[ UPDATE: The first test mules of the Proton MPV spotted! ]
[ UPDATE #2: EXCLUSIVE: Initial Proton MPV exterior, interior and spec details! ]
Proton is studying the feasibility of developing an MPV and an SUV, said director of manufacturing Datuk Kamarulzaman Darus. Development will take up to 24 months if the results of the feasibility studies are positive.
In such a short period of development time, it would mean Proton would be using a platfrom from one of it’s strategic partners, which could be either Volkswagen or Mitsubishi at this period of time. It could even be Peugeot.
Some interesting facts – Peugeot and Mitsubishi has a joint venture SUV program. The Peugeot 4007 is actually a re-engineered Mitsubishi Outlander. As for the MPV, it was previously rumoured that Proton would be developing an MPV based on the Volkswagen Sharan. That’s a large MPV, not a small one like the Toyota Avanza.
Details are sketchy right now, and the projects are not even approved and could possibly not even see the light of day if the feasibility studies have negative results, but at least it is something to look forward to once the Satria Replacement Model is launched. Another model to look forward to is the Perdana replacement model, which might be based on the Mitsubishi 380, or a Volkswagen Passat. Funny, when originally announced, Proton planned to launch the Perdana replacement by the end of 2005, but I guess that plan was scrapped when talks with Volkswagen broke down. The Mitsubishi 380 sounds likelier now.
Update (25/5/2006): Proton says if the projects are given the green light, it will be developing them on their own with assistance from Lotus Engineering. This would be a good opportunity to use Lotus Engineering’s Versatile Vehicle Architecture (VVA), in which a common platform can be used to develop a variety of vehicles like SUVs, MPVs, and even coupes. The Lotus APX Aluminium Performance Crossover concept vehicle was a demonstration of the versatility of the VVA platform. Click here for more details on the Lotus Versatile Vehicle Architecture (VVA).
Related Posts:
2007 Peugeot 4007
Proton to buy Passat and Sharan Platforms
Mitsubishi 380 to be exported to Malaysia
Perdana Replacement Model to be a Volkswagen Passat
After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history. An avid electronic gadget aficionado as well as big-time coffee lover, he's also the executive producer of the Driven motoring TV programme.
hm……..another announcement……..words speak louder than actions???
nvm, just wait n c……….
Cheers!!!!!
Initial D – no need to wait if you want to buy car as it is "lip service/talking only" by P1. But if you want to buy P1 share or already own certain vol of P1 share, then you have to pay attention whether this news will help to boost the P1 share price in KLSE.
Proton should just outsource the design to Pinnafarina instead. Why? That design house can produce superior designs than our local talent. Plus, it will help to push more car sales (people tend to see a foreign brand).
As for R&D, just buy the platform from a Chinese manufacturer and build from there. Should take 6 months or so. In the car industry, time is money. The longer u wait, the more outdated your products will be.
Aya, Now Suv & mpv? Small cars kenot produce properly already how to venture to the big ones? They really got nothing to do isit? Fix the smaller problems 1st b4 going into bigger ones!!
Really duno how to do business :S
One more stupid product from P1………sad….
Haha… Proton chasing from far behind? All car manufaturers already produced SUV n MPV since few years back… but doubt that Proton can produce an MPV nicely or not… with those retarded quality controls… haha… later it become worst MPV of the year… duh… like dogster said, small car cannot produce properly, how bout big ones? hmmm.. really can't imagine Proton with RM100k MPV with low quality interior with no airbags n ABS n EBD with a CAMPRO engine…. looking at the Perdana I already feel sad… with that price I can get an import model with full specs! and about Perdana Replacement model (PRM), the Mit Galant 380 is the low selling models at Aus… The 380 really not very nice looking if compared to older models of Galant which are more macho looking… I wonder how much will be the selling price… RM100K again? come on… And all this news… I wonder how long will it take to produce those MPV SUV n PRM… hmmm… years? "Malaysia Boleh" "Proton Pun Boleh"
IMO what proton need now is a proper sedan for the 50k – 55k range. The gen2. line obviously a failure with its sporty a.k.a poor design and built.
The people don't need another perdana dammit. We need an affordable family sedan or anything that can fit 3 adults at the back comfortably.
