Proton Satria Neo R3 Details and Photos
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It’s been quite some time since we’ve heard from Proton’s Race Rally Research division. The last cars that they had put their tuning touch on was Proton Waja MME and the Proton GEN2 MME back in 2006. Because their first product was the Proton Satria R3 based on the Satria GTI, many have been anxiously waiting for the R3-tuned version of the Satria Neo to debut. The wait is over, and the Proton Satria Neo R3 is here.
Read my test drive report after the jump.
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Firstly it’s important to note that this is not the same Proton Satria Neo R3 as the model buyers are going to receive. The car I drove was the development unit and some specifications differ. For one, the Neo R3 will come with slotted front brake discs and Mintex M1144 performance brake pads, but the car you see here had the stock brake discs and brake pads fitted.
The wheels are also not the same - the test unit came with 17 inch Enkei alloys, but the production Satria Neo R3 will come with Advanti SG15 17×7 inch wheels. The tyres are the right ones though - Bridgestone Potenza RE001 Adrenalin in 205/40R17 size, but even these were not in the best condition when I picked the car up. Nevertheless, the Adenalins are fantastic tyres and I am using them on my Proton Perdana.
The 1.6 liter Campro engine under the hood is the original Campro - no IAFM, no CPS, no VIM, no nothing. The only thing it has is R3’s touch - new 8mm spark plug cables, an R3 tuned exhaust system and an R3 ECU with remapped settings. All of this boosts power up to 135 horsepower at 6,100rpm and torque up to 164Nm at 4,200rpm, which exceeds the usual normally aspirated 100Nm per liter of displacement ratio, so that’s quite impressive. Or at least it all looks so on paper.
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The torque dip of the original Campro it is based on is as prominent as ever, rearing its ugly head at you as you wait patiently for the revs to build up past 4,000rpm. Then the engine comes alive and very much in your face as with the power build up, the loud noise and vibration increases. Somewhere past the 5,500rpm range the engine note suddenly changes without any warning - it’s really quite unacceptably loud and there’s too much vibration while not delivering the kind of power you’d expect from such a racket. This plays down the 135 horses abit - it’s there but your sense of sound overwhelms your body’s internal “torque-o-meter”.
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The Recaro SR4s perform well hug you and the front passenger, but because I am rather large my thighs did not feel very comfortable - I think the seats were too tight! A thinner person would feel very at home in these seats. The Momo Tuner steering wheel with the wheel spacer was fantastic - the spacer brought the steering wheel closer to me and I was able to sit in a better position for aggressive driving. Without the wheel spacer, the bottom of my wrist would not be able to touch the top of a stock Satria Neo steering wheel mounted on a stock steering column. I was taught this driving position by the experienced instructors from the BMW Driver Training program and I find that it does really help you control the car better. The downside to this is the indicator and wiper stalks are now way too far for practical usage and your fingers will not be able to reach them while your hands are still on the steering wheel.
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The shift knob is another matter. A study by a company which I cannot recall at this time showed that the best shape for a shift knob is one that has a pure ball-shaped top. Anyway I don’t need a study commissioned to tell me that a ball-shaped knob would feel the best in one’s palm. The shift knob that R3 put in the Neo is a ball, but it has a flat top. The flat top doesn’t feel too good when your palm is resting on it. The reason for the flat top is so that R3 could stick a sticker on it… you get either an R3 logo or a 5-speed slot logo, it’s up to you. Anyway, the photo shown here is the gear knob that was installed in the test unit, but this is a gear knob from the Waja MME and I think the actual gear knob is actually silver and slightly bigger in diameter.
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The suspension is alot firmer than a stock Satria Neo’s but the ride was still acceptable over the bad roads in Cheras. Even though the car had lowered ride height, the undercarriage never scraped speed bumps. There’s no need to awkwardly cross speed bumps at a diagonal angle slowly and allow everyone queueing up behind you with this car. There is minimal body roll until you push the car with autocross-like maneuvers and that is when the car begins to lean abit. As expected from an FF car, it understeers under pressure, no surprises there. But it was really sticky around corners, quite impressive for tyres that are not in pristine conditions. Steering feel and feedback was decent, but the same cannot be said about throttle input which has a rather typical Campro lag to it.
Pushing the car up to speeds of 140km/h to 160km/h was easy. The car’s rather minimal sound proofing combined with the loud engine and firm suspension that feels rather unstable on our trademark Samy-fied(tm) highways makes pushing this car to high speeds beyond the 140 to 160km/h mark rather tiring. Acceleration went down, but noise went up. Lots of fatigue. Hard to tell what was contributing to the noise, but you can be sure the stiff Adrenalin tyres contributed to it.
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Aesthetic dressing up includes the trademark Incognito Black paint, an R3 bodykit that consists of a a new front and rear bumper, side skirts, and an R3 rear spoiler. The trademark red and white R3 stripes are also on the car, something which many Proton owners are copying now. In the engine bay, the R3-tuned Campro engine gets a red aluminium cam valley cover, an aluminium oil cap, and an R3 brake master cylinder cap. The 8mm spark plug cables mention before are also red in colour. On the inside, other than the Recaro SR4s done up in red and black, the rear seats and door trim also gets red and black themed upholstery. Even the seat belts are red, and the floor mats are black with the R3 logo on them. The 3 foot pedals were the standard Neo foot pedals, which came across as rather surprising to me.
Pedals remain standard - disappointing!
The Proton Satria Neo R3 definitely has the looks and a suspension setup that promises oodles of weekend fun, but the engine really leaves something to be desired. R3 should definitely look at doing a second run of the Neo R3 if/when the Neo gets the Campro CPS engine. With stock power levels of 125 horsepower, it should be possible to push the CPS engine to nearly 160 horsepower, with plenty of kick across the whole rev range. Also, the car’s full “track-throughbredness” potential could not be sampled through this test unit because the brakes were standard.
10 units of the RM71,000 hatchback have already been delivered to owners and the next batch of 10 have already been booked. That makes 20 out of the 50 car limited run spoken for at the time of launch, and probably more have been snapped up now. It is built from the mid-line Neo, which means no airbags or ABS. The owner of the first Proton Satria Neo R3 in Malaysia is Hidekazu Misawa, a Japanese expatriate in Malaysia. He says he was drawn to the car’s blend of performance and style and he will be bringing it back to Japan.
What the Satria Neo R3 is: a cheaper, more hardcore version of the Suzuki Swift Sport oozing Malaysia boleh-ness. 135 horsepower out of a 1.6 liter with just ECU and exhaust adjustments while still remaining JPJ compliant is impressive. Unlike the old Satria R3, this time around the Satria Neo R3 wasn’t marketed with data like Sepang lap times, so this may have downplayed the excitement abit. It’s still a decent fun drive, but it’s very single-purposed. It’s the sort of car where there’s only one way to drive it - all the way up to the redline and not anywhere else in the rev range, and around the bends rather than straights. The Neo R3 does well in what it’s supposed to do, but while I can imagine the Swift Sport as a daily driver, not this.
For more enquiries or to place an order, call R3 at 012-2131691.
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February 28, 2008 @ 4:33 am
Timing is wrong…should wait for CPS…135hp is nothing nowadays ….anyway there is always hardcore enthusiast to buy them.
