Apparently, this is the video of testing and preparation for the coming Antibes Rallye-Cote d’Azur which will be held from 15-17th this month. Antibes is the final round of the European Rally Championship. The Neo S2000 will be driven by one Bryan Bouffier who currently leads the Polish Championship in a Peugeot. Maybe it’s worth to check out the contenders. There are Toyota, Skoda, Peugeot and Opel.

Finally, Satria Neo will makes its debut in the rally scene. I wonder if Proton/MEM has any plan of entering the WRC. Whatever happen to the plan to host WRC in Malaysia? FELDA-Malaysia-WRC?
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The MR8 just finished a minute ago, and still FIA is probing on whether Malaysia will be in the list of future WRC round. If it was a success, maybe in 2010.

But I don’t know or how to comment more about it. Since the MR8 started yesterday, from 19 cars competing, only 8 managed to finished the rally. others broke down due to stage conditions/driver error/mechanical failure.

Remember that all cars competing in MR8 are quite FAST, especially in the APRC category. And WRC cars are much faster than them. Donno whether these cars suited enough to compete for our stage conditions…

Finally, Satria Neo will makes its debut in the rally scene. I wonder if Proton/MEM has any plan of entering the WRC. Whatever happen to the plan to host WRC in Malaysia? FELDA-Malaysia-WRC?

Salamz and Hi,

This “MEM Proton Satria Neo S2000? could be a glimpse of our future Satria Neo GTi, isn’t it? Maybe we are watching a prototype being build and tested by this MEM guys. I hope Proton would still consider building a 5-door Proton Satria (I know its very difficult decision, considering the sales of other 4-door Proton model could be affected as well).
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Salamz…..

This is not a prototype of Satria Neo GTI… MEM was authorised to transform the road going version of Proton’s Satria Neo model and produce a ground-breaking conversion of the Satria into the full specification Super 2000 car…. So, the new Proton Satria Neo Super 2000 rally car has just raised the performance bar for the rapidly expanding FIA Super 2000 rally series.

And, I think there will be no consideration for proton to build a 5-door satria neo because satria is always satria that used 3-door platform and will never be same as wajas or gen2s…..

This “MEM Proton Satria Neo S2000″ could be a glimpse of our future Satria Neo GTi, isn’t it? Maybe we are watching a prototype being build and tested by this MEM guys. I hope Proton would still consider building a 5-door Proton Satria (I know its very difficult decision, considering the sales of other 4-door Proton model could be affected as well).

maybe they used audi TT engine(2.0 turbo). they used this engine into satria neo GTI(x sempat launch coz change CEO)
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You absolutely wrong here mate.. this 2 litre Proton S2000 engine is derived from the Renault 1.8 litre engine that fitted to Proton’s Waja model before and has been further developed by MEM’s engineers to produce a reliable 278 bhp @ 7600rpm with a usable power band from 5,500 to 8,500rpm. Combined with the best 6-speed sequential 4WD Super 2000 transmission currently available, (the “532” version from market leaders Xtrac), the car sets new standards for engine performance and driveability.

notice the swede covered dash?

Now that’s hot.
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or u mean SUEDE…he he he!

actually the material helps a lot…by covering with suede, it prevents from glare from the dashboard itself…plastic dashboard do glares in sunlight!

lots of rally cars are implemeting to this kind of method nowadays…starting with Subaru rally cars…

But this S2000 Neo definitely looks the bussiness, chassis wise the base Proton should already come off age, let’s see how it fairs against the Pugs & Fiats.

i think uur d one who alway crashes into the a tree….
wakakaka….

Please spare me from this intellectual talk, I’m just passing by. I guess I keep my opinion to myself for now. There’re plenty car enthusiasts in here. It’s good time for me to read some of these work of art (intellectual bashing). Haha.

It may tickle Javenese that some of us nationalists feel excited about foreigners doing us a big favour. But it may boggle the English mind beyond their comprehension that we are not proud of our own. Since they only have history in their name whilst we still have ours. Good or Bad, it is still ours. And you claim you are Javanese? Only in name perhaps, not in soul. You bring shame to us all, for you have used it in vain.

