Sometime last year we were informed that China’s Youngman was developing an SUV of their own together with Lotus Engineering based on the Proton GEN2 platform. Basically this was one of the first bespoke Youngman Europestar projects of hopefully many to come, a model that doesn’t exist in Proton’s existing portfolio.
Although the red and yellow Youngman Europestar logo on the exterior of the Tiguan-sized SUV is a little covered up, it’s clear to be seen on the interior. According to China Car Times, this Youngman SUV may make its debut at the Shanghai Auto Show sometime in April this year.
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Interesting, you mean this is not a rebadged?
i think absolutely not a rebadge, the front bumper more like the inspira bumper..keep it up proton..
Proton has no involvement in the engineering of this car. It’s only Youngman and Lotus.
no lotus involvement la…it’s marketing…they treat proton as lotus so that ppl will buy..
youngman n proton design this car bro…
Just want to seek some clarification….
Will Proton have the ability to leverage on this and offer an SUV under the Proton name? Or was it just a one way deal? i.e. Proton providing the Gen2 platform to Youngman.
Later proton might rebadge the SUV from Youngman just what it did with Lancer..
i think it wont happened…. Mistu relationship with P1 is beginning a long2 time ago. and Mistu is a respectable, reliable, experienced car maker as we know… even though youngman is established before we even had our independence.. personally, i think it wont happened….
anyways, let sing…
YOUNGMAN, there’s no need to feel down.
I said, YOUNGMAN, pick yourself off the ground.
I said, YOUNGMAN, ’cause you’re in a new town
There’s no need to be unhappy.
It’s fun to stay at the Y-M-C-A.~!!
It’s fun to stay at the Y-M-C-A.~!!
just kidding…
poor sales mitsubishi is less respected in japan..there’s a subject ive to cover in uni last time for dat matter..the sbjct ws mitsuxxbishi (pronounce in nihongo’) :)
reminds me of this ad
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WI2kbY7qdI
i never read this kind of comment in paultan..you are really think out of box…
if this really based on gen2, cant think why proton not built it also.. proton should try make suv
if proton were to do it themselves, it will cost them a whole lot of cash.. but by rebadging this as a proton, which im sure they can, it will be much cheaper.. which is something all the other big manufacturers are doing anyways. making use of the partnerships they have to save costs..
but then again.. proton already making money from this.. firstly, lotus is getting paid to do the work, which is a proton subsidiary, and then the gen2 platform.. which im sure is some sort of licensing deal where they get paid royalties… and if proton can get this car back rebadged as a proton to sell, sounds like a very good proposition for proton.
and also,,we have to accept,,,at this moment,,proton market is not as big as Youngman Europestar…so it really not cost effective if only proton run this alone…. so better colabrate with YE…
Yes. Just rebadge it back from europestar. if it has proton n lotus DNA, why not?
A Gen2 SUV? although the BMW X6 does have an uncanny familiar resemblance of our Gen2, this Youngman looks like a combination of exora (front) & fiesta (rear) side profile..
Next proton SUV maybe? or will it be a rebadge ASX?
Wow.. Engine using CFE Turbo meh?
hmm it hv some similarity with that test mule Proton tested earlier
could be developed in china. first with the chinese badge and then adapted later on for proton. possible?
i guess it is based on exora not gen2
hmmmmm… come to think of it… as it is based on the Gen2….. it looks more like a high-rear hatch… more of a Ford Focus typelike than a true SUV/Crossover… I’d rather have an SUV/Crossover based on the Exora platform though.
The bonnet, A-pillars and dashboard designs all look more like Exora than Gen-2. Quite likely to be that “squashed Exora” mule that’s being tested. It makes sense that ESP and TC are required for an SUV, especially if it’s just FWD.
Awww… c’mon..! Why can’t we have that here…? I know an SUV / Crossover vehicle would be great for Proton even if its a smaller segement of the market… DSZ…? Pretty puhleeaasssse..!
Proton is just a supplier to Youngman but not a Joint-Venture as other manufacturer… So it should be a model based on Proton but owned by Youngman… By the way Youngman may dump Proton anytime and Proton will have no presence in China…
i think your explanation is a little simplistic wolfsburg..
how do you consider this just the work of a ‘supplier?”
firstly, theres rebadging proton to youngman.. then theres platform sharing, and then theres engineering work done by lotus, which is owned 100% by proton.. and who knows what else work that goes on behind the scenes?