February 28, 2008 @ 4:41 am
Paul by installing the bucket seats in there any significant improvement for headroom?
February 28, 2008 @ 5:35 am
RECARO Seat but with 3-point seat belt?
WHY ＮＯ CPS???
OVERALL, IT’S A NICE　ＣＡＲ．
February 28, 2008 @ 6:02 am
NIcE!!
Bring it back here to Japan!
I really want to have a look at Japanese face when they saw Malaysian car.
They probably don’t believe it come from Malaysia although proton actually have Japanese DNA.
February 28, 2008 @ 6:08 am
no cps- half arse effort!
February 28, 2008 @ 7:23 am
what a dissapointment. i was expecting some beast but it turn out to be a sheep in sheeps clothing. i could just get a M-line neo and plug those stuff on it. the engine is a major dissapointment. proton R3 sport dept should have developed a bigger displacement. i dont think i want to cruise 160kmph when the old satria GTI would able to hit 210kmph. tengku should stop drifting and concentrate on building better cars that could go against civic type R and etc. please define your R3’s.. rally,race and research.. what research? just plug and play which any boyracer could do.
February 28, 2008 @ 7:52 am
The car looks good. No doubt about that. In fact, when the neo first debutted, I thought it was already great looking. With the new aesthetics, it looks even better. However, very disappointing to read that it doesn’t come with the CPS and VIM. R3 should really consider this as Paul has mentioned.
Paul, the loud noises you mentioned, won’t that make the car sound old/junky? Also, the power chart looks really dippy. I’m pretty sure the CPS will take care of that wouldn’t you say?
February 28, 2008 @ 7:59 am
Oh what a let down! R3 seems rushing to get this car released (lack of refinement, ergonomics, safety and power).
Standard 1.6 litre performance hatchs nowadays should have at least 170HP and equipped with safety features (ABS, airbags). This car is a laughing stock compared to its peers.
February 28, 2008 @ 8:24 am
so then, when is the Neo GTI will be coming?..erm..sorry..maybe no more GTi word coz already patented by VW?!
February 28, 2008 @ 8:46 am
Hopefully we’ll see R3 CPS next time. More power n more safety feature shud be added. Then,it will complete this car…..
February 28, 2008 @ 8:47 am
this is nothing more than a neo that’s taken a trip to the sunway mod shops!!! i cannot believe that proton allows R3 to exist simply to make bodykits, stiffer suspensions and all.
and no airbags and abs??? what??? what is r3 thinking? even the most dedicated cars nowadays have those, take a look at the civic tyreR.
and okay, if its a track car wannabe, 135hp??? pls lah…
i was so looking fwd to this as i used to own a gti, and that was a very pleasing blend of decent power, handling, with adequate comfort and safety. this has none of the above except maybe handling at the expense of comfort. i loved that car!
its looking like the r3 guys know very little of suspension tuning beyond plonking in stiffer everythings. and if they do know anything it certainly doesnt show here.
piece of crap for 71k. and i’m no proton basher. read above abt my gti ownership.
February 28, 2008 @ 8:52 am
“RECARO Seat but with 3-point seat belt?”
err.. even all japanese performance cars with recaro seats come with 3 point seat belts.
February 28, 2008 @ 9:18 am
Is it just me or it looks like this being a half baked product from R3?
while I like how it looks, it doesn’t have the “go” associated with the looks. Why not use a retuned version of the CPS/VIM engine? This is really pathetic and dissapointing. I was hoping they would “cure” that torque dip in the base Campro by clapping on a supercharger.
well, apparently its all sold out anyway.
February 28, 2008 @ 9:31 am
nice recaro seat but y the dashboard like SaGA …
February 28, 2008 @ 9:34 am
walau, o IAFM, no CPS, no VIM, and yet still got people going to buy it at RM70k… better buy waja CPS…
February 28, 2008 @ 9:47 am
what an eye-candy.. thought i saw side mirror indicators in a video i came across in youtube.. what happened to them?..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2sWg7K85JU
February 28, 2008 @ 9:56 am
I don’t know if the RM2+K is worth the money (hey, its an M-Line upgrade)
February 28, 2008 @ 10:06 am
Paul,
I just wonder wether R3 did something to the body chasis stiffening just like they did to the old Satria R3..
February 28, 2008 @ 10:33 am
135hp.. fuh.. not bad..
if with CPS = 160 hp.. fuh.. great.
if + turbocharged = 220hp.. wowww!
only 1.6
ah.. dreaming aaa..
Cannot use GTI somemore.. so change to something like..
Proton satria neo GTX hehe.. x is more than I. x= xtreme .. bla bla bla.
February 28, 2008 @ 11:08 am
The 1.6 liter Campro engine under the hood is the original Campro - no IAFM, no CPS, no VIM, no nothing. The only thing it has is R3’s touch - new 8mm spark plug cables, an R3 tuned exhaust system and an R3 ECU with remapped settings. All of this boosts power up to 135 horsepower at 6,100rpm and torque up to 164Nm at 4,200rpm…
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That’s quite torquey. Just for comparison, the 1.5 VTEC Jazz produces 143Nm at 4800rpm.
Campro should be even better with IAFM and VIM thrown in as well.
February 28, 2008 @ 11:22 am
True performance car don’t need CPS VIM IAFM blablabla.
A high lift high duration camshaft is the answer.
February 28, 2008 @ 11:58 am
Come on guys, development of this Satria Neo R3 must’ve started some time before the Neo was launched. In fact, they did display a concept during the launch (alongside Neo Desire n Symphony).
To hv CPS n IAFM/VIM w/e would disrupt the car’s development, then they’ll hv to go back to start n launchin will b delayed n more bashers will say Proton lazy, slow, blabla.
February 28, 2008 @ 12:08 pm
ya laa.. tokmoh!
agree with u. hav to cover the cost summore first, then neo cps may be the next project.
February 28, 2008 @ 12:09 pm
samy-fied highway. HAHAhahaha
February 28, 2008 @ 12:32 pm
to achieve 135hp, 164Nm with js change of spark plug cable, exhaust system and remap ecu!
its sad to c people doesnt see that…some even said it’s just plug and play, where is the research n stuff…the question to those who bash…do u know it’s hard to get that much more hp from NA engine with just those 3 mod? especially stock ecu even with piggyback is hard to achieve that if we did not mod intake n cam n other things that u tot its ez…
pls la, where would u find an engine that have no turbo charge, no vvt-L, no any so called advance intelligence at work. of cause if they use cps, things would be much better, but tat would be so much delays for current neo drivers that waiting for r3 parts for neo! pls dnt be selfish guys…
February 28, 2008 @ 2:14 pm
anyways.. people talking on the forum arent going to buy the car anyways.. the ones that put their money where their mouth is have already done so, and bought the cars, or booked them.
but to be fair, almost the same level of criticism was placed on the 1st generation satria R3. the 4G93 n/a engine then was untouched, straight from the gti donor car, except for a different exhaust system.. everyone was blah blah blah, where thes super/turbocharger, or the 2 litre this and that, etc. etc.. but all cars were sold out anyways.. as for the noise about “safety”, this car was always bordering on the extreme anyways, and its lacking a lot of creature comforts..etc., like the 1st gen car, the 2nd gen car does away with ABS and also airbags. but there is a philosophy behind it. if someone doesnt subscribe to it, thats their choice.
but then again, for what it was intended, a streetable car, yet good for fast weekend drives and trackdays, it was extremely fun and driveable. best of all, it was a lot faster than what was written down on paper.
