Paul Tan on the Automotive Industry
Proton has launched the Proton Persona in the Brunei market, priced at BND$20,771 (RM47.636.50) for the 1.6 litre medium line manual and BND$22,495 (RM51,590.35) for the 1.6 litre medium line automatic.
It is available in seven colours, namely iridescent white, metal gray, tranquillity black, solid red, light gold, blueberry tea and solid white. Proton has been in Brunei since 1999, distributed by Worldwide Motor Sdn Bhd.
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Proton launches “1Perayaan Proton” programme to celebrate the festive seasonAbout the Author
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.
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macam x de orang nak tengok je kereta tu.. huhu
sumer dah kaye2 tak main la proton huhuhu
Last night on NTV7 news, OSK said Proton will have a very ‘squeeze’ market share in Brunei. The 1.5 Vios is only BND$22k+, and the best seller Swift 1.5 is only at BND$18k++ compare to Persona BND$20k++. Untungnya orang brunei, cheap cars and cheap petrol also.
So expensive how to sell ?
Or perhaps the goal is not to sell, but more of awareness and “give face” to Proton
Hope proton will success in brunei…
Go Proton!
you guys are right. Proton in Brunei aren’t doing well. The price for Protons are normally in the Vios’ region in Brunei. For B$30k, there’s a wide range of CBU cars there to consider! New cars are so accessible there. The latest Civic type R for B$46,000, you do the math.As of today’s exchange rate, 2.32.
Plus, the cars in Brunei comes out much sooner than us here. People are already driving the new Dahaitsu Terios (if not mistaken of the name la) and months later only Toyota came out with its Rush, not complaining Malaysia la…I’m just trying to prove Brunei’s car market. Suzuki SX4, I’ve been seeing it running around Miri for months, in Malaysia, only recently somebody got spyshot photo of it konon.Hahaha…
Again, months ago, I saw the latest Land Cruiser (3rd generation Ninja), the latest big a$$ Kia Cranival, latest Kia Carens etc etc latest this latest that…
What I’m trying to say is, in Brunei, would you buy a Malaysian car?Sure, only if its below B$20k region la and thats maybe! My local friends who got jobs in Brunei, are already driving S15, Subaru, Lexus IS, Honda Accord, Honda Civic etc etc and all of them mostly have their cars within months after they have started working. Bachelor la of course…How I wish…..
same price as vios… and what make u think it’s hard to compete there? with the boot capacity and headroom clearance plus the fuel economical… what is there to complaint about? unless u are a malaysian. >wink
I heard this from anonymous insider…
Proton has commissioned LEM to design a replacement model for Waja. The development will take 2 years to complete…
So hopefully we will be able to see new Waja by 2010…
At least proton got something to sell out there.. well done proton.. hope to see the persona CPS soon
i think it is hard to compete in brunei market…better they go 4 other brand…btw…g.luck…
haha.. i really like kerelbot comment.. ppl are so worried that Persona is in Vios price range.. (and when i say ppl, i mean MALAYSIANS).. but really, what’s wrong with that?.. i know Toyota is much more established company.. but let the consumer test drive both cars.. if they’re not brand conscious, it’s more likely that they will choose Persona.. come on ppl, admit it.. Persona is a good car.. Proton is basically reborn with the new management.. Persona is when it begins.. the higher price make Malaysians unconsciously think Vios is better.. sure, the quality will still go to toyota.. but Persona excel in other areas..
why o why….brunei got persona with skirting….
i agree with joe1209p….. y always banging proton… now proton car r growing & improving… honestly i tried both & it seem i favor more on persona then vios plus it wierd look of vios somehow rather look alienish, YUKE !… persona, it’s comfortable, handling is great & many more that can be enjoy with… so y all d fuzz about… maybe in brunei proton is not doing so good but never know maybe ppl over in brunei might have interest in it.., give them some time & good promotion, surely people will buy it… apa la…
but then again, brunei is a really really small market. i dont believe it will make much of a dent in protons overall export sales numbers. but seems like they already have buyers for the car from the photo.