Well, that's just my 2 cents
drkhrs, u're true, the gen2 can't fit 3 adults at the back comfortably… Proton should learn from BMW if it wants sporty for its sedan… n Mercedes…. these are all successful manufaturers for producing sport sedan… sporty yet elegant with nice space inside…
jtshin said,
Proton should learn from BMW if it wants sporty for its sedan… n Mercedes….
you idea is good but this PROTON will never learn they suck "rakyat" blood till dry..they not really into car business they only play around so please
DONT BUY PROTON….LET THEM DIE…please do not wait for SRM/MPV/SUV dont waste your precious time…WE.LIVE ONLY ONCE..DONT DIE IN PROTON
HEhe funny, but see if they make a bigger or wider perdana, our stupid roads wont fit. In aus, say a toyota camry is considered small on aussie's road. Put the camry on the roads in malaysia, we find it hard to drive it around. no space >.
If like this (current quality and design issue) not done yet,how to move ahead…please laa potong you always make a big joke laaa….Anyway,goodluck..perhaps no more 'mesin photostate bergerak' (JUARA) anymore…..:-)
Please don't give us another juara..
Sometimes you would come to a point where you don't really care anymore. For now, I can't be bothered to what Proton have in plan. No need to come up with such hype when they haven't prove to be true to their words.
I don't care if it's a Passat platform or the 380. But I praise Proton if they could come out a VW quality products. VW has one of the best quality car in the world. If Proton can do just that, they did enough to survive in this globalisation era.
Btw, this is out of topic. I'm thinking of buying a 1996 Citroen ZX 2drs 2.0 16v. Been eyeing it for a couple of years now. 2nd hand of course. But in tip top condition. RM20k+/-. What do you guys think? Is it worth it?
The current trend by Proton is to use Renault based model for new development. They have studied the Renault Grand Scenic and perhaps they are considering to use its platform for the next MPV. Ofcourse, quality concerns would definitely still be on top of the list for every potential buyer consideration. As for the SUV, Proton had one developed with Lotus but last I heard was that it was given to Lotus as it has a better brand image.
"Proton is studying the feability of developing an MPV and an SUV, said director of manufacturing Datuk Kamarulzaman Darus"
How long they need to study? 1, 2 or 3 years plus 2 years for the development, so tatally will take at least 3 years plus to produce a new model. How many people can wait for 3 years?? Maybe 3 years later, most of the car owner looking for small or hybrid cars due to fuel price increase… then how????? I think proton should act fast now.. if not they will lag behind miles away..
i hope proton don't build another Juara… anyway, proton should keep quite la… stop talking for a while… people are really confuse of the road proton is taking. pls shut up!! should be no more news and shut everything until the day proton launch a new model, baru la cakap besar. by 2020, wonder where will proton be?
imagine if iswara is from the 1986, then i will assume that SRM will launch this year and will last till 2026… LOL
My God MPVs and SUUUUVs?!??!?!? dunno whether it will pass the crash test or not.
I dun find anything wrong with the Juara… we have had ours for years, fully paid, and touchwood no major problems other than battery habis and wear & tear. Build quality is one of the best among the proton range… it serves it's purpose well and i find it cool. dun la so mean ya. peace
http://www.juaraclub.tk
More announcement… get tired la.. when I will hear poton want to buy share in aviation company?.. then poton will start making aeroplanes!!!.. then Malaysian can start flying!!!.. if announcement only, I oso can make… here’s my announcement: I AM PREPARING OPEN TABLE TO ALL MALAYSIAN AT MARRIOT HOTEL.. PLS COME TRRW AT 9PM…. There, u see?? I oso can announce craps!!!
SUV, MPV or aeroplanes.. u r out of time poton.. stop wasting our time.. just perform.. or just die.. or Tomorrow Never Die…u r making lost from time to time now… clock is ticking.. tick, tick, tick….
ps: What r u goin to do with increasing stock poton? buy 1 free 1?? hehe…
juara is a good car, only that lots of people will be put off by the box design.
Announcements are meant to inflate the stocks, if you notice the stocks are higher after the new head is in place.
there goes my dream car. Passat with 120 incredible features. With hind sight, i am glad the VW P1 tie up didn't go thru, if not i will be driving a car which i won't be able to afford after the fuel price hike…
glad to c them tied up with the vw…plz la protong…vw is ok for u…
yeah the proton passat wud hav been nice… wat is this laa… 1st want VW, now tie in wif china n india car…
raptorclan – This is "cycle talk" A to B to C to D, ….. back to A again. A = Alone (P1), nobody interested………..