“but it does nothing to its real life/road worthy counterpart. People need to realize that and stop dreaming.”

i suppose i get your point now. and i think its a valid reason. but everyone has a point to make, and it isnt always right.

but to be fair to proton, the ATCS cars are not very highly modified. they’re using suspension bought off the shelf. the rims are “advanti” rims that anyone can buy, not some super duper mag-alloys.. the roll cage is welded by some dude in some workshop in some industrial area in selangor.. toyota and honda indonesia are manufacturer backed. likewise, the tyota teams in thailand are experienced and have been racing their particular formula for years.. you comments say its no big deal, and anyone can do it.. but i disagree totally, not everyone can do it. but i’m sure you can, since its no big deal to you.

also, car manufacturers around the world dont seem to agree with you either.. look at mercedes, toyota, honda.. etc. they spend billions every year in F1.. and the other billions spent in DTM, or SuperGt, with cars only “looking” like the road cars they represent.. which again comes back to your argument above. i suppose they’ve all got it wrong, and you’ve got it right.. and thats my opinion.

p.s. “Given enough money even a shiitty Aveo will outhandle a 3 series built BMW Motorsport,” I totally disagree with this as wel.. having money is one thing, but car handling is a lot more than just money.

October 7, 2008 @ 12:33 pm

To my knowledge, Proton has got nothing to do with MEM in developing this car, apart from selling a single unit to them just like it sells cars to any Joe Public who wants to buy a Proton. But i bet MEM had a good reason why it chose the Neo, apart from all the qualities mentioned, a reputable race car builder will look for base vehicle with good engineering fundamentals to work on.

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theres more to just selling a car to a race car builder to build an FIA approved car.
there is a long and tedious homologation process that needs the special cooperation of the manufacturer and its engineering staff. you dont just sell one car and tell them to get on with it.

October 7, 2008 @ 12:22 pm

winning ATCS MAX 1500 race in Thailand ,
at least its ’something’ for a race prepared proton satria neo

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they also won in indonesia against a horde of hondas and toyotas.

To my knowledge, Proton has got nothing to do with MEM in developing this car, apart from selling a single unit to them just like it sells cars to any Joe Public who wants to buy a Proton. But i bet MEM had a good reason why it chose the Neo, apart from all the qualities mentioned, a reputable race car builder will look for base vehicle with good engineering fundamentals to work on.

The inventor of the integrated circuit, yes the forebearer of the tiny chips that run your PC, your mobiles, and yes your cars – was once asked on how to cultivate the skill of inventing in children. His reply was “read them fairy tales. People nowadays do not dream enough”.

do compare melon with melon, apple with apple.
race car with race car, standard car with standard car.

mishap can always happen.

One a more interesting note, it’s built to a S2000 rules that means it’s qualified to enter WTCC, STCC and BTCC races (huzzah). I wonder if it can make it to those races without hitting a lamp post? hmmmm…

The engine came from the Renault powered Waja 1.8L.

But the bigger question is, why do we care about this car? Are we supposed to impress someone with it? Has it actually win any races? It’s not even being raced yet. For all we know it could be a big/public (albeit only in Malaysia because the brits having built race winning cars with bunch of steel tubes and 70’s rover engines couldn’t care less) failure.
When this car crashes into the first tree on the first corner on the first stage of it’s first rally, I’ll be the one sitting at the back yelling, “I told you so!”
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i suppose i’ll be labelled a pretend know-it-all again. the car was only officially announced to the world end of july2008. the vids actually show the prototype being tested. so yes, it has definitely not entered a single race yet.

like it or not, proton does have a decent history in racing and they’ve been pretty successful for a small manufacturer.
the waja has been on the podium several times in the btcc, as well as winning the asian touring car championship. a proton satria super 1600 won the british rally championship for its class in the 90’s. proton wira’s and gen2’s have won rally championships in the middle east.. recently, proton satria neo has won the afos atcs1500max.

even if the car did crash into the first tree in the first corner, it would probably be the drivers fault. and in case you didnt watch the video, it didnt crash into any trees there. i suppose you must be bitterly disappointed.

But the bigger question is, why do we care about this car? Are we supposed to impress someone with it? Has it actually win any races? It’s not even being raced yet. For all we know it could be a big/public (albeit only in Malaysia because the brits having built race winning cars with bunch of steel tubes and 70’s rover engines couldn’t care less) failure.
When this car crashes into the first tree on the first corner on the first stage of it’s first rally, I’ll be the one sitting at the back yelling, “I told you so!”