One year and one day on from the launch of the Proton X70, the CKD version of the SUV has finally entered production at the Tanjung Malim factory. The first locally-assembled units are rolling out of an extension of the plant, which cost RM1.2 billion to develop.
The car is largely identical to the one that was imported from China, with the exception of the new Proton roundel in front that replaces the previous shield-shaped badge. There will apparently be more changes to be found inside, which include a powered tailgate and possibly a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.
We expect the car to soldier on with the same 1.8 litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine as before, and in China this very configuration produces the same 181 hp, but an extra 15 Nm of torque at 300 Nm. The CKD X70 will be launched very soon, and we will of course be there to bring you full coverage.
The national carmaker says that it has fulfilled its promise it made at the launch of the imported model, to commence production of CKD units by the end of 2019. And that’s just the beginning – Tanjung Malim will also be hub of joint venture partner Geely’s right-hand drive production, with global exports in the pipeline.
A map flashed up on the screen during the event showed various planned export markets, which not only included regional countries such as Brunei, Thailand and Indonesia, but also those further abroad like Australia, Pakistan, South Africa, South America and even the United Kingdom.
“By producing the Proton X70 in Tanjung Malim, we have taken a quantum leap in our abilities and this is by far our most ambitious undertaking to date,” said chairman Datuk Seri Syed Faisal Albar. “This new plant will not only produce future products jointly developed with Geely but it will also be a centre for right-hand drive production as we begin exports to countries all over the world.”
Geely president and CEO An Conghui said, “Proton has undergone a tremendous transformation over the past two years. This experience has worked out very well for us at Geely Auto as we are happy to help Proton realise its global aspirations. We will continue to support Proton as it grows in the Malaysian market and in the wider ASEAN region and beyond.”
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Well done Proton. Lucky China came and helped you. Li Chunrong and Geely, within 6 months could identify all the leakages Proton had, what local CEOs could not identify in 30 years.
This is why we need more foreign CEOs from Mainland to come into Malaysia to help run our GLCs and even Putrajaya. We will see a 10 fold increase in productivity and we will become FIRST World soon.
Thank you Li Chunrong for planning for Malaysians and planning for Proton’s future.
At least now, Proton can finally make money after 20 years being in the red
China save our ECRL also, China save everything in Malaysia actually
Abang abang cannot run Proton also, apa lagi the country
Such a shame that after 30 years of automotive experience, Proton still need to rely on other’s help. What have Proton learned for 30 years? In the end just become a game over rebadger and car assembler for Geely…
Yesss…problematic car is rolling out ckd.
I don’t know where to hide my face when we are just a rebadger now. Just an assembler. Just tampal logo
You sure love to reply your racist self don’t you?
@Rob Kunta and me are 2 different game changing person larr, it’s so clear that our writing style is different
Proton X70 is already a problematic car according to the game changing JD survey. Now we can expect the CKD quality to be worse than CBU
And there is no point preaching to blinded Jap fanboys. You guys don’t care you continue to get outdated, unsafe, ugly cars with poor built quality. You don’t care they are shitty cars specifically not sold back in Japan. You guys don’t care you get all that at over the top prices because them Japs treat you like 2nd class humans. You guys will lap up whatever scraps given. No you don’t care all that, because you get envious when suddenly a Chinese car came in with better quality, more bells & whistles, drives better, feels better, at a much more affordable price range. Then suddenly the common people (who are not blinded like you), aren’t listening to your preaching anymore. They have moved on to the new kid in town and you guys are Left alone preaching to each other, wondering why nobody is listening anymore.
Proudly to announce the most successfully re badge car in a history of automotive. Who cares, this is the way we make easy money. We just need only 30 years. GM, Toyota and others need more than 50 years. :{ :{
For 30 years Mitsubishi tried to tranfer technology to us but our local abang abangs could not understand the subject matter at hand.
You sure or not?
Even TH also need RM10.3 billion bailout…
Even Temasek needed bailout. So what?
