukor said with a series of similar events planned for the year, PROTON believes more and more car owners will not only begin to understand but appreciate and value the importance of superior ride and handling and how this translates to both safety of the vehicle and driving enjoyment.

“Beyond the selling of Proton cars, we hope to instill greater awareness (in ride and handling) in car buyers and why in the developed markets around the world today, the emphasis is very much on safety and not purely influenced by price.”

During the event, visitors were also offered to test drive the Satria Neo CPS, Saga SE and Gen.2 CPS models over a specially set-up course. PROTON also put up a mini technologies display that gave a more elaborate explanation of Lotus ride and handling in Proton cars, in addition to communicating the importance of functions such as the anti-lock brake system (ABS) and electronic brake distribution (EBD). Also on display was the CAMPRO engine. LOTUS meanwhile, showcased its range of vehicles and performed a driving demonstration.

Other activities included the showcase and contest of outstanding cars from the southern region chapters of the Gen.2 Club, PROSBOC (Proton Saga BLM Owners Club) and the Satria Neo Club, the sale of PROTON Lifestyle merchandise, games and quizzes by Hitz.fm’s radio announcers, and performances by local artistes Pesawat and One Buck Short.

Proton to unveil concept car at Geneva Motor Show

Proton Holdings Bhd will unveil its concept car, a creative collaboration with Italdesign Giugiaro, at the 80th International Motor Show in Geneva on March 2, 2010.

Its group managing director Datuk Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamad Tahir said the collaboration was part of the group's long-term strategy to match global automotive standards and expand its footprint worldwide.

Italdesign Giugiaro is an independent service company that provides major and emerging international car makers with creativity, engineering and the necessary support for the industrialisation of new products.

Proton’s adviser Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is expected to launch the Proton concept car during the motor show, the group said in a statement today.

"The specially designed chassis features a raised floor that can accommodate the conventional engine as well as the hybrid system's batteries in the rear," it said.

The concept car, based on a hybrid propulsion system, leverages on maximising space while maintaining the overall dimensions of a compact car.

Syed Zainal Abidin said the car was conceived with the aim of maximising the interior roominess and improving access to the vehicle. - Bernama

Proton electric cars by 2010?

If negotiations go well, we could be seeing electrically-powered variants of the Persona and Savvy in the showrooms by 2010. This was revealed today at a media briefing by Detroit Electric at Proton’s test track in Shah Alam, Selangor, although Albert Lam, Chairman & CEO of the company, said that ‘discussions are still ongoing’ and that nothing has been finalized with Proton. He revealed that besides Proton, Detroit Electric is also talking to two other automakers (one in Germany and one in the USA) to form similar strategic partnerships.

However, Mr Lam (formerly CEO of Lotus Engineering and Executive Director of Lotus Group International until 2006) sounded very upbeat that a deal could be signed with Proton which has been tasked by the Malaysian government to evaluate and validate Detroit Electric’s technology and explore the potential to collaborate in creating a range of pure electric vehicles (EVs).

“Given the proactive measures taken by the Malaysian government to provide efficient and reliable alternative transportation to the people, we see this country as a ‘fertile ground’ for us to work with the parties concerned and provide a sustainable solution,” he said. He was especially delighted that the Prime Minister had shown support by driving to the Merdeka Day parade in Kuala Lumpur in a Persona specially modified to run with an electric motor. The e-Persona, as it is known, was modified by Detroit Electric.


A bit of history about EVs before we go on: before cars with internal combustion engines swamped the world (and changed it forever), electric cars were actually dominant and there was a ‘golden era’ of EVs in the early 1900s. However, the early batteries could not store much electricity so the driving range was short – few cars went more than 90 kms per charge. When Henry Ford rolled out his Model T in 1908 for $850, the electric car’s decline in popularity began; by 1939, electric motors in cars no longer powered them but were instead used only to get them started (eliminating the hand-turned crank).


Detroit Electric was the brand name of the most popular electric cars during that era and closed down when no one wanted such cars any longer. It is unclear why Mr Lam bought over the company since whatever technology it had would surely be obsolete today. Perhaps the nostalgia value is worth something and it might even prove useful when he starts selling the cars in America.