February 28, 2008 @ 2:42 pm
Hi BanyakMasukWorkshop,
Ideally what you say is true, same goes to the fact that the earlier Satria R3 4G93 1.8L had so much more grunt. BTW, don’t you have anywhere else to take your arguments with you?
February 28, 2008 @ 3:22 pm
i think at the moment the satria gti (99-04) is well sorted hot hatch, although its not a mivec or turbo, the displacement is 1.8 is good for fun enough,
handling is sharp, stable with some level of comfort even at higher speed,
interior is harmony scheme -silver and black, with aluminum gear knob and pedal,
lotus like alloy wheel is not an aftermarket look, ground effect styling is superb depicting lotus, and it works,
February 28, 2008 @ 3:47 pm
razor_clawzz,
“BTW, don’t you have anywhere else to take your arguments with you?” I’m just curious about your last comment there. does this mean you are now policing this blog and anyone with valid arguments that you do not agree with should take them somewhere else? or was i wrong with my interpretation of your sentence?
btw, the 4g93 puts out 164nm of torque as well, exactly the same as this campro based neo R3 albeit at different RPMs.
February 28, 2008 @ 4:02 pm
samy-fied highways!…haha
February 28, 2008 @ 4:04 pm
Paul, is it true all the 10 neos have been delivered, as far as i know [R3 Salesperson] they only delivered car no 5 last 2 weeks and total orders are only 10 units as they opened it for only that amounts. And I was also informed by the salesperson that the car will be using Enkei rims as in the pics.
btw guys if the Jap can appreciate n become the owner of car no. 1 y dont we have the same perception like him, of course he can buy Evo, GTR or whatever beast he wanted
at least low down your comment la
Paul Tan says: proton’s press release says “Like its predecessor, only limited units of the Satria Neo R3 will be built. The first 10 are gone and the second batch of 10 units is already spoken for with a limited production run of 50 planned.”
February 28, 2008 @ 4:08 pm
just some comparison:
satria r3 - 1.8 dohc 140hp @ 6100rpm, 168Nm @ 5600rpm
satria neo r3 - 1.6 dohc 135hp @ 6100rpm, 164Nm @ 4200rpm
guess what makes the difference is weight!
February 28, 2008 @ 4:09 pm
@fastcx
Agree wit u. This Neo R3 hv proven that N/A Campro can provide power that’s achievable wit a 1.8L engine (a performance engine at that)!! Compared to 4G93 in the old Satria R3, Campro is only 5hp less n 4Nm less. Amazingly, Campro achieves max power at the same rpm (6,100rmp), and max torque at 4,200rpm, compared to 4G93P at 5,600rpm!! Screw the torque dip, u can get max grunt at lower rpm, n from the graph, it looks pretty flat all the way to five thousand sumthin rpm.
Those who think this car is like just sendin to sunway mod shops, think again: do those mod shops do testing n give warranty to u? Nope, YOU become the rat, n in the long run, u’ll bet wit ur wallet on how reliable it’ll be.
Another thing, dun we Msians hv an obsession wit anythin Japanese? Just wear a T badge on a car, n no matter how crappy it is, it’ll sell. So, for a Japanese expat to appreciate n recognise this car’s performance n styling, dun we ought to believe in ourselves too? Shame on us if we can’t. Instead, we’d b picky on silly little stuff like torque dip, no “sporty” alum pedal cover, too noisy, gear knob not fully round, speculating the top speed is 160kmph, et cetera. I’d like to see if anyone hv the guts to complain that an Enzo or Ascari A10 is very noisy, n I mean complainin in a I-hate-it-bein-noisy way.
It may b noisy, it may be stiff, bt it certainly isn’t as nighmarish to drive on normal roads as a Lotus nor far too weak against a Lotus on a track. It can go speed bumps pretty well, and it’s Lotus ride n handling is as excellent as ever. All for RM71,000. May sound expensive if u buy it on an accountant’s advise (since their fav car is oni Toyotas), but I suppose if a true petrolhead were to be your advisor, he’ll say it’s a very cheap price to pay to put a big smile on your face. Just buy an alum pedal cover from Carrefour, it’ll be perfect n everyone’s happy.
February 28, 2008 @ 4:15 pm
by the way,
satria neo is a beautiful car, and i do hope it comes with beautiful performance with docile application, (cps ,force fed)
it has also nicely styled ground effect, which is good.
r3 grafic RACE RALLYE REASEARCH is too loud with big lettering is too much,
id prefer something subtle, enough with with performance logo ‘r3′ ,
color selection black is ok, probally it should also come with silver,
grafic line, red and white is too old fashioned, need to pull that out,
steering spacer is only good for serious track, dont need this,
i think R3 need some maturity toward ‘performance’.
February 28, 2008 @ 4:16 pm
tokmoh: i think the whole perception by people that this is a sunway job is because the previous r3 satria had alot more done to it - chassis stiffening, weight reduction, etc. it may be that the neo in standard form does not need much weight reduction at all (explains the standard neo’s disappointing nvh as well) and the fact that the neo already has a stiff chassis.
i took this review from a full driving experience perspective and the gear knob really did not feel good in the hand at all, so i felt i must say it. the car IS fun.
proton GL: i dont know about you but i feel that because the neo does not have steering adjustable reach the wheel has always been a little too far away for me. i appreciate the steering spacer alot.
February 28, 2008 @ 4:26 pm
well i do belive proton hot hatch will be futher refined, if the make this neo a GTI version,
February 28, 2008 @ 4:27 pm
Good attemp by Proton, but the R3 is only avarage at best. Pity about the weak engine too. Im not saying it should have more than 200hp, but should have at least given it 150-160hp. And no ABS and Airbags? In todays standard thats unacceptable even for track biased budget hot hatch. But i guess for malaysia’s low standards ppl will just brush it off and say its ok. Overall the car appears too “aftermarket”, and nothing about this car is innovative at all. Just looks like an incompetant manufacturer trying too hard. A car like this, no matter how good looking, is just so cheesy.
February 28, 2008 @ 4:27 pm
This is a nice car….
February 28, 2008 @ 4:28 pm
The SR3 chassis is stiffer from SGTi and any other SGTi on tracks have double spot welding as to SR3 while Neo chassis which welded using robotic arm is sufficient for the power produced
I cant imagine if NR3 weight is further reduced, sure NVH will be like hell and i guess further lightened is only by throwing the rear wiper which i guess will be no harm to the proud owners and admirers
February 28, 2008 @ 4:30 pm
paul ,probally i just like my driving with steering not too close,
February 28, 2008 @ 4:51 pm
Allan, have u tried cars with abs and ebd on the track before? if u did, i bet u wish they arent there…
February 28, 2008 @ 4:57 pm
very nice looking…and very impressive to up the engine horsies from 110 to 135….quite a feat….but this type of cars are NOT meant to be used as main cars….
too hard riding and too rough……but this is campro for u…..good pick up…almost no midrange…and top end like uve never seen before in a 1.6L engine !
but the price is hight…last time the satria GTI r3 was selling around 74k wer the std one was around 68k…so nt much difference…bt a std neo of around rm50k and this R3 around 7xk…diference is quite alot….
and another point is the noise…..a big contributer is the crap midbox….i chnaged mine to a smaller thinner one….it definatly reduces the noise and is even smoother…..