Merdeka so long also, we still rely on other countries to help us.
No wonder Singapore and Malaysia Merdeka same time but Singapore is now developed nation and we are still considered non developed nation
Britain also relied other countries to help their automotive industries and they had been Merdeka since 1066. So what?
So shameful, our local CEOs all get 6 figure or 7 figure salary per month but they still cannot do a good job.
In Asia now, Malaysia is one of the last ranking countries. We now cannot even get investments. This rot has been going on for 10 years now.
Hopefully we make a turnaround with good talent from China
Abang2 run P2 just fine. U stupid much?
If PSA was chosen last time, they also can save Proton what. It’s just so happened DRB Hicom & previous gomen selected Geely.
DRB not only failed Proton but also failed Audi brand in Malaysia. Incompetent.
Affirmative policy has ruined Proton and the country. It has made us lacking behind other countries and nont competitive.
Hmmm, we will probably be taking in hand me down old tech from PSA then you guys will complain again. Geely doesn’t have much old tech so we get whatever new stuff they have
This is why everyone have to thank China for saving Proton. We have to thank Li Chunrong, China and Geely for Proton success. Without them, Proton could have already gone bankrupt and game over and there will be no such thing as “CKD X70”
Lucky China saved Malaysia. We are so indebted to China now
Because u only can talk and never able design a good engine for Malaysian. Useless people only focus on bad things, the good things never in their minds.
Malaysia should just be a part of game changing China just like Hongkong and Macau since everything is managed by China in here.
cannot. later ‘Majority’ become minority haha
We should become a colony of China like HK. Then we can become first world soon. Next month 2020 already still 3rd world
Hongkong was a colony of UK.
Hongkong was always part of China before The British colonised Hongkong and was returned to China in 1997.
In the end mesia belong to china. Slowly they conquer into bolehland. Habislah.
I don’t mind Mainland ones. They are more honest and they come with real money. The local ones are untrustworthy and undependable, their rich also comes of the hardworking backs of us. So I prefer the Mainland ones.
Last time make fun and kutuk China, now, crawl to them for help and bantuan
The only one kutuk China is kerepot PM and his kuncu-kuncu in PH. Now your gomen has to eat their own words and crawl to them for bantuan, and you go along and lalang what you said just like your paymasters. Why should we believe you?
The only one I see kutuk China is you lar. You kept telling us X70 cannot sell yet 26,000 disagrees with you. You kutuk China car and now you have to eat humble pie. So sweet the payback. Mwuahhahahaha!
Pls get more overseas graduates to run the CKD plants. The last time, the plant was full of Uitm, Mara and UIA graduates…..the plant did not perform well.
We must get fresh blood into Proton so that history does not repeat.
Many of these Uitm, Mara and UIA graduates are now working in Geely R&D departments. Goes to show despite the many slander against them, they are performing admirably.
This is not true. Geely has their top people from China manning these departments. Low level workers like QC and assemblers are locals.
Come on lah! Why should we trust a fake name troll when Proton and Geely both confirmed on our locals deep involvement in their R&D?
We have a lot of staff and engineers graduated from oversea work for us la..especially management level.
Maybe P2 kot. :) :)
Spot on. We need to quickly replace our 100 useless PH ministers with Mainlanders, then together with our 1.6million government servants the country can go back on track to prosperity.
Hundreds of Mainlanders were already in Cyberjaya (not far from Putrajaya) last few months & get caught by Police already.
The rebadged boyue in Malaysia, guess which demographic made up the majority of buyers.
Now, try to guess if they are confident in buying the same model assembled in tanjung malim.
I hate to say that, but “Thank you China”.
In my opinion, Malaysians whether Malay, Chinese, Indians, Sikhs, Iban, Malanau, Kadazan, Bajau, Dusun, etc, could have done it if not for the interference by the powerful. What the present CEO has been doing to Proton is what Tony Fernandes has done to Air Asia. This is not a help or aid from China. Geely from China put their money into Proton, surely they want to see to it that Proton makes money. Picking someone from China to helm the management of Proton is one of the right things to do. This is business. Give the management of KTM, for example, free hands to run the business, it will come out of red.