All these relationships are still supplier relationships. Supplying car to rebadge. Supplying platform. Supplying engineering expertise.
China is notorious for copying other people’s technology. Even the Hong Kongers would never trust the mainland Chinese with their technology because as soon as they don’t need them anymore they will dump them.
I have to agree with wolfsburg that Proton’s positionin China is a precarious one.
how deep did Lotus really develop the car for Youngman? maybe it just Youngman marketing gimmick to publicity their car.
remember China now have plenty of own built vehicle, it not surprise they can built (copy) any car they like
Emmm…. i smell something similar to X-6 using exora platform.
at the first glance, i thot it was lekiu but it is really came from a gen2 platform. anyway nice idea from europestar.
I think China bought a train from Germany and completely rebuild it and became the fastest train in the World. They have the technology.
This car/SUV is nothing to them, they have the willingness to learn and improve themselves. Do they have the technology?
We are a bit different from them, we do not have the Lancer Mivec technology as mentioned by Proton. Our mindset is to rebadged including that Nissan Fuga, Naza, etc which are part of the grey imports.
its the maglev train from pudong airport to central shanghai.. i’ve ridden on it.. and it is an amazing piece of work and cheap to ride as well.. but its built by the germans. there is no china technology in it at all.
but i dont deny china has amazing ability and will have more in the future in terms of engineering.
Erm, I think the researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering are currently working on a vacuum tube train project which is set to reach speeds up to 1,000 km/h (620 mph). Do they have the technology? But I do agree that they are not the inventor.
You should see their concept for a bus that runs on top of the road, and cars. :)
china technology in engineering by far way ahead of us they built space rocket, battle tank, jet fighter even though it is outclass n outdated if compare to the yanks
They have ICBMs that can shoot down moving aircraft carriers. Something the west doesn’t have. :-)
Good, proton has youngman to do experiment
chinaman really got taste lor… Proton Gen-2 also want to copy and use as platform? What are they thinking?
Rebadging by Proton is likely but are they willing to bear the cost of LHD to RHD conversion? I doubt Youngman is interested in that as sales volume is too low for them to spend money on RHD conversion.
RHD not only in M’sia but also all the ASEAN countries like Singapore, Thailand, Brunei and so on. Wake up man.
And those are big volume markets compared to LHD China, Europe?
there r bout 600milion live SEA country…n almost as many people as whole europe..thats big
Percentage of SEA population who can afford is a bit different lah. But I never said it’s impossible.
Off-topic.
Honda Malaysia will bring CRZ into local market in Q2. Price = 120K.
source: http://www.bharian.com.my/bharian/articles/Hondabakalbawaversibaruhibridkepasaran/Article
wow…paul,you’re late ^^
paultan.org many times also slower than others….
but then it’s fine….. no need open so many webpage to follow up.. slower abit is ok la.
According to Proton CEO, Proton will also launched this one as Proton…with consent from Youngman
Where’s Theophilius Chin? No need to wait until april, sure he can make rendering based on those pics before Shanghai Autoshow..
They already sent a man into orbit,somemore got own spacecraft,this is nothing to them.
finally the youngMan done it! Gentlemen, it was Proton Lekiu
Proton platform chosen proved that Proton chassis give them high quality product at reasonable cost…good job proton…be more diversify
very, very minor involvement of P1 in this SUV. mainly came from Youngman and LE China. But P1 do get benefit from royalty payment due to use of it’s chassis platform. I await it’s powertrain details. If use CFE Campro, P1 will get more royalty. In terms of R&D, almost negligible P1 involvement. China localisation content for this SUV is very high. Rebadge by P1 very likely as SUV is a niche market, not much volume. Hence, not feasible to localised it in Msia (same like Inspira). Quality wise, TBC. What this means to P1? Youngman engineers are catching very fast. If P1 still maintain at turtle neck speed, Youngman might not need P1/ Lotus anymore as a technical partner. P1 will lose out, not just in terms of royalty payment, but much more. Note, Youngman only started building their passenger vehicle business about 10yrs ago, compared to P1 more than 25yrs. Youngman’s main business is in buses and trucks.
ONLY APEMAN WOULD LOVE THIS COMING GARBAGE FROM PROTON!!!! LOOKS SO RETRO THEY MIGHT HAVE COPIED IT FROM THE PREVIOUS SANGYONG REXTON.THERE GOES OUR MONEY!!!!!
i thought i’m the only one thinking rexton-alike suv here..