Proton’s CEO Datuk Ahmad Fuaad Kenali has just announced that the local carmaker will launch not one, but three new models over the next three months. That’s right, it’s going to be a busy period ahead for Proton.
If everything goes to plan, the 2016 Proton Persona will be first to arrive in August (that’s only weeks away), followed by the 2016 Proton Saga in September and lastly, the Suzuki Ertiga-based new Proton B-segment MPV model in October. And that’s on top of the new Perdana that was just introduced last month in June.
The Persona will essentially be a sedan version of the Proton Iriz, but with unique styling both front and back. The new Saga, meanwhile, looks to be a heavy facelift of the current model, with reworked exterior, interior and mechanicals. The small MPV will be a rebadged version of the Suzuki Ertiga, to slot below the Exora.
2016 Proton Persona
2016 Proton Saga
2016 Proton “Ertiga” MPV
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Honestly, IMO the key for Proton turn around is not to release as many models in short time that almost overlap in term of size and segment except for the price point.
yes Saga is A while Persona is B segment but what’s the point if Bezza alone eats up into your both segments sales? the release of 2 models will only increase your vendors revenue not yours. Reduce your cost and pass that to your consumer. Competition is fierce. Have you not learn yet with selling Persona, Preve and Inspira next to each other?
Proton needs to correct its product strategy and correct after sales perception. Other manufacturers aren’t that good but clearly they’re better than Proton – bars Naza.
If proton plans to take on P2 at its own game than it will lose badly. With the backing from Daihatsu and Toyota, theres no way proton can compete with P2 in the compact car segment. Its P2 forte to produce a compact and fuel efficient car. But P2 is not without any weakness. P2 cars is small, R&H is like shit, poor NVH, low on power, lacking in safety features. Dont produce cars like P2. Protons forte should be on building a bigger cars with good safety features and quality at affordable price. Plonk in a boosterjet or diesel engine from suzuki as well and u will solve ur fuel efficiency problem too.
It makes sense for them to have an Iriz based sedan. That thing cost money to develop, and adding a boot to it’s rear isn’t going to cost that much. It’s for those who want a proper alternative to foreign B segment sedans. Good safety, good price (in comparison), and a decent, competitive car.
The new Saga is necessary to fight the Bezza. There is no way they can bring the Persona down to those price levels, so they hope to fight the Bezza/offer a very low budget alternative) with the Saga. Since it is just a facelift they won’t spend too much on developing it. The alternative would be to continue churning out the current Saga, but how well will that sell? A facelift has at least the hope of being competitive.
The line up kind of makes sense, except for the Perdana, which seems a bit unnecessary, especially considering how Honda is trying to limit the car by saying what Proton can and can’t do (mostly can’t…). Honda tries to keep it a non-competitive car, so… what is the point?
I think the Perdana is both desperation and opportunity. Proton need something in the D segment, so they’ll accept the offer from Honda even with all the restrictions. The opportunity is that from the exterior, the Perdana is basically done, so Proton can focus on the interior, the R&H, the bells and whistle for the face-lift. Which is rumoured to be next year with Petronas engine.
I really suspect Proton had done all the above and now just waiting for it to be implemented
Do you aware that current Persona, Inspira & preve in same C segment? if look on this new products..they have put each of it in different segment & its will translate into different market reach and pricing scale..if there’s overlapping then its going to be very minor not like those days..and more refinement will come later with the inception of new engines from 2018 onwards..
Yes busy making cars that they will not be able to sell. so they keep them in storage for two years and each Raya they offer 50% discount and force people to buy them. Same strategy they do now for their cars specially preve and suprima cars and lots of Iriz.
Force? How Proton force people to buy?
p1 hating Keyboard warriors are on the way!
proton iriz is better than myvi in terms of fc.
Yes, that’swhy Iriz outsells the MyVi. NOT.
Look, if it is only FC that decides a car purchase, then the argument holds water. PROTON has lost too much credibility. They are learning the hard way that building a brand is tough work, losing is is simple, and regaining that lost ground? Much harder than it was to build it in the first place.
Ape problem dengan iriz? Cuba cerita sikit.tengok orang pakai atas jalan ok je.
Yes, the problem is the proton emblem
nobody will buy proton if they still selling cars at 40-50k just for a basic spec…
if they manage to lower down the price to start from 20k maybe sales will went up but unfortunately, u know la, proton is managed by a bunch of no brain monkey and they only oriented in earning money and not by the ethic of doing business…
may proton fall by 2020
Kereta harga 20k? Axia paling murah pun tak boleh dapat harga tu.
What? Proton doesn’t have to produce safe cars. Malaysians DO NOT CARE. They prefer to buy less safe cars for more money, despite being similar otherwise. Still, Proton offers more than necessary. They are being ethical and caring, instead of doing what would easily earn them more money: Offer a car without any safety for a bit less…
Mana och baru proton oooi…ni dah bulan berapa dahhh!!!