“Detroit Electric was an American icon in the early part of the 1900s,” said Mr Lam. “The brand represented the most popular electric car in history and the Andersen Electric Car Company in Detroit, which made it, was the longest-running electric car company. Detroit Electric is a name, we believe, which will speak to generations past and the future of automobiles. We are proud to have a chance to rebuild this great car name after 100 years.”

Detroit Electric was earlier a joint-venture between ZAP, a US company specializing in EVs (on whose board of directors Mr Lam sits as well) and China’s Youngman Automotive Group. However, just three days ago, ZAP announced that it will transfer its ownership interest in Detroit Electric in exchange for North American sales and distribution rights for all vehicles developed and manufactured by Detroit Electric as well as US$750,000. The Youngman Automobile Group will also relinquish its ownership under a separate arrangement, but will continue to provide vehicle platforms to Detroit Electric for pure electric transit buses and coaches.

Detroit Electric’s EV technology has been under development for almost 3 years at its R&D facility in The Netherlands, and prototypes have been running using VW Golf and Daihatsu Cuore platforms. The technology is now at a stage where it can be commercialized and the company is looking for strategic partners as well as new shareholders. It does not aim to get into the car-making business itself but will focus on developing EV technology as its intellectual property. What it wants is to have a carmaker like Proton as a strategic partner which can provide the platforms and build the vehicles, perhaps in a cross-licensing agreement for the technology. Mr Lam revealed that should Proton become that strategic partner, one of the offers is that it will ‘have the ASEAN market’.

While Proton would be able to sell the EVs under its own brand, Detroit Electric would also have rights to sell vehicles made by Proton under its own brand as well in other markets. The arrangement would be somewhat like what Proton is doing with Youngman Automotive Group where the Chinese company is buying Gen2s with some cosmetic changes and putting its badge on them for sale in China. Mr Lam, incidentally, was the man who was responsible for bringing Youngman, Lotus Engineering and ZAP together for a joint-venture to develop, manufacture and market electric and hybrid luxury coaches, buses, trucks and passenger cars.

General Review of Proton

Proton is the Malaysian national carmaker which was established in 1983. The name of Proton is the Malay languange acronym for Perusahaan Otomobil Nasional ( National Automotive Enterprise ) (“Proton, “ 2007). Besides that, there are something wrong about Proton cars which are Proton cars’ engine performed badly, Proton cars are badly manufactured and Proton cars are badly designed.

Firstly, Proton cars are badly designed. Car design or automotive design is the profession involved in the development of the appearance, and to some extent the ergonomics of motor vehicles or more specifically road vehicles. This most commonly refer to automobiles but also refer to motorcycles, trucks buses, coaches and vans. (“Automotive design, “2010). Proton still created bad design since 27 years producing cars. They still take up and design from another brands such as Mitsubishi, Alfa Romeo and so on. At the early established, Proton just copied and took up the model from the Mitsubishi brand. According to article “Proton” , for example the type of car was copied and then renamed as Proton Wira which is based on Mitsubishi Lancer/Colt, Proton Saga based on Mitsubishi Galent, Proton Putra based on Mitsubishi Mirage and other else. (“Proton, “2007). This fact shows that Proton does not have ability to create a new car eventhough built for their own identity. Nowadays, Proton still copies from the other brands, since they are not fully copied. The good example is about Proton Perdana which is Proton Perdana’s facelifted to include the Alfa-Romeo inspired grille. (“Proton, “2007). So, designing of Proton cars are badly.

Next, Proton cars are badly manufactured. Car manufactured is a business engaged in the manufacture of automobile. Related word for car manufacture is automaker, auto manufacture, car maker and else. (“Car Manufacturer,”2010). The most worst case about the models of Proton cars is Proton Waja. The major worst about manufacturing Proton Waja is double pulley windows. Power windows for Proton Waja are easy to break down and badly designed. If it is failed to do job, these power windows should be replaced the entire mechanism since one thing bracket broke. (“Charting Proton’s Progress:,”2009). According to another article (“Proton Jumback Turned, “2009), Proton jumback is offerred on poor head and leg protection for the drivers and passengers on offsetcrash test by independent Crash Test Organization Ancap (Australasian New Car Assessment Programme ) in New Zealand. Futhermore, the Proton cars are also used cheap material for their cars. In another related articles based on (“Proton, “2007), most of them are low quality of materials and fit finished in Proton car contribute to more manufactured. As result, the material used contribute to more manufacture bad effect on Proton cars. So, manufacturing of Proton cars are badly.

