Paul Tan on the Automotive Industry
The previous Proton Saga advertisement posted here featuring our Angkasawan received some interesting feedback. Here is another Proton Saga advertisement video, this time featuring David Arumugam of the Alleycats.
I guess now we know where that Proton Saga sighted with the number plate came from, it’s the same car in this video!
VIDEO: Proton Saga Alleycats Advertisement
Usually when there is a new Proton car launch, this blog will feature the car’s TV commercial (for free, sheesh) as most of us are interested in how Proton is marketing the product. As requested by readers, here is Proton’s “Angkawasan” TV commercial for the new Proton Saga! This is despite me feeling a little wary about the resulting comments, as we all know how the majority of the rakyat feel about our Angkasawan project. So please, if you decide to share your thoughts in the comments, focus on the ad and not the Angkasawan.
UPDATE: Watch another video in this series of TV commercials promoting the new Proton Saga, this time featuring David Arumugam of The Alleycats.
VIDEO: Proton Saga Angkasawan Advertisement
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Here are some photos of the Proton Saga “RED” Concept by Proton Design, which will let some of you soon to be new Proton Saga owners know what modifications could be possible with the car’s aesthetics. Having a special kitted up version of each new model launch has been a tradition now, and I hope this continues.
The Proton Saga “RED” Concept features a nice metallic red paintwork, a black roof, nice light grey grill surrounds, and large wheels, complete with a minimal tyre to fender gap. The interior gets a two-tone black and grey design, with red door trim, red seats and a grey-red trimmed steering wheel.
Check out more photos after the jump.
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This is probably the most anticipated car in the history that I have had this blog running, the car that will mark the retirement of the old Proton Saga and mark the beginning of a new saga in the history of Proton. It is what both we and Proton call “the People’s Car”.
It is the car that signifies Proton is going back to the basics and fulfilling its responsibility as the national car manufacturer to actually produce national cars that the majority of the people actually need – a cheap, economical run-about car with a sedan bodystyle.
That car is the new second generation 2008 Proton Saga, known to us for the past few months as the Proton BLM.
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Tomorrow is the launch day of the new Proton BLM, which will replace the “classic” Proton Saga with a new modern model with updated crash safety, and updated internals.
Can Proton produce something that is baseline yet still looks stylish? Something that when you look at it, you may think that the owner could have afforded something else but decided to buy the BLM instead because of its value of money. Basically not something that you are forced to buy because of price alone. If Proton manages to achieve this with the Proton BLM, it will have a huge one up over cars like the Renault Logan.
You’ll find out when you come back to this blog at 5:30PM on the 18th of January 2008 (tomorrow) to find out the full scoop on the new Proton Saga replacement, including a short test drive report.
In the meanwhile, read the previous posts on the BLM linked below:
Related Posts:
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The Naza Sorento (rebadged Kia Sorento) has been facelifted in Malaysia, and while we do not gain the new powerful VGT turbodiesel thats available in Europe, the 2.5 litre intercooled turbodiesel engine still remains one of the more powerful ones in the segment, producing 140 PS at 3,800rpm and 294Nm of torque at 2,000rpm. This is mated to a 5-speed (1 overdrive) automatic gearbox, with Active Torque Transfer between the front and rear wheels, high/low ratios, and a limited slip differential.
The facelifted Naza Sorento features a 3-bar chrome radiator grille and a new front bumper with circular fog lamps. The Sorento also gets new front headlamps with a blackened out design – these are of the projector type. It has 16 inch 5-spoke alloy wheels, and a new rear bumper.
Because of the new bumpers, the new Naza Sorento is 4,590mm long, 20mm longer than the pre-facelift Sorento. Ground clearance is 203mm, wheelbase is 2,710mm, track is 1,580mm for both front and rear, width is 1,865mm, and height is 1,730mm (1,810mm with roof rack). Exterior colours consist of a choice of 4 colours – Ebony Black, Sand Beige, Clear White and Clear Silver. All are two-tone matched with Pewter Gray.
The interior upholstery is grey with brown high gloss wood trim. Its too bad Naza Kia did not choose black for the interior as they did with the Kia Sportage – that would have given the interior a more upmarket feel, as it did with the Sportage. The interior instrument cluster is now brighter thanks to the use of LED lighting instead of the pre-facelift Sorento’s bulb lighting.
Interior legroom for the second row is now 890mm – 30mm more than the pre-facelift Sorento. Another new feature is dual zone climate control. There is a trip computer on the overhead console that shows a compass, distance to empty, average speed, elapsed drive time, and external temperature.
Kia Motors has retuned the Sorento’s suspension for better ride and handling. The front is an in-wheel type double wishbone suspension while the rear is a solid axle 5-link suspension with coil springs.
The front suspension now has larger bushes for improved ride, while the caster angle has been changed from 3.3″ to 3.89″ for improved straight line stability. The rear suspension has a longer lower arm length (now 655.1mm compared to pre-facelift 591.3mm) and adjusted angle to reduce the bouncy feeling associated with solid axle suspensions. Upper arm angle has also been adjusted for improved ride, and the upright shock absorber has been moved outside of the frame for improved ride.
Safety features include dual airbags and ABS. The new facelifted Sorento has a 5 star NHTSA NCAP rating, compared to the prefacelift Sorento’s 4 star rating. For the IIHS overall frontal test, the rating is now Good, compared to the prefacelift’s Acceptable grade. Euro NCAP test results revealed a 4 star score for both front and side impact.
The new facelifted Naza Sorento comes with a 5 year or 125,000km warranty, and a 2 year or 50,000km free service package, inclusive of lubricants and labour. Prices start at RM138,888 on the road.
More photos after the jump.
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While the public attention is focused on the hot new soon to be launched Proton Saga replacement, Proton continues to test the upcoming new versions of the Proton Waja and the Proton GEN2 with the Campro CPS engine under the hood. Reader Hakimin managed to snap these shots while the cars were taking a break at the Ayer Keroh rest