Suddenly so generous showing the Persona. Nak tiru Perodua la tu.
Purposely go populated Brickfields to tayang that Persona and later claim it is a spyshot.
The mark of a company that does NOT know what it is doing. First, why would you launch a car each in three consecutive months? Worse, you’re informing the public – your target market – of this as well!
So now they will all wait for the third month before they make a buying decision, somewhat cannibalising the sale of the two earlier launches.
Looks like PROTON has not learnt of their folly of launching their Savvy so close to the MyVi; despite the cars being in separate categories, we all know what happened next.
PROTON really should hire people who can run car companies. And by that I don’t mean their former CEO of FMCG fame…
Savvy was never ment to challenge Myvi. It is more of Kelisa rival-a good one at that, bar the problematic AMT, superb small car to drive-it is just launch at a very wrong time.
Most Malaysian already know where these cars slot in the price hierarchy (Nak murah, tunggu Saga, nak kereta besar tapi mahal sikit, beli Persona, nak MPV tunggu Ertiga). There cars these three are replacing is very old, people already familiar with it.
Yes, it was never meant to rival MyVi. Everybody knows that. But when you launch less than 4 weeks after a new car in the same body style, you invite comparisons. Agreed that the AMT was a major deal breaker. The issue with the back to back launches is that you’re going to be quote somewhat unquote impacting the sale of the previously launched model.
Note also that you will be straining resources all at one go, without knowing how each of these models will contribute to the ROI. If all three tanks, what do you think will happen to PROTON?
No carmaker launches three models in succession in three months. It’s just suicide.
The comparison is the thing that so wrong with our market, often we do not see that they were a different car for different segment. And those who is the know (as is, the car-nut community) is not really helping either. From the spy shot that we got so far, it is truly a different car between the two.
Note also that you will be straining resources all at one go, without knowing how each of these models will contribute to the ROI. If all three tanks, what do you think will happen to PROTON?
Agreed on the resource strain, but it is possible that the car itself is basically done and the budget for the launch is already there. What they did is pull all of that forward and use in one go.
We don’t really know why the back-to-back launch, and I do not think it is simply because of desperation.
Too late Potong ! Perodua Bezza has already smash sales before & during their launch, & this ugly so call new persona will ur old camtakpro engine sucking fuel with punchy cvt…. Potong can sell starting at Rm20k … Nobody going to buy this junk of a turd car, saga…. Another fail turd model coz same engine, gearbox & zero fuel efficiency ……. Nothing can save potong even more so now as potong being sold off to foreign automakers in which they will shutdown all potong models & use current potong factory to manufacture their own models… Bye bye Potong !!!
spring belakang tinggi sgt. nampak pelik.
It’s quite odd for Perdana which is rebadged (Jepunis) having “sneak peek” prior being marketed, while Persona and Saga which is truly Malaysian design and made, somehow given a cold intro thus far. DRB Hicom…..wake up! Even people in Proton don’t like you!
Proton ooiiiii when are you going to introduce new satria with turbo engine?
Till now, I still not seeing any Accord Perdana on the road even Proton claimed that they had sold 2000 units!
How is this a Proton Persona’s replacement model? Its a downgrade. aduh aduh….
Bila tengok persona ni macam proton sedang menghadapi krisis identiti untuk bersaing dengan jenama lain. Yang masih sama kereta proton adalah seperti ikan buntal diletak tayar. Badan gemuk tapi kaki kecil. Aku bukan pandai sangat bahagian kereta ni tapi dari pandangan peribadi ruangan tayar terutama bahagian belakang agak kecil tapi kereta bonggol tinggi dan pendek maka kelihatan macam ikan buntal dan sama sahaja dengan model lain sebelum ni. Kalau ada ramai penumpang belakang pasti nampak macam tak ada tayar kat belakang. Janganlah semata-mata nak luaskan bahagian kabin menyebabkan kereta agak gemuk tapi pendek. Bahagian pintu depan kelihatan terlampau melengkung macam pelik.
Sebenarnya rekaan ni dah menarik tapi ada bahagian yang perlu diperbaiki. Mungkin dipanjangkan sikit bahagian depan, lebarkan sikit supaya tak nampak gemuk, dan tayar mungkin boleh besar sikit dan ruang tayar pun biar luas sikit supaya kelihatan seimbang antara tayar dan saiz badan kereta.
Mungkin rekaan seterusnya pihak proton mungkin boleh buka peraduan mereka bentuk sebuah model kereta kepada rakyat malaysia, sebab majoriti pengguna proton pun adalah rakyat malaysia. Mana tau ada rakyat malaysia ada bakat terpendam.