I can say P1 is going to fail very soon, i just read some article and found out that the mighty honda had a Fuel Cell prototype car, which runs on Hydrogen. hohoho and what will be coming out of the exhaust is only water. P1 and the biodiesel are dying soon….sayonara P1……… sayonara P1
Still deciding want to enter SUV and MPV market or not ahhh? Everybody is eating the big huge delicious pie now and you still deciding want to eat or not.
proton may not be able to do as they want anymore. as it is the koreans are eating their market share, now that naza is bringin in european cars…..well, i guess we are finally going to be able to see some decent competition here.
they are bringing in the 206 because that price range has the biggest market, but why not expand the range to the high end once you start building up market share and profit?
i wonder whatever happened to the lotus APX concept. would have made a good base for a proton suv/mpv/crossover
as for the perdana replacement…..they should base it on the waja chassis. More comfy suspension, obviously a better interior that dosent feel as cheap as the waja's, and new body.
that way they will not be just behaving like a dumping ground for mitsub cars.
not letting a foreign partner take control because of nationalism is bullcrap.nothing to do with nationalism, certain people are just worried about the financial questions that are asked…..and due to that those certain people will no longer be getting big $$$
hey folks look at this monster in rabbit clothing.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-66552059…
this a E90 330i.. the throw out the six str8 and embedded a V10 507 Hp in it. Video says thousand words. See it for yourself…
paul are you a bimmer Fan. i am. they won best engine again. and the 7 speed automated gearbox is lightning fast. it just take a split of 100th second to move up and down.
hi guys… very new here… what i fear is that the G will exercise similar feat as to what they have done to save TNB… P1 is now the the umbrella of NAP, I think they won't let P1 die and they wil do anyhting in their power to ensure that… even at the cost of rakyat's money… so not supporting P1 may affect us all in the end…
APX is damn expensive. All alum, with rivet and bonding technology – Malaysians are not ready for a RM160,000 ++ sports SUV. Sports, because of its big engine and cramped compartment.
its about time PROTON entering this market segment!!….ever considering 4×4 Mr Proton?
Raptorclan & mystvearn, you are both correct that Juara is good in terms of practicality and space. Design wise no need to comment oredi as so much had been said. However, the rear most seat are useless except for kids. Suzuki ERV might be a better option at that time versus the Juara as it offers drivers airbag, sunroof, 1.3L SOHC 16V engine, acceptable 7-seaters and best of all surround air-cond. Ofcourse the main problem with the ERV is it bad ride due to its hard suspension but wonderful for spirited drive unlike Avanza which rolls considerably into hard corner and offers boat ride feeling over uneven roads.
Afhstingray, the APX was given back to Lotus together with the M250 (sport car) as the Proton management felt that Lotus has a stronger brand image than our Proton. As for the suggestion that the Perdana replacement model should be based on the Waja chassis, Proton already has an over-priced & under-spec car called Chancellor 2.0V6. RM140k with no airbags but has ABS, an expensive ICE system from Clarion, rear air-cond vent and lots of legroom. At RM140k, they should have included 4 air-bags as standard and do away with the expensive ICE system instead to lower the price.
Abu – what P1 talking is not limited to what you say. Their talking is the Directors all want to show to share holder and G that they are doing something mah, also scare pak lah ask them to leave if GLC like P1 can’t perform. What to do, this is typical commercial director (they are also salary man want to earn a living) office politic behavior. But their talk cock ocst us tax payer moeny lol…… very painful.
Another one is they need to talk cock in the media so that they talk for the sake of talking in order to ensure P1 is not out of media “radar screen”. Also, they talk talk here and talk talk there, oh P1 got to boost it share price in the market oso mah. If u buy P1 share (not advisible), this news may help mah ……. what to do?
