Think of the Nurburgring and you’ll probably envision a bunch of performance machines making their way around “The Green Hell.” However, have you ever seen a Proton Wira lapping the famous track? Well, that’s exactly what the Gravemade brothers from Dutch DIY Mechanics (DDM) have done, and it makes for a rather surreal (and patriotic) experience to see our national car alongside Porsches and other sports cars.
Called “Project Proton,” the “taxi-spec” Wira you see before you is the work of Jochem and Ruben Gravemade, who have lived in Malaysia – specifically Ampang – for seven years across two periods (1997-2001 and 2009-2011).
After returning to Europe, the brothers’ love for our country made them come up with the unusual idea to make everybody at the Nurburging aware that Malaysia makes good cars too. With that, they went forward with the project, which would also serve as a love letter to the country that they used to call home.
The first challenge was finding the car itself, which were rather rare in left hand drive form. Speaking to paultan.org, Jochem said the Wira was sold in small numbers in Germany from the late 1990s to the early 2000s, and as luck would have it, they managed to get a unit on July 5, 2019.
Unfortunately, the original 4G13 1.3 litre engine was “rusak,” as described by Jochem, and a second 4G13 had to be sourced. Even then, the second powerplant failed to work properly as the entire wiring was “a complete disaster.”
Another Wira – an Aeroback model – was then purchased with a larger and more importantly, a working 4G15 1.5L engine, relegating the first car to become a donor of spare parts. Jochem also noted that both cars were obtained from first owners in Germany.
The refurbishment work was done without much hassle, given the easy availability of Mitsubishi Colts, Lancers and Galants there, although specific interior components like lights and trim pieces proved to be more of a challenge. Nonetheless, these parts were obtained and the project progressed smoothly, and with everything put together, the end result is rather neat.
The “track teksi was then given an appropriate paintjob and livery, complete with the iconic yellow and white badge on its front doors that has the script “DDM Dutch Mechanics Sdn Bhd” as well as “Teksi Ampang” as a tribute to their Malaysian hometown.
For track purposes, a set of white 16-inch multi-spoke wheels and sports tyres were fitted, along with better brakes. To make the Malaysian immersion complete, there’s even a McDonald’s VIP drive-thru sticker on the windshield, which was sent from Malaysia by one of the DDM’s fans.
Fast forward a year on the anniversary of the first car purchase (July 5, 2020), and Project Proton graced the Nurburgring for the first time, which was followed by another outing in August. While the car might look finished to most eyes, Jochem said they were not content with it looking like a teksi just from the outside, and plans to install a working taxi meter inside as well.
When asked how they managed to secure something so specific, we were told that the team actually met one of its followers on Instagram who shipped it to them. The story goes that the fan’s uncle in Penang had a full set of taxi paraphernalia – roof marker, taximeter and attached receipt printer – that he no longer had a use for, which was then bought by the team.
Once installed, the team plans to take the car out on track again at the end of August or early September, “charging” passengers in the process, or you know, applying a “flat rate” for a roughly 20 km ride around the track.
Quite a tale and a rather astonishing project, don’t you think? It certainly makes us proud to know that our national car made more than a decade ago still has fans as far as 6,000 km away. If you want to follow the DDM’s work on Project Proton, check out their YouTube and Instagram pages.
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Proton in the eyes of the world. Meanwhile Perodua cars mana? Kah kah kah kah….
Epic. It seems odd that people from outside have more passion and pride than people from proton (or shall I say geely) itself.
It seems odd that foreign people more passion on Proton than local people whose always criticize.
It seems odd that foreigners are more patriotic of our country than our own people.
Did it ever hit you that people from outside didn’t have to put up with 2x import taxes on foreign cars and malaysian politics?
Relax. any type of vehicle can go inside the nurburgring. Even a van or bus (happened before).
So where is the much touted Myvi in Nur? I don’t see it.
It is always “Others” doing for Proton. Thank you to these two Dutch legends.
Lucky also Li Chunrong saved Proton, otherwise, the company will be in the drain by now
Again you don’t bother to read. There is nothing about Others. The car is a Proton Wira, the components are from Proton. Blind haters will be blindly hating not seeing headlights in from of them. That is why can always find them in the drain.