Lastly, Proton cars engine perform badly. Engine performance mean (Mechanical engineering) a description of how well engine works or detailed statistical information about rhe capabalities of an engine. (Engine Performance,”2010). Nowadays, Proton produced their new MPV(a multi-purpose vehicle, a large or a small bus) named Exora. Soon as Proton Exora launching, almost every single magazine has featured test drive reports and has taken Exora out for a spin and has given their thoughts on the cars. (Charting Proton’s Progress:,”2009). This article showed that Proton Exora’s transmission breaks down and revs build up quickly when accelerated since using the new technology engine. The new technology engine named as Campro engine. According to article (“Proton,”2007), this new technology engine still has its own problem which is performed high torque when engine rotate in low rotation especially when changing gear while driving. As result, driving the Proton Exora has not comfortable and spacious when relaxing conditons. So, engine performance of Proton cars are badly.

As conclusion, Proton still have their weakness about poor performance of Proton cars’ engine, badly manufactured for their cars and badly designing cars. . By overcoming these situations, it will not be imposible Proton can be the best leader in marketing of cars in whole world one day. Futhermore, Proton is our local product and it becomes our national proud carmaker until today since the year of 1983 because the majority working in Proton is our Malaysians.

CAR PRICE GUIDE

PROTON PRICE


PROTON GEN.2 1.3 (A) RM46,899.54
PROTON GEN.2 1.6 (A) RMR55,234.32
PROTON GEN.2 1.6 (M) RM51,5R10.66
PROTON GEN.2 1.6 H-LINE (A) RM58,919.46
PROTON GEN.2 1.6 H-LINE (M) RM55,933.33
PROTON ISWARA 1.3 A/B (M) NPS RM31,072.95
PROTON ISWARA 1.3 A/B (M) PS SE RM35,494.73
PROTON PERDANA 2.0 V6 (ENHANCED 3) (METALLIC) RM101,500.25
PROTON PERSONA 1.6L B-Line (Metallic) RM45,449.00
PROTON PERSONA 1.6L B-Line (Metallic) RM48,449.00
PROTON PERSONA 1.6L B-Line (Solid) RM47,999.00
PROTON PERSONA 1.6L B-Line (Solid) RM44,999.00
PROTON PERSONA 1.6L H-Line (Metallic) RM55,800.00
PROTON PERSONA 1.6L M-Line (Metallic) RM49,800.00
PROTON PERSONA 1.6L M-Line (Metallic) RM52,800.00
PROTON SAGA 1.3L (A) M-Line Metallic RM39,998.00
PROTON SAGA 1.3L (A) M-Line Solid RM39,548.00
PROTON SAGA 1.3L (M) B-Line Metallic RM37,998.00
PROTON SAGA 1.3L (M) M-Line Metallic RM37,498.00
PROTON SAGA 1.3L (M) M-Line Solid RM37,048.00
PROTON SAGA 1.3L B-Line (A) Solid RM37,548.00
PROTON SAGA 1.3L B-Line (M) Metallic RM34,998.00
PROTON SAGA 1.3L B-Line (M) Solid RM34,548.00
PROTON SAGA 1.3L N-Line RM31,500.00
PROTON SATRIA NEO 1.3 (A) RM46,500.00
PROTON SATRIA NEO 1.3 (M) RM43,500.00
PROTON SATRIA NEO 1.6 (A) RM51,500.00
PROTON SATRIA NEO 1.6 (M) RM48,500.00
PROTON SATRIA NEO 1.6 H-LINE (A) RM54,800.00
PROTON SATRIA NEO 1.6 H-LINE (M) RM51,800.00
PROTON SAVVY 1.2 (M) RM39,427.88
PROTON SAVVY 1.2 (M) (METALLIC) RM40,267.13
PROTON SAVVY 1.2 AMT RM42,050.07
PROTON SAVVY 1.2 AMT (METALLIC) RM42,916.32
PROTON SAVVY 1.2 AMT H-LINE (METALLIC) (ABS) RM45,841.25
PROTON WAJA 1.6 (A) CAMPRO RM59,899.23
PROTON WAJA 1.6 (M) CAMPRO RM56,665.85

Products of Proton

List of vehicles / PROTON cars are as follows:

* Proton Arena: A mini utility truck that is also called the Proton Jumbuck in UK and Australia).