Proton cars definitely better handling BUT general consumers looking for more reliable yet better quality car. Thus brand play important thing. Imagine when people trade between Persona (B-segment) with C-segment Vios, they did due to the many factors beside establish BRAND. Vios more economical than many counterparts include for some ugly, Latio. So do with economical City idsi.
Imagine if Proton more economical cars? 56MPG, for instance people will opt for Vios or Persona? Is persona economical though initial cost substantially RM25k cheaper than Vios?
Actually, the launching was held at The Mall, Gadong. I was there at that time. It was lunch hour time, 1230. But, it’s obviously, some actually watch and inquiring from Brunei Proton’s staff about the cars. I’ve to agreed, Brunei people so lucky, they got plenty of choices. 2 weeks here, I’ve seen new Honda Accord, new Euro Honda Civic Hatchback and several other cars I’ve never seen at Malaysia like Nissan 350Z (Not Skyline). Surprisingly, I’ve seen plenty of Gen2 in Brunei and wira also. And I think, in Bruneian mind, will always see vios is the cheapest toyota car and it’s equivalent to Persona and Gen2.
thr free tax bah … ppl will look for sport car impreza … >.
wah ppl in brunei will have ENVY’s bodykit on their persona…
they already boring with vios maa..
and the persona even bigger than old vios too.
vios only 1.5 vs 1.6 in persona.
so it’s fair in equal condition to put at that price.
why? because of branding is all about?.
i dont think toyota is mother of all best thing..
at least, driving handling experience in proton far away better .
Different countries have different perception about a brand, so I think its unwise to generalize brunei and malaysian market.
whodz:are u sure u never see nissan 350z b4 in malaysia
i see plenty of them
import to brunei with terms and conditions
care to share what is the term and condition?
anyhoo to add the above.. it is juz to add branding awareness. which is good and the reseller there is not a division of Proton Malaysia,(like Thailand).
reliablity important? goodbye
owning is to know the problem and loving it…
mct: not the fairlady one. This is different maa. How should describe huh. I think 350 with 4 doors.
it must be the infiniti skyline-part of nissan just like lexus to toyota
I doubt this car will sell at all. Proton have absolutely no resale value. I personally had a proton once upon a time and I do not recommend it to anyone.
One will have to be very patriotic to accept proton.
Is it viable to sell in Brunei in the first place or Proton just want to increase number of countries exports too?
Seen a lot of Brunei registered Protons in Miri.
I doubt this car will sell at all. Proton have absolutely no resale value. “I personally had a proton once upon a time” and I do not recommend it to anyone.
One will have to be very patriotic to accept proton.
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it was once upon a time ago… now proton is different.
and u dont have to be patriotic to buy a proton. persona is a good car btw.
whodz…
i think d one u saw is skyline g35 sedan..rite??
y would bruneian wanna buy proton if they can get fully import cars which r much better?
bruneian r wasteful, since the cars r cheap there, they change it very often.
u can c alot of sport/ performance cars (in msia) r sold as second hand there.
i know la cos im mirian wot…
every weekend bruneian came here n parked s they like!!
hahaha
Maybe whodz saw the Sultan’s car. Who knows what kinda car Nissan made customly for the Sultan, just like what AMG did before, yohohoho.
put a mirian working in brunei they will surely buy sportscars. its like letting a bird out of its cage. freedom of choice near malaysia. wonderful.
there will be alot of dumb bruneians buying proton and problably more recently soon china cars. thats how it is in a free market. people will buy it coz its dirt cheapest of the cheap.
anyway good luck!