Sure “mo gao chor” one eh ……
If in the case MPV or SUV, surely it will look like Colt or Outlander. No doubt.
yeah tracks, agree wif u on d seating arrangement… proton shud hav opted for the TownBox Wide with bench version… some of our club members have imported those…
but yeah, being a compact k-class vehicle, u can't really get the best comfort. but handling's good
they shud produce a mid range sedan priced appropriately… the chancellor's price is overkill… and it's not that big either…
TownBox is design by Mits as city mini commercial vehicle, but in our Bolehland, P1 introduce it as mini MPV, WTF.
Other car manu's definition for SUV and MPV:
Sport Utility Vehicles
Multipurpose Vehicles
Potong's definition for SUV and MPV:
SUx Vehicle
Murah Punya Vehicle
:p See Fu: Yao Mou Kao……Chou!!!!!
Toto,Magnum 4D or Da Ma Cai 4D should let people bet the year when Proton will close……like 2009,2010 etc.
Proton's future is really dark…..no light at the end of the tunnel.
Now,the petrol price is damn expensive…they're talking about SUV….I wonder how they really make business….Close 1 eye or 2 eye???
Going into niche market is very risky considering the fact that Proton is still struggling on core sales. It is better if they concentrate on passenger cars (saloon or hatch back).. anyway, good luck
If The G continue to support Proton…I think we shouldn't vote for BN on Next ELECTION…….
goingberserk…i dont really agree with what you said. P1 wont be NATA or NATO. believe me…they will really action to it mate. Later they will announce an investment of few millions or billions into 'researching' the new models for the upcoming SUV and MPV or watsever la….but later silence completely about the result, spending of the research. Thats wat P1 GOOD AT!!!!!! another BLOOD SUCKING opportunities…you think they will let go of it????? F*** la!!!
Later When this thing failed again, its going to be water hike, parking fee hike, pedestrian hike, bah kut teh hike, nasi lemak hike or watever hike they can think of to SUCK you DRY my man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yao Mou Gao……..CHOR!!!
i have a feeling they are doing this to fill in all the gaps. like they mentioned b4. other car companies who compete directly with p1 (similar cars as in SUV MPV) will be slapped with increased tax or they cant import it to msia for sale or something. once they cover every engine cap and car type, then nobody else can import cars to sell at a competitive price (compared to proton). That seems to be thier very intention in my view. so all msians are still gonna get forced into buying proton many years down the track. the report i can remember vaguely but its related to japanese companies wanting to import certain cars into msia but proton/government said they cannot import competing products, so they can either import SUV's or higher capacity engine cars that do not compete with p1 directly.
like someone said. its bad they cant even succeed at normal passenger or budget cars. but now they trying to get into unknown territory where few car companies succeed. they also have the best timing. price hike in petrol and they want to sell big cars. the savvy experience has taught them nothing.
Well, not voting BN if G-man continue support Proton? hehe… will others think like that? If ppl think like that, so early BN eat grass already… still until now eat all rakyat's money? hmmm… BN G-ment nv fair to rakyat… see for urself… only eat $ from rakyat to 'rescue' Proton n MAS while all the datuk inside eat all the $… right? hmmm… Proton only know how to sit there like baby n cry for money then its 'parent' will come n feed. even though got news said tat g-ment will let Proton walk by itself but till now our 'honourable' Najib(Najis) said g-ment won't let Proton die… n will provide watever they need to compete in the car market…
Speaking of Chancellor… damn stupid model… I wonder how many units had been sold… Rm16k… I rather get a Camry with full spec with GOA Body airbags n damn lots electronics… if want those sound systems… bikin la sendiri… want how much oso can… Chancellor wth no airbags… I wonder wat ppl think… when this model out… I laugh at it… over price with damn cheap specs… the V6 engine already out dated… no crash test, no GOA body… duh… how can convince ppl buy? I don't think those proton head ppl will buy it also… they all drive imported cars… where got see them drive proton… cheh… dunno build for who… maybe those who're stupid would buy chancellor… unless someone give as a gift then maybe consider… who doesn't want free car rite?
not only MAS and Proton……All Goverment Linked Company(GLC) is like that…
another one..TNB increse tarrif…..
Man..those GLC are really oppressing us…
BN..gave them too much MAJORITY and they treat us like that…it doesn't worth it…..They'll will lose vote like what's happening in Sarawak during next election….