* Proton Gen-2: The only Malaysian-made cars in full (including the chasis and engine) and a replacement model for Proton Wira; launched on February 8, 2004.

* Proton Iswara: It is the transformation of the Proton Saga; launched in 1992.

Proton Juara *: A simple and small MPVs based on the Mitsubishi Town Box.

* Proton Persona: Launched on August 15, 2007. 1.6 liter sedan is based on the previous model, the Proton Gen-2 with a display of Gen-2 sedan than a sporty shape. It also maintains 82kW Campro engine.

* Proton Perdana: Based on the Mitsubishi Eterna, was released to the luxury car market in 1994.
o Proton Perdana V6: for Proton Perdana V6 version with a modification kit.

* Proton PERT: Has the same features as the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. The latest model fitted Evolution VII and compete in the production class in the World Rally Championship.

* Proton Putra: 3 door Sport Sedan based Mitsubishi Mirage.

* Proton Saga: It is the first model, based on model Mitsubishi Lancer Fiore. It was developed for the first time in Shah Alam in September 1985. Proton Saga to 100,000 were issued in January 1989. The second generation Proton Saga model was released in January 2008 with the new design offers its own designs and use the Proton Campro engine 1.3L IAFM.

* Proton Satria: Sedan 3 door Mitsubishi Mirage based.
o Proton Satria GTI: sporty sport three door. Proton is the attempt to remove the sporty version of the sport and the market is high. Very popular in Australia and has many followers in Australia. Engine 1.8 liter DOHC 4 cylinder.
o The Proton Satria R3: This is a limited version of the race for the Satria Spek produced only 150 units. Includes light frame chasis and engine changes.
o Proton Satria Neo: Proton is the latest version of the product. It was launched on June 16, 2006, and comes in 1.6L and 1.3L Campro engine. It is expected to take back market Proton car sales by 40%.

* Proton Savvy: Launched on June 8, 2005. Is a compact five door car with a 1.200 cc, a replacement model for Proton Tiara. Accept the default configuration the car engine and semi-automatic gear box from Renault.

* Proton Tiara: Is a compact car based on the Citroen AX, created under license by Proton from 1996 to 2000.

* Proton Waja: Also known as Proton Impian in Europe, it is the first Proton car designed himself. However, taken the car chasis and designed based on chasis of Mitsubishi (other than 1.800 cc variant, which was developed by using Renault engines). Original model Proton Waja 1.6 4G18 engine is also used by the Mitsubishi Lancer 2000 model year, but then it started using Campro engine in 2006. In 2008, the Proton Waja Campro engine also features variable valve timing technology Campro CPS.

* Proton Wira: Also known as the Proton Persona in some overseas markets, it has been introduced in 1993 based on Mitsubishi Lancer / Colt. Has sold 220,000 units between 1996 and 1998. This version is very popular in Malaysia.

The beginning of Proton

PROTON (short for automotif Sdn Bhd) which was established on May 7, 1983 with paid-up capital of 150 million dollars, is the first Malaysian car manufacturer. Its establishment was the idea of Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad, Prime Minister of the time, to achieve the national aspirations towards industrialization. This arduous task is supported by the Heavy Industry Corporation of Malaysia Berhad (HICOM), and joint venture partners from overseas.

Shareholders consisting of:

* Heavy Industries Corporation of Malaysia Berhad (70%)
* Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, Japan (15%)
* Mitsubishi Corporation, Japan (15%)


PROTON factory is located at:

* HICOM Industrial Estate, Batu Tiga, 40000 Shah Alam, Selangor.
* Tanjung Malim, Perak