February 28, 2008 @ 4:59 pm
Can I just buy the bodykit? I am not into a lot of power, since our roads are not really the best. Just want to dress up the Neo. Maybe lower it a little too.
February 28, 2008 @ 5:03 pm
no abs no airbag? why? For Europe they need at least min. 4Airbags and Abs…
The Legend must back!!! GTi, a genuine Legend.
February 28, 2008 @ 5:06 pm
e-nabilll, perhaps u can try formwork’s full exhaust system set
at the price of 1280 including installation! and improvement of around 10hp and 8~15Nm can be achieve, Reuben Wong is 1 of them who involve in research n development of this system.
back to topic, i love the full round gear knob of stock neo’s more than r3’s, 1st is the neo’s leather warp around partial of the gear knob feels good to touch, compares to metal and persona’s harden version. curious y proton do not use the same gear knob on persona..
As for the noise paul complained after 5500rpm, is something annoys us also, but a quick change of full exhaust set, u gets a sweeter sound n better performance out of it
1 more thing, perhaps those who replied mentioned that a 1.6 performance engine should hv around 160~170whp…a quick question for u, do u dyno ur car b4? or u js read how many whp u hav through brochure?
Paul Tan says: the specs list I have indicates the vendor for the exhaust system in this car is formworks. not sure if it is the same exhaust design, or just manufactured by them.
February 28, 2008 @ 5:09 pm
and this r3 is just limited edition, n also limited to malaysia if not mistaken, so screw the airbag i think haha if u mentioned 4 airbags n abs is standard, perhaps your t vios e spec is not up to standard
February 28, 2008 @ 5:18 pm
Airbags? Its a MOMO steering wheel for goodness sake. They don’t have airbags in track cars. They’ve got roll cage, wear helmets and multi point harness with quick release. There’s no ABS or EBD or other 3 letter words.
But yes, even though I was hoping for a Neo R3, this does not make the cake. I wouldn’t put an R3 label on this. Not with that engine. I’d pay 74k for something else. Like a 2 liter engine. Or go to Powerzone and get a supercharger fitted. But I’d still be stuck with this torque curve.
February 28, 2008 @ 5:33 pm
I used to own the Satria GTi and despite some valid negative comments mentioned ie. no 220hp engine etc.. I believe R3 knows why the cars would sell. Those who appreciate the SGTi and Satria R3 would definitely appreciate this. Was never about monster power. It was always about the sheer handling pleasure.
Also though I think it loses a bit on marketing because the engine has no CPS, VIM I don’t think it matters to those who know why they’d want the car. CPS and VIM are features meant to assist mid range torque ie. town driving because the CAMPRO engine has that torque dip at mid range. If you’re gunning the car your mid range matters less. High rpm power virtually the same in CAMPRO CPS and sans CPS.
Don’t know about this new NEO R3 but the original prototype I saw was supposed to have longer duration cams which which would have downplayed the need for waiting for the CPS Campro.
February 28, 2008 @ 5:51 pm
for you people who think its a track car, think again.
the engine’s weak, the suspension is not stiff enough, nor is it tough enough, it has no roll cage or additional stiffening of any sort, it has no harnesses.
and chances are the wannabes who buy this in a lame attempt to look like real racers end up using it 95% of the time on the public roads where there are other cars, stop and start traffic, noise, and yes, potholes!
and by all accounts i’d venture to say that driving one on a daily basis and getting stuck in jams while getting a rather good workout from the suspension will make the excitement wear out quite fast. plus the noise from the engine and road and wind, whew…
and when u do actually hit something or get hit i’d love to see you still smiling and extolling the virtues of buying a track car wannabe while busting your skull open on the momo wheel.
February 28, 2008 @ 5:56 pm
Btw, std the NEO chassis is much stiffer from the M series chassis(previous Sate Ria)
FYI their MME NEO was lapping slightly sub 2:40 which is incredibly fast. Stock engine. Superfast through corners but of course lost out badly on the straights
February 28, 2008 @ 6:06 pm
proton GL: i dont know about you but i feel that because the neo does not have steering adjustable reach the wheel has always been a little too far away for me. i appreciate the steering spacer alot. (paul)
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for me a standard neo steering reach is good for me (not own neo),
actually never drive the one with momo or sparco before, in a neo,
the nature of this sport steering here is flat, if normal aftermarket boss is used it probally the wheel tend to be a bit foward,(far reaching),
unless the sport steering itself have a concave spoke,
so there is a rational for steering spacer used here,
but anyway there are always spacer selection in order to suit the steering design and the drivers driving position,(then this will be too serious driver)
i ve tried before changing sport steering, really hard to find the best driving position sometime its a bit too close sometime a bit too far, as i wouldnt change the sweet spot of fore and arf and the rake of the seat,
then what happened, i have to change to a standard steering for the best position,
as what paul said, the r3 might put the best combination i this steering part inerm of seating position steering reach and reaction, this is good.
February 28, 2008 @ 6:21 pm
anyway this neo looks purposeful.
if i own one,
i ll get rid of the red white and RRR stripe,
solid in black
its BEAUTY
February 28, 2008 @ 7:27 pm
i dunno when p1 do effort like this people will try to find any weakness on this car…firstly i wan to ask 1 question…wut a performance car meant to you…a quite….smooth ride…luxury interior ker….then go sit on maybach or beemer…this neo just fulfill the speed maniacs need man…even with normal campro engine it still can fly man…the hp of this r3 version is enuf only the torque is a problem…but its still a beauty…common give some constructive comment….how to fit an airbag to a momo steering…learn first la what is airbag abs ebd before demand something that is no need for the pupose of the car…
February 28, 2008 @ 7:42 pm
i like this car but out of my reach
February 28, 2008 @ 9:02 pm
This car is more towards handling over raw power, personally love my neo on the track especially taking corners, even tho straight line we might lose a bit, but during corners, SIC hv many tricky corners, we can easily gain what was lost if we talk about same class.
trust me, no matter what car u drive, driver is the most important joint but yet its the most vulnerable to break or make it to finish line..
February 28, 2008 @ 9:20 pm
Scirocco has it spot on, I reckon.
It is what it is, a mildly warmed up hatch. More show than go, which is not automatically bad, but giving it the R3 name was perhaps hasty. Wires, exhaust, remap? Anyone could get the same hardly-extreme mods in an afternoon in Sunway. Would expect better. Seems R3 focused their energy more on the areas that could make the most money for Proton–all the R3 “accessories” that the wannabes will go crazy for.
I don’t really mind it actually, with such a limited run it has about the same general relevance as the Saga RED. It’s definitely an improvement over the normal Satria but lets not get carried away here with ridiculous comparisons (enzo and lotus???) In the end, it’ll do its main job which is showing off around town and tackling the occasional corner, but with a thrashy underpowered engine, body roll and throttle lag, it’s certainly no track monster.