Ya, agreed
coz when locals buat, its-
a) wasting money
b) wasting time
c) a form of escapism from ‘real’ work, whatever that means..
d) abang2 buat kerja bodoh
e) all of the above
pick one
but when ‘others” do it, TERBAIIIIK!!!
Is it 4G91 or 4G15? Looks like the new engine is 4G15 spec.
Nevertheless, am 1 of the proud owner of year 2000 wira. Still going strong travelling almost 80km daily for a 20 year old vehicle!
Wira forever
Aiya aeroback.. wasted..
P1 loved by all pipu including gweilos.
P1 > all
To glorify the truly piece of marvel of Mitsubishi colt lancer rebadged by former dutch colony strait settlement territory?
If they wanted to glorify colt lancer, they would have easily got a colt lancer, and not specifically the rarer proton wira. They are not honouring mitsubishi, they are honouring proton.
The most important is proton has to pay royalties to Mitsubishi for manufacturing wira and satria
Cool article, thanks!
Would be great to see more articles/reports on car culture such as these aka Road & Track and Jalopnik.
And also that Wira 1.8 driven by lejen Michael Schumacher dari hotel Pan Pacific, Sepang menghala ke Cyber Jaya Lodge, Kelajuan maksimum yang dicapai oleh Michael ialah 236km/j
Good job boys!
I would gladly give malaysian citizenship to people like this rather than keep ingrates that purposely fly malaysian flag upside down.
These guys are much prouder of malaysia than many of malaysians themselves.
betul betul betul!!!
Many other cars, bikes, vans, buses, etc makes their run at the Ring. Only this boys made a video of it. The Ring is typically ran by hyper cars, super car, exotic cars, test cars, etc.
One can even ride kapchai there as long as you have the money and fulfills their safety req, and their rules.
For me, it’s just of of the typical day at the Ring, except for syok-syok P1 Fanbois.
Buttheart feeling that belove Myvi not qualified enter the RING, hahaha…
butthurt P2 owner?
ppl are enjoying thier own project cars(which happens to be a PROTON WIRA) on d Ring, why so butthurt?
Why is it always a foreigner that shows interest with our cars? can’t our people actually do anything?
1. proton rally – british
2. proton as a whole – british then, now china
3. proton on nurburgring – dutch
most protons arent even proton to begin with esp this wira. most parts are designed by japanese mitsubishi, only manufactured here. i mean wtf man.
Proton left the LHD EU market in the 1990s. There are no Personas or Wajas available in continental Europe, therefore they had to take a Wira.
Because while foreigners look up to Proton cars, it is our own rakyat that look down upon it. They prefer getting cheated with outdated spec by japanese brands rather than getting their value for money from Proton. Sedih tengok rakyat Marhaen macam ni.
Because “most of them” don’t appreciate what they have, “most of them” only know criticism..
“After returning to their home country in the Netherlands”
It seems that they live in Germany now, as the number plate is German (BM=”Bergheim”, located near Michael Schumacher’s birthplace Kerpen).
perodua got what..hammered by Jeremy Clarkson. The Perodua Kelisa and the Myvi.
Wira forever!
Proton + Mitsubishi = JDM4Life and Malaysian Tuner
Proton + Lotus = UKDM4Life and Malaysian Tuner
Proton + Geely = “Silent Noise”
BRING BACK WITH MITSUBISHI AND LOTUS, PROTON!!! IF GEELY OWN PROTON. THAT MEAN NOT PROTON AGAIN, IT CALLED GEELY BOYUE!!! VERY NOT COOL. MITSUBISHI AND LOTUS CAN SAVED YOUR LIFE, PROTON BEcause the Japanese design and build are great and British tune are great. Make sure Proton keep teamwork with Mitsubishi and Lotus. If you can
You can find a Japanese bring in Satria GTi to Japan before while Malaysian busy buying Japanese sampah to convert their Satria to Colt.
These are some great idea about project proton meet the first proton wira to go on the nurburgring that you have discussed here. I really loved it and thank you very much for sharing this with us. You have a great visualization and you have really presented this content in a really good manner.