I dont mind if people from China (the country) wants to lead Proton. But, i do mind if ‘bebal’ Malaysian Chinese like LGE to run our economy. Bebal, bebal, bebal. Its moron to those who doesnt know what is bebal.
I hope every corner more Chinese restaurants open in Malaysia. I love their food.
Aha! Clearly you ain’t who you say you are. Yet another dupe I see. Caught ya!
agreed bro
Yes, the local ones cannot be trusted to run our GLCs and economy, already one as MOF and he sinking the economy like never before. Let’s get the Mainlanders in to replace the local ones.
all d best proton
hoping to see a 7 seater suv in the near future
Ckd means more problematic product coming out soon.
Mazidah or hondan salesmen kah?
I wish prices come down. RM123k is a lot for a Malaysian car. Now CKD, I hope it becomes RM80k at least.
78.3% of ALL EPF contributors only earn RM1500 and below. This is official EPF statistics. This means, already 78.3% of rakyat cannot afford the X70 and cannot get loan to buy this car.
Isn’t the Proton X70 a local car made by our National Car company? It should be affordable to ALL Malaysians
Proton has many other makes that can be bought by other Malaysians. 80k is too low a price to consider when you have the x50 coming in.
Buy the standard spec is less then 100k already. Buy what you can afford. Don’t buy the full spec just because. No SUV comes close to price in this SUV size segment. CRV also 167k. 67k diff already.
123k to 80k… I don’t think so.
So to hell about costs and profits, just sell cheap. Please leave your subsidy mentality behind.
They’re running a business not a charity. If you can’t afford a RM124k car, buy what you can afford. Just because it’s made in Malaysia, it doesn’t have to be cheap.
By your own stupid logic then ALL Malaysians should be able to stay at The Banjaran in Ipoh. It is after all owned by a Malaysian Company and the resort is in Malaysia.
Or
Maybe Zhang Toi and British India should cut their prices so that ALL Malaysians can afford their products. They are Malaysian brands and owned by Malaysians. They should be more patriotic.
Or
Maybe you mean ALL Malaysians can also afford a Perodua Aruz. Can they? Of course they can’t.
Perodua and PROTON have entry level models. They are called the Axia and Saga and even though not ALL Malaysians can afford them, MANY Malaysians can. Driving and owning a car is a privilege. Not a right.
Do VW, PSA, Ford make sure every German, French and American citizen can own their products? Idiot.
I support you.
Stop complaining and work harder so you can afford that X70 you wished & dreamed for. The car is cheap already compared to the same specs for CRV, up to RM40,000 cheaper. You can easily buy an X70 & an Iriz for the same price as a CRV.
Don’t worry, even if the local boyue was priced at RM200k the local geely supporters will buy 2 units each.
That shows Proton customers are from all walks of life, even rich people don’t mind buying and driving a Proton. You will never catch them buying any Perodua ever. Proton really speaks to every Malaysian, I feel so proud of them.
Rich will never buy both proton and perodua
C Segment SUV most cheaper in Malaysia is Haval, around RM98k, do you want to buy?
so you meant with monthly salary RM1500 you can buy RM80k car? No wonder so many of your race bankrupt.
“extension of the plant, which cost RM1.2 billion”
We oredi seeing the returns from the sale to Geely. Kudos to Najib for making this happen and to Proton for taking this brave step.
Kudos to China and Geely and Li Chunrong. We need more clever and wise people to replace the 1.6 million Government Servants in Putrajaya too.
The 1.6million workers is not the problem. It is the 100 useless PH ministers that are the trouble. Just replace these 100 useless ministers and you can see our country go back on track.
Says someone who supported the opposition that time that was against the sale of Proton in the first place. Now that the sale ‘worked’ you are trying to imply that a certain race should be wiped out also. Such a pathetic racist.