February 28, 2008 @ 9:27 pm
ic, paul, i’ve confirmed it’s the same system
February 28, 2008 @ 9:51 pm
everything is perfect, except the Momo steering wheel……
February 28, 2008 @ 9:55 pm
LAME!
February 28, 2008 @ 10:51 pm
Purely aesthetics.
February 28, 2008 @ 11:10 pm
nice appearance
not practical 4 daily use
February 28, 2008 @ 11:25 pm
A Gen2 export model is better than this.
February 29, 2008 @ 12:19 am
interior..looks cool…exterior…almost cool…the exaust position makes it look ugly…sigh~
February 29, 2008 @ 1:08 am
“The owner of the first Proton Satria Neo R3 in Malaysia is Hidekazu Misawa, a Japanese expatriate in Malaysia. He says he was drawn to the car’s blend of performance and style and he will be bringing it back to Japan.”
This is something nice to hear. Usually Its Malaysian buy Jap cars, not Jap buy malaysian cars
February 29, 2008 @ 1:50 am
Ave,
i believe those are just personal preference. And for me personally, the positioning of the exhaust enhances the look of the car. No offence ya but this is too small of a matter.. Regardless, there are many proud neo owners out there.:)I wished i could have one, but i’m waiting for the CPS, and i know i can wait.
Maybe we should just look at it this way. P1 is improving alot, interms of car design, price and quality. And thanks to all the complaints. But maybe sometime we should give them a pat on their shoulders. at least we know that they are trying really hard to please us malaysians. As long as they are showing good progress. I’m sure they will be able to reach u ppl’s expectation..
February 29, 2008 @ 2:23 am
whatever is it.. i cant wait for it to eat my dust. i think my moded toyota corolla 93 with just a reprogramme ECU would be able to tapau it anytime.
look garang only… well..a sheep in wolf’s colthing!
February 29, 2008 @ 4:30 am
So far after reading all the comments, I have mixed feelings.
I agree with most and disagree with some. Sure it makes so and so power against the 4G 1.8L but do remember this, the 4G93P is one super old engine. Back in it’s heyday it kicked major butt and still does so today.
135hp is impressive judging from the minimal amount of modifications but as most people know, thats only on paper. Wheel horsepower on the other hand is another matter entirely.
I certainly like the looks of it though. Must agree it is a handsome car. The kit definitely drowns out the “Oh so round & cuteeeee” comments from girls when they happen to spot a normal Satria Neo.
Price-tag wise I’m pretty disappointed. Costing nearly Rm28,000 above the Neo’s price for so little is pretty disappointing. The Satria R3 was better specced out than this. As someone mentioned earlier, it is definitely “half-baked”.
February 29, 2008 @ 6:09 am
this is like honda launching a Civic Type R without a VTEC system
February 29, 2008 @ 8:19 am
Hi BanyakMasukWorkshop,
No love hate relationship here, it’s just that I really wanted to see if the probability of you, retaliating people’s comments aimed directly at you, at a 110% possibility. I wonder if you should start your own blog on how right you are about Proton cars
Anyway back to the topic, me and my friend had a chat last night about this R3 Satria Neo, on how much “lovable” the original GTi was compared to this. The GTi made minimum (fanatics, I used the word “minimum” okay? don’t start flaming me on this one) compromises as compared to this lightened/stripped Satria Neo M-Line. True, the displacement difference does not deviate much from the 4G93’s performance, but does it have that always astonishing durability? Maybe a GTi ethusiast knows…The GTi was so much more quiet (I believe) and came with industry standard safety features at that time.
Personally, I would like to view this Satria Neo R3 as a mass manufactured Proton interpreted 4 whelled rempit vehicle. You might rebut by saying things like Proton is moving forward, this car will be sold out, etc etc. But let’s get back to the point yah….The R3’s RM2+K extra, it’s really not worth it, but is it overhyped? For me, yes, it’s overhyped as much as AFTA
February 29, 2008 @ 8:52 am
chap_de_x
i do know what airbags abs ebd are. it looks like you are the one who doesn’t know that airbags can be fitted to a momo or any steering. the evos have had it for years. so do the wrxs.
ok, granted these are much more expensive cars, but does it really need a momo in the first place, instead of airbags?
they could have done it like the gti and fit an airbagged sterring wheel. i don’t hear anyone complaining much of the gtis steering?
the truth is today’s car it is imperative to have airbags, abs as standard. it is just that in our cut-cost-life-is-cheap country where these things are not mandatory. in fact in the US they are already talking abt having VSC/VSA/TRC as mandatory, and yet we still have cars that do not have a single airbag.
if again some people say track car, then fine, let it be allowed to be registered for track only.
in the end i dont know why they just didnt fit in the airbags. doesnt cost much, and would definitely save lives. and i also cannot believe there are actually people defending this. its not defensible people; ferraris, porsches, lambos have it, and these are far purer sports cars. what’s proton’s excuse?
February 29, 2008 @ 9:09 am
I dunno guys, I’ve seen this so-called concept for sometime already. As someone had mentioned, why didn’t they obtain the CPS and then tune it, seeing how they’re Proton’s performance arm?
If anything, I’d rather wait for the CPS to be plugged into a Neo, then visit the R3 guys and ask them to insert some of the go-faster parts.
February 29, 2008 @ 9:17 am
Oh yea speaking for airbags, yea, R3 should prolly come up with a steering that allows for airbags to be installed.
It’s just simply not acceptable for an Rm71k car to not have one. For instance, you don’t see Renault removing the airbags from its racy Clio Cup, do you?
February 29, 2008 @ 9:47 am
i think at the end of the day most agree that it is half baked bcos it is an R3 product. R3 being a division of proton and having access to data and resources other tuners can only dream of, comes out with a so-called LEV that is no more than a normal Neo (and a midline one at that) with a whole lot of plug-ins that half the tuners in sunway could probably do. don’t go into the warranty issues etc here. we’re talking purely on capability.
for an in-house tuner the least we would expect is a intensive workover of the engine, be it having the capacity increased to 1.8 or whatever, addition of a blower of some sort, or something significantly different that the road side tuners cannot possibly do. culprit mentioned the clio cup, and that is indeed a good example of a properly tuned car.
not this proton souffle (because souffles are half baked and puffed up)
February 29, 2008 @ 9:55 am
sorry, not the clio cup, meant the renaultsport clio RS.
February 29, 2008 @ 10:40 am
hey, what c*ck are some of self claim pro guys are talking? always compare cake to yong tau fu that’s y there’s a political party put up big billboards and posters doing stupid price comparing
i guess the rakyat also learns and translate from there, no srs lah, no power lah can mod @ sunway lah
u ask the shop owners there either they can do the same, of course yes but still do they admire R3 for its expertise and details? i bet it would be yes
if everything the same then we should degrade other tuning house, everyone can do stuff like mugen, suzuki sport, HKS bla bla isn’t it?
dont service your car at appointed dealers, normal workshop also can change the oil or y dont you do it on ur your own
if put all the things that u think should b in the car then how much it would b?
turbocharge, srs, blala blala then rise until RM80 - 90k.. son of a rich can buy la instead of buying Swift Sport or @ least Vios
as you may read, that package only feature stage 1 and stage 2 mods, there are 3 stages all together. then y bother, should u have money then upgrade la
if u want the srs n ebd to b included, buy the highline model send to R3 and put all the things u wanted, spend how much money u want
enjoy happy life guys n happy motoring..!