Haha… I'm Sarawakian… well… Bn ppl… only know talk talk talk… when they implement something or build something… for their own pocket nia… nv care ppl's feelings… they think like this good like that good… but the public nv think its good… if tell them.. they'll say this n that… my town here… drains clogged… roads damn lousy… rally class roads damn it… cars with low springs n fibers can't use here… at my place, many ppl's car low fiber are damaged n have to repair always… wat happen to the road? Well, cars hv to use sport springs to prevent the car being bumped to the floor… complaints will only take noticed by them when election come… if ppl wan something else.. please contact those ppl before election… they'll give 110% to u… haha… this's my place… u tell them this morning… afternoon they'll send ppl to fix it… all the losing seats this time are chinese areas… hope other ethnics will wake up on wat BN did to them n not only by getting few hundred bucks if BN wins… they buy votes le… n some ppl only look at the $ to vote them… n throw their next 5 yrs into pityness… hmmm…
Lets talk more on cars, SUVs, MPVs etc.. here, but before that:….
"
fookeatmin1989 said,
May 25, 2006 @ 7:38 pm
not only MAS and Proton……All Goverment Linked Company(GLC) is like that…
another one..TNB increse tarrif…..
Man..those GLC are really oppressing us…"
The real culprits are the biznesmen with good relationship with the powerful politicians. The GLC are gold mines for them (Tenders, contracts). They can shape the rules to suit them…TNB will not suffer as today if they are no IPPs. IPPs will not exist if not for those greedy people with political power dont force TNB to accept the unfair power purchace agreement..TNB have to accept because; well it is a GLC..The politicians have to agree with the biznesmen as they also has some interest in the Energy bisnes…In the end, TNB cant afford as much staff as before…More people will be unemployed..Taariff has to increase…It is alwaz the ordinary, majority people who have to suffer…
True about the APX,however selling overseas under the lotus badge but locally under the proton badge is not a bad idea. similar to vauxhall/opel
chancellor was never meant to be a perdana replacement. in fact i dont have a clue why that thing even made it to market other than to prove that the waja platform is flexible enough to accomodate a v6 and long wheelbase.
perhaps the r&d costs of designing a new perdana body based on the waja platform is not worth the money? i dont know. what i do know is the waja platform,apart from being locally designed (mostly) is able to accomodate higher powered engines and the extended wheelbase, as demonstrated by the chancellor.
oh btw i wasnt suggesting they manufacture the apx as it is. use the chassis, and certain components, they dont have to use the same body etc
like the audi TT, volkswagen golf, skoda (cant rememer which model), and seat (dunno model) all use the volkswagen golf chassis.
Hey guys… check-out the following links the first one is the waja crash test… hehe… in case u ppl havent seen it…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rK57GHRcclI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNBpJOaE__A
The second one is about Savvy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7JITRVRDPE
Gen-2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkm03SFMeFA
Perodua Kenari
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSAfZs23kyg
Well… This's wat the british say bout Proton & Perodua cars… hmmm… sad? shame? wonder if the Proton ppl ever saw these videos….
Well, JC just trying to make his show entertaining.
OMG, i was a bit embarassed thou when I see the Savvy…
rexis….even you also feel embarassed when u see it.
the designers of the car should be feelin 100 times more embarrased….
been making failures since the gen2 up to the ultimate flop the savvy and still want to enter new markets that they have absolutely no experience in….except for rebadging….
In 1996, UTM's (universiti teknologi malaysia) project team submitted a new concept for asian countries to Proton (That time no manufacturer has come to such a concept). When proton looked at the idea, this was their comment: "if buyers want a car, they get a car lah…if they want a van just get a van", and shoved the projects' idea badly. Bitterly wounded, the project members abandoned their project.
About 3 years later, Toyota introduced the world's first MPV for asian market. It shocked the world…and it was their cash cows. You see, Toyota and UTM understood the culture in asia, we tend to have more than 3 children…and we need more room in one car, but we don't need the lifting power of a van.
Today, we can only gaze at Japanese MPVs filling up our roads, and now proton realise their mistake. We could have conquered asia if we open up our minds to things yet unseen, radical concepts we may say…but if we remain conservative…we will never move ahead.
Lets be humble, take away our prides…listen to the people around us, learn from our past mistakes. At that time, UTM was nobody…but, sometimes God uses nobody to shake somebody.
test drive nanti i komen.wait je la.so far ok