….to the buyers of proton.
why you want a Vios when you have better cars.
if i live there. i will always choose a jap cars than a crappy proton
hehehe..to buy or not to buy
ala, ada kete besor2 pn xguna kalu jln raya pendek..
well, no mat rempits to actually piss you off on Bruneian roads
To tech.titan – can you verify your ‘insider’ information? MY insider information said there’s no such plans! Not with Lotus, anyway.
yeah.. why buy skyline or fairlady-z in brunei while you can get M3, M5, M6 or SLR brabus even ferrari . (the statement answering itself)
proton is marketed to east malaysia, and brunei included,…why not.
well people have preferance, but nothing is wrong introducing persona as additional preference.
any recent review/comment on Persona by those who already used the cars for months? thinking of getting one…
topgunthang said,
…there will be alot of dumb bruneians buying proton…
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watch your mouth please.don’t just state anyone as “dumb” as they are buying with their own money, not yours.
Yes. GX-R aka Waja Replacement is in the making plus maybe with new proton 1.8 engine in 2010. Current engine management system(EMS) will be replaced with new 32bit EMS to at least EURO-5 compliant.
Suzuki SX4, I’ve been seeing it running around Miri for months, in Malaysia, only recently somebody got spyshot photo of it konon.Hahaha…
________________________________________________________
I tot SX4 had been launched in M’sia quite long ago.
corolla_KE70
I’m typing with my own keyboard. not yours.
thats just what i think of them if they do that. doesnt necessary mean they are dumb. by the way, if they bought it with my money i wouldnt think they are dumb. no way. but buying with thier own money. now thats dumb.
hmm how dumb is it for some1 to think buying proton is dumb?
Hahaha..dumb & dumber anyone.. peace!
it is dumb…nothing but the dumb..eerrr…cheers…
he who is a fool, always see others as a fool..
topgunthang said,
April 11, 2008 @ 10:50 pm
corolla_KE70
I’m typing with my own keyboard. not yours.
thats just what i think of them if they do that. doesnt necessary mean they are dumb. by the way, if they bought it with my money i wouldnt think they are dumb. no way. but buying with thier own money. now thats dumb.
——————————————————–
good for you as you show how good your english are with using so many “dumb” in one statement.however please show some respect to paul by not using it anymore.we are free to give comments here, but do remember to be an ethical blog visitors.being polite doesn’t waste anything from you.
Haaaih…………
Ini ini bodoh. Kita…kita…bodoh. Negara kita sentiasa dalam keadaan yg…bodoh.
Sauce: http://youtube.com/watch?v=N9S0W4iyegs
Behave, my fellow M’sians. “Polis kata jangan…” wakakakakakak
This things always happen in a Proton post, zzzzz =.=……..
I’ve been living in Miri since ’92 til now, how come few of you were able to say that you have seen many Brunei protons when I seldom see ‘em? Anyway, it is not to say or put down on Protons in Brunei, just that, in a tax free country, our Protons are not as sellable as other imported brands. Heck, who are to judge? Consumers have their rights to spend their money like one of you mentioned. After all, having Bruneians to buy our national brand is a good thing, isn’t it? For us Malaysians, our heavily taxed imported cars would restrict most of our accesses but given the opportunity in Brunei, would we Malaysians buy Proton when you can have a similarly priced car that is priced beyond our reaches in Malaysia? Unless you’re a Proton die hard fan la…which I can’t say anything.
Hi indigo, if not mistaken the spyshot pics of SX4′s appeared in this PT just this year or towards the end of 2007 only where in Brunei, been I’ve been seeing it months before this year. Anyway, it makes no differences as basically ours are brought in slower only. Peace…
To be fair, by merit, the Persona is better looking, has better ride & handling, and more powerful than Vios. So even non-Proton “die hard fan” can buy it too, cuz it is indeed, a better car than Vio-gong.
IS 300 is 50k, two persona’s nearly gets you that.
In Brunei you can get a base model of Merc C class for B$63,000. and Lexus IS for 50k+, etc…. The Proton Perdana in Brunei cost 100k+… It’s too expensive… better buy Nissan Teana/Cefiro for 50k+ with 3.5L engine…..even more luxurious than Perdana of course.
wtf! brunei sell more cheaper a lot! price cheaper than the price selling in east malaysia. proton u can saopei!