February 29, 2008 @ 11:06 am
its not comparing and the katak under tempurung mentality that’s put proton where it is now.
no airbag nevermind one, malaysian lives are cheap, maybe yours is…
the point is there shd never be any new car let alone a high end car (for proton) that comes without safety features.
February 29, 2008 @ 11:23 am
Paul,
Since R3 has been drop by Proton(not sure since their web is gone)
So wht relation else they have with Proton? and I wanted to know where is their department running,isit at the side of Kesas highway or the one in Glennmarie?
February 29, 2008 @ 11:30 am
bro Mb_321, i understand your sentiment, i’m also against comparing Proton with foreign makes.
But my my grouse is the timing of the release. This car is pretty pricy and simply too raw, if you depend on what Paul mentioned.
I mean really, why not wait for CPS to come out? But then I know for a fact that this model has been in testing for sometime now, so maybe at that time they haven’t got a CPS unit that they can test on.
But then if you want something unique, not many on road, and you can take the lack of airbags and the faux high-revving engine then it guess this will tickle your fancy?
February 29, 2008 @ 12:16 pm
Simply another “ABANG”ed potong.
February 29, 2008 @ 2:19 pm
A little bit of topic but somewhat related,
Just to share the pleasure of viewing,
1-a down to earth elise s.c.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDf9YEnIUFQ&feature=dir
2- a top notch exige s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEVSl5ChZ5w
February 29, 2008 @ 3:03 pm
some driver feel airbags will make the steering looks uncool…and they dont need one on their car…some driver think airbags is the ultimate things that can save their live….but think again the best safety feature of a car is yourself….drive concern about others and yourself will save yourlife and other..plus improve the driving skill you had you can ddo wonder with your car…no need to depends on safety feature so much…its just a bonus if a car have one….even ABS system can be done manually if u skill enuf….
February 29, 2008 @ 4:06 pm
i’m very impress with this neo R3…very sporty and beautiful exterior an interior…but using campro 135 hp…i think the old satria r3 more powerful with 1.8 engine
February 29, 2008 @ 4:10 pm
hehehe..
neoR3 is simply a race-breed car.
driver of this type of car drives only for passion:
hear the beautiful sound made by revving engine,
experience the adrenaline rush while attacking a corner,
& more human control.
r u fit for the car?
i hate electronics interference in my driving. i drive, not them.
i dun need fuel-saving devices. i floor the gas pedal.
sebenarnye kete ni ada target group sendiri.
nk mewah, beli la maybach.
nk save myk, beli la prius.
nk selamat, beli la volvo.
nk power, beli la veyron.
nk laju, beli la mclarenF1.
nk performance, beli la F1.
got my point?
February 29, 2008 @ 4:56 pm
I think most ppl forgot who is Proton’s mentor. Also, most ppl forgot how europeans approach car-making.
Lotus is founded under Colin Chapman’s philosophy of lighweight performance. Not founded to save the world through making airbags n ebd, they believe in giving more control to the driver as their ultimate goal. They believe in driver being the most responsible for their safety…and skills. Or to put it in a different wording, rather than spoiling drivers to become lousy wit the sweet PR-ish features of airbags n ebd, they’d prefer the drivers to wake up n be fully responsible of the driving part. Incompetent noobs can gtfo, buy a Toyota n live wit it happily ever after (n maybe sell it back wit good secondhand value). As zerotohundred crew puts it, “this car (Satria Neo R3) will not forgive you if it catches you day dreaming while driving.”
The search for safety is born out of fear, while the search for control is born out of the desire to be free, to clinch on to more POWWAAARRRHHH!!! Why do you think Michael Schumacher always want his car to be faster and handle better instead of “I think FIA shud include airbags as std,” or “I would like to protest the ban on driver’s aid cuz it’ll put more lives at risk,” or “F1 cars shud emulate S-class’ uncrushable cruise control feature which can detect cars 20m ahead of it, and stop the car if the driver don’t”? Even that one-hit-wonder Jacques Villeneuve, whose father died in an accident thinks today’s F1 cars are “too safe”.
Come to think of it, it has been awhile since anyone died in an F1 car. Mayb someone shud review whether “speed kills” and “many ppl died becuz no airbag n abs” are facts or opinion. I just believe that its bcuz today’s drivers are better behaved (Isn’t Hamilton the most annoying mr niceguy u’ve ever seen?), and their cars handle so much better. Stiffness is one thing, but newer F1 cars are lower, lighter, more aerodynamic, et cetera.
That philosophy is inherited to Proton, as their engineers gain knowledge and experience from Lotus. Bt of course there are exceptions, especially when it comes to the cars that’s supposed to be for the masses like the Saga n Persona. Else, why should Proton build a wimp-arse car that’s made to please accountants instead of pleasing true enthusiasts, especially for models which are meant to be sporty? That ought to tell that Proton doesn’t build cars entirely becuz of money, but out of passion that’s instilled to them through Colin’s philosophy.
Btw, words hv it that R3 is preparing turbo kits for Satria Neo. Go to zerotohundred to read more details.
Do take consideration for the ppl who hv to make the decision. Striking a balance is not easy for how to make it practical enuf while not too compromising on the performance aspect. Then there’s the cost and dateline as well. Being in touch wit Azlan Othman (Proton Design’s manager) through his blog (wonder why his blog is still blocked?), I understand that it is an emotional decision, then there’s always the protest simply bcuz of the Proton badge. It wouldn’t hv much trouble if it has that T badge, rite? Those ppl had it too easy, just simply rely on the brand power, and ppl will buy it for “good secondhand value”, “bullet-proof reliability”, even if they’re uglier than a walrus or nastier than a beggar’s clothing. I’ll admit they occasionally make good cars like the Estima, alphard, Wish n some others more, but the rest of the time, they won’t do. Please, nope.
February 29, 2008 @ 5:10 pm
V_NoZ said,
February 29, 2008 @ 2:23 am
I would love to see how your corolla understeer and spin out of the corner.
February 29, 2008 @ 7:32 pm
i simply couldnt believe my eyes when we have people comparing f1 lah, michael schumacher lah, to the satria neo r3! it is a road car, and no matter what u say at the end of the day airbags and abs are important. maybe some people fancy themselves as very good drivers, but the sad truth is, almost none are. and even michael schumacher gets into accidents!
“this car (Satria Neo R3) will not forgive you if it catches you day dreaming while driving” does that mean that you’ll pay for it with your life? or with a serious injury?
is this your idea of a fun car???
February 29, 2008 @ 7:41 pm
the idea of fun car is to hv fun on the track which u hv controlled environment, so do u hv “fun” illegally on the road scirocco?