Tahniah! Majulah P1!
P1, Geely, Mesidis, Volvo, Lotus > all
Nasib Baik China tolong…..
Agreed. China fulfilled its promise, to commence production of CKD by end of 2019…
Spot on. We need China come and replace our 100 inept & corrupt ministers to fulfill all those promises they made during last GE.
Ini bukan pertolongan China. Ini perniagaan.
No comment
Perggh X70 baruu.. mana hipokrit critic kuminis
Di sini lah tapi buat tak tau. Mcm si kepit – buat bodo, buat tak tahu.
The truth, right here. Kat FB banyak slogan hentam komunis. Tapi kat sini sambut produk mereka macam mat over.
Because China has embraced capitalism. If they see what CPM was, they would abhorred its stupidity and its stupid leader who had to return quietly via backdoor in an urn. How shameful is that.
china embraced capitalism? lol what are you smoking man
Have you seen China lately or are you still stuck in Kerala?
Alan, having a hybrid system isn’t the same as embracing capitalism
Pure communism abhors any form of capitalism. Go read The communist manifesto. Any form of hybridisation is no longer communism but capitalism under dictatorial rule. Get your facts right.
How to market petrol-fired cars when most markets are not heavy into fossil fuel but EV, maybe targeting third world countries definitely not Europe which includes Geely-Volvo
lets see how the quality compares…cant wait for a full review by paultan…
” There will apparently be more changes to be found inside…” oh oh…that doesnt sound promising….local OEM supplier quality?
So, the CKD X70, is it the face-lift one?
Y’all are all happy over here but the fact is Geely is clearing their old parts to be assembled here. The Boyue Pro sold in China currently has a new 7 speed dual clutch transmission to replace the slow 6AT for improved efficiency and also a new set of suspension tuned by Lotus. Penny to penny, we are paying more for something that’s already obsolete in the China market. Wake up Malaysians!
Did you not read or video the article you silly cow?
This is getting the 7 speed, stupid hater.
There is no point preaching to the local geely fanboys here because to them, geely malaysia is a success and nothing, even data and facts that suggest otherwise will not be entertained due to tumpang glamour disease.
And there is no point preaching to blinded Jap fanboys. You guys don’t care you continue to get outdated, unsafe, ugly cars with poor built quality. You don’t care they are shitty cars specifically not sold back in Japan. You guys don’t care you get all that at over the top prices because them Japs treat you like 2nd class humans. You guys will lap up whatever scraps given. No you don’t care all that, because you get envious when suddenly a Chinese car came in with better quality, more bells & whistles, drives better, feels better, at a much more affordable price range. Then suddenly the common people (who are not blinded like you), aren’t listening to your preaching anymore. They have moved on to the new kid in town and you guys are left alone preaching to each other, wondering why nobody is listening anymore.
Thats rich coming from a diehard fanboy of perodua whom for 25 years and ongoing been tumpang glamour all this while. You even starting to sound like your kunta colleague. You guys really monkey see, monkey do, monkey acts is it.
“There will apparently be more changes to be found inside, which include a powered tailgate and possibly a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.”
You obviously forgot to read. And much of X70 has been reengineered so many parts don’t fit since they are RHD engineered.
New local vendor ? No local power windows vendor please…
Hope they sell this car below RM70k. The 1.8T is just too lacklustre. 0 to 100 in 11 seconds is slower than a Myvi and Axia. Somemore fuel economy is similar to an old 3.0L Cefiro engine is terrible…
Well, premium motoring is not your cup of tea then. Work harder and go premium, maybe god will allow u to have a taste and finally understand whats premium motoring is about.
I hope u will find guidance to the ‘light’.
From 70k X70 to 1.8T not performing SU V slower than supercar P2 to bad fc comparable to 3.0 Cefiro…Berpijaklah di bumi yang nyata, ukur baju di badan sendiri.
did they change the headlight?? looks different