February 29, 2008 @ 7:42 pm
nice comment tokmoh…love to read it….some people here only comment on p1 story….everything is not rite for them….even i’ll wil admit this is not the best r3 division can do but still it was a good effort. speed lover outhere like me dun rely so much in electronics….i always try to improve my driving skill so when i drive fast i drive with skill to make the journey safer…i believe in myself…i dunnot care so much about comfort if i wanna speed…its about the revving sound and the adrenalin is more important…like i said before if i want comfort i will go sit in a maybach….i drove a standard 1.3 neo before…it was stable enuf in high speed….standard neo i drove almost out meter and still stable…i expect this r3 beast can do more….for speed lover like me neo is a very addorable car in our market..
February 29, 2008 @ 7:44 pm
Have fun on the track n not on the road guys! cant u get that common sense in ur mind? that is y i keep focusing on track performance of this car in my previous few comments, keep ur speed hunger on the track, but drive responsibly on the road! open track day at SIC is just rm200 from 2pm~5pm on certain sunday! isnt tat worth less than ur life n other’s life on the road? n most of all, u hv fun enjoying the ride n put it to it’s limit!
February 29, 2008 @ 7:47 pm
i agree with chap, but i still insist on not speed on public road.
February 29, 2008 @ 7:49 pm
i have a question paul, does both package A n B inclusive of 1year fee for SIC open track day? and since u said the unit u tested was a test unit for development, do u have the chance to get ur hands on the real deal? hehe cz i bet many of us wan2 know how is the final product looks n perform, better still, on the track
February 29, 2008 @ 7:57 pm
fastcx,
is the satria neo r3 ONLY going to be driven on the track?
if yes, then fine.
chances are it’s gonna spend most of its time on public roads. and every idiot knows that when u r on the roads anything can happen, even if you dont hit anyone, someone else might hit you. so when they do, wouldn’t u wish u had an airbag instead of a momo steering upon which your brains are now splattered?
February 29, 2008 @ 8:01 pm
and if u want a car exclusively for the track, the satria neo r3 wouldnt cut it either.
i guarantee you that it’ll be much more effective to buy a baseline satria neo, strip everything, dump in a better engine, some decent coilovers, or a roll cage if u want, and it’ll run rings around the r3 neo. and probably cost u a whole lot less.
February 29, 2008 @ 8:02 pm
er, do u wan2 drive a limited edition car on the road so often and stuck in the traffic vf racing clutch? any common sense?
February 29, 2008 @ 8:05 pm
u can do watever u wan to ur car, just like those who wan2 mod their civic to b type r, but there r certain people would like to go for mod tat is developed by teams tat knows what they r doing n u dnt have to do trial n error to get the optimum compromise for road n track
February 29, 2008 @ 8:05 pm
fastcx,
that was a personal slight. where did i ever imply that i have fun illegally on the roads?
pls stick to the topic, we are talking purely about the satria neo r3, which is a ROAD CAR, whatever anyone else says. if it were meant as a track car, then why is it sold as a ROAD CAR?
my rationale for my comments are purely centred on comparing it to other respectable fast hatches. and all of them have airbags and abs. and they are also a lot more focused than the neo r3 will ever be. heard of the renaultsport clio v6? it corners harder, goes faster, is more radical, and much much rawer then the r3 neo, but guess what, it has airbags and abs!
February 29, 2008 @ 8:10 pm
scirocco, cant u c how many steps u have to go b4 u can achieve wat u mentioned? some people just wan it done, but not by themselves. there are people like that around, and those people choose factory fit rather than run around shops to get tune n retune to get best result.
run around r3 neo many times is still depends on the driver, perhaps i can meet u on the track 1 day vf the neo u fantasized, n perhaps demonstrate to me how u do tat.
February 29, 2008 @ 8:12 pm
dude, its v6, u wan2 compare it to straight4?
February 29, 2008 @ 8:15 pm
ok, this argument is going no where, perhaps u could interview those who bought it. ask for purpose of this purchase
February 29, 2008 @ 8:27 pm
i really dont understand why all this argument are taking place..proton R3 department is only producing 50 cars…of this type…
so there is something special there already..only 50 people can own this car….
its not a mass production for us to complain about..if u like it buy type of car and its specifically built for that purpose..
the previous satria R3 was based on satria GTI and this one(clearly stated by paul…based M line satria NEO) so its just try to be a better car than the normal satria..
different in which sense u may as…again its back to why it was create..sporty drive…so it is sporty than the regular satria neo M line…that about it…
proton of the R3 department never claim this car is better than the previous satria R3…so its not right at all to complain
about the sound…its again up to the person who is spending rm 71000 to buy..50 people only..remember that…
so no point arguing!!!!
February 29, 2008 @ 8:53 pm
comparing the v6 clio as its a more focused car ie track car wannabe like the neo r3.
anyway, i agree, its not going anywhere.
if people can live without airbags and abs then its up to them. just makes us wonder if the rest of the world are idiots in specifying them as mandatory.
February 29, 2008 @ 9:10 pm
Fastcx.
Ok maybe not the Clio V6, that one was a lunatic mid engined limited run.
Take the new Renaultsport Clio (chose Cup/197 or the R27 F1) then. Still has all the safety gear, goes like a bat out of hell, handle like a go kart and cheap to boot…
Still a 4 cyc. What are you going to pull out now, saying its not fair because the Clio has a 2.0L?
Moot point anyway, can’t buy one now even if I wanted to.
I don’t know, I just feel that R3 could have done a better job for a “flagship”. Perhaps they still have a more powerful R3 GTi sometime down the road. I’m not surprised if R3 can find another 30-40hp from that CPS Campro with bolt-ons and an ECU flash.
February 29, 2008 @ 10:12 pm
relax guys this car will only 50 hits the road…its not a mass prod car….the buyer must have a reason why he/she spend a lot of money on this car…even without ABS, EBD, or airbags….if you not appreciate the effort at least 50 people are appreciating this beauty including one Japaneses….drive safe….
March 1, 2008 @ 12:44 am
my friend just receive his neo R3, i’ve drove it.
many ‘mods’ cars ‘cucuk’ me when i drove it,hhehehe.
good:driving position, NICE seats(now seats lower than a normal neo),good looking,better engine grunt than the std campro..(yup,the prodction car uses the enkei 17″ rims, those potenza RE001 are bloody expansive!).
not so good: the door panel’s fabric is not red as in Paul’s test car, the signal stlaks are waaaay too far,no metal pedals, the engine can do better(alaa…baru stage-1,huhu!)
hm…i think its better than a Swift sport la..
March 1, 2008 @ 2:58 am
scirocco said,
February 29, 2008 @ 7:32 pm
i simply couldnt believe my eyes when we have people comparing f1 lah, michael schumacher lah, to the satria neo r3! it is a road car, and no matter what u say at the end of the day airbags and abs are important. maybe some people fancy themselves as very good drivers, but the sad truth is, almost none are. and even michael schumacher gets into accidents!
“this car (Satria Neo R3) will not forgive you if it catches you day dreaming while driving†does that mean that you’ll pay for it with your life? or with a serious injury?
is this your idea of a fun car???
———————–
I did NOT make comparisons wit F1 cars in performance sense, but the philosophical part of it, like which one is better for a sports car: airbags or control (through handling n power)?
Read my warning as well: “Incompetent noobs can gtfo, buy a Toyota n live wit it happily ever after (n maybe sell it back wit good secondhand value).” The business of driving has never been a child’s game which requires just a few hours of trainin n some duit kopis to be legally able to take the wheels. Why do you think Msia always hv the highest accident death rate in the world? Just to let you know, studies hv always shown that the driver, rather than the car, is MOSTLY responsible for the cause of accidents. No amount of safety, nt even the latest “uncrashable” S-class can save lives if the driver is just plain incompetence.
The same rule of noobs shud gtfo can be said for supercars, Ferrari, Porsche, Lamborghini, etc. One of the biggest issue wit today’s supercars (aside from environmental issues) is that they’re too advanced for the drivers, which are mostly millionaires who wants to show off, rather than be truly enjoying the sheer of driving those supercars offer. They just couldn’t be bothered to improve their skills, n true enuf, they’ll eventually get bitten by the car, n quite a number of ppl hv died or fatally wounded in supercars. You might want to read the ironic truths of supercars here:
http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/driving/news/article1358351.ece
Yet, those brand’s exclusivity which attracts rich ppl to be interested in it, rite? That’s just what R3 is doin, only at a much, much lower scale, n at a lower cost. They’re doin it the way they’ve been tought by their mentor: instead goin all out wit V12s etc, they’re doin it wit a normal 1.6 car. But one fact that never change is that these machines will demand more from the driver, so if you’re just not up for it, gtfo. Often, it’s the driver’s attitude towards their driving that causes accidents. So just maybe, it’s a good thing for this Satria Neo R3 to be hated: so that “potential customers” with just half-assed will can forget abt owning it. This car, is strictly for people who are committed and take full responsibility to driving, but wish for it to be flexible enuf for normal road…and has a fetish for Satria Neo. So they’re not for chickens who’ll worry all the time whether they’ll make mistake, n further panic for not having airbags (bucket seats and seatbelts shud be sufficient to hold the driver in place). That is why, I recommend these kind of ppl to cower into their safety zone, which a Toyota can provide perfectly. They hardly ever require a driver’s commitment to driving, they give the sense that they’re built after screened by every single humanitarian n religious law that can possibly be written since the beginning age of mankind, a true politically correct car. Nothing wrong wit that, bt nothing exciting. At all. Just play safe, instead of play smart, that is, a higher level of driver skill’s competence. To some, especially enthusiasts with a very competent driving skill, that is too boring.
March 1, 2008 @ 3:53 pm
Folks, safety first. Why are we even arguing about this? Safety FIRST, always. No airbags, then install rollcage, and vice versa. Not just ‘empty’. It’s just a matter of the ability of the tuners to make it(safety features) so that it can be turned on or off(for trackdays). The next batch of R3s must consider safety features. Stage 1 mod for RM28k is too much i’d say.
The next batch will be fitted with CPS VIM and a type of charger, be it turbo or super. Guess how much that’ll cost. It’s a trackday car only if the whole trackday consists of R3 Neos. If that’s not the case then it ain’t what it is.
It’s a matter of supply and demand, if it sells, why sell 50 only? Even superleggra cars are not that exclusive.
March 1, 2008 @ 11:45 pm
wat happen if its a CPS wif dat upgrade ?
March 2, 2008 @ 12:12 am
tokmoh,
if u r not comparing, then why bring it up???
i understand, it is good that this car is hated by most and loved by people who think everyone else are noobs and deluding themselves that by loving this car despite its glaring lack of safety gear, they are associating themselves in someway with driving competence.
its so nice to see that this car is loved mostly by wannabe racers who in real life will get no closer to the track an glory than holding on to their momo steerings and daydreaming of duking it with schumi or alonso or whoever strikes your chord.
me, i remain firmly convinced of my driving mediocrity, and remain convinced that safety is paramount. i think highly of my own life, and cannot accept that anyone else (especially car manufacturers) think anything less. of course from this list of comments there remains people who think their lives are worth no more than a couple of thrills, but thats okay, we all have our personal opinions. lets agree to disagree.
March 2, 2008 @ 7:32 pm
Guys, trust me… neo chassis is stronger than what you all think… my brother.. totalled his M line neo in head on collision with new Toyota Hilux .. he escapes with broken right leg and bruised hand (pre tensined seat belt effect)… result for that huge Hilux… also total loss….
March 2, 2008 @ 8:21 pm
Read my previous article for my thoughts on how Proton could fit into the Indian automotive industry: Proton and the Indian automotive industry. It was written before the Saga launch so at that point we were still speculating the Saga’s dimensions.
On the local scenes, there will be something nice from Proton next week
_________________________________________________________________________
- Hey, is this the “something nice from Proton”??? or should I be still waiting??
March 2, 2008 @ 8:36 pm
Wow… total loss….
March 2, 2008 @ 10:15 pm
guys guys.. what i can simplify here are 2 things, ones go for the need of SRS and another the power
as for the SRS i guess, u should buy the Hi line then upgrade the additional R3 kits as u want as the only thing missing between the NR3 is the prefix serial number.
is it ok?
about the power thing, its only stage 1 - 2. Another upgrade is stage 3 then u can get more. if it isnt enuff, then bolt on the turbokit.
n as the CPS or the new air intake, this car was developed b4 the new system being commercially launched.
perhaps the next persona, gen.2 or saga R3 will be based on CPS or maybe wth the SRS
n guys, i did involved in a crash before wth my turbo powered car into a concrete wall. I survived because of the pre-tensioned belt (thanx God) that strapped me to the Recaro and the SRS deploy burning my sweater and bursting n hurting my chest
I know n feeling the importance of the SRS but I guess the sealtbelt save me from hitting the steering then the srs deployed. my fren next to me was also strapped to the seat.
n i beleive the 10 and upcoming owners already think about it.
ok guys?
March 2, 2008 @ 10:21 pm
*I know n feeling the importance of the SRS but I guess the sealtbelt saved me from hitting the steering n the srs deployed as secondary support. my fren next to me also survived.
March 3, 2008 @ 2:44 am
scirocco said,
March 2, 2008 @ 12:12 am
tokmoh,
if u r not comparing, then why bring it up???
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>>>As I said, it’s the philosophical part of developing a performance car that I’m trying to point. I’m tryin to open up ppl’s way of seeing things through seeing what the professional racers see. As the saying goes (roughly, I dun remember the exact words), “To become a very skilled investigator/police, he must be able to think like a very skilled crook”. Have you watched “Catch Me If You Can” starring Tom Hanks and DiCaprio? Di Caprio, who started out as a very skilled money forger, end up helping the police to effectively detect forged money as well as developing better anti-forge features for banks.
To build a sports car, one (R3 in this case) has to see what professional drivers want. Drivers want control n power, if they can get these two, it compensates not having airbags n ABS.
One might be thinking rollcage will then be necessary, bt then again, there needs to be a balance with practicality, as this car may be needed to be driven on normal roads too.
I’m not really anti-airbags, my opinion on airbags is providing it the way as it is: an optional equipment for h-line/premium models. Thing is, airbags can be fatal too IF one is not wearing seatbelts, which is a common scene in Msia. Until we’ve developed a culture of wearing seatbelts not for the sake of avoidin having to pay duit kopi to policemen, I think it shud just be provided as an optional equipment. Kalau ada lagi bagus, tak ada pula tak bermaksud dunia dah nak kiamat.
On that note, just maybe, to force Msians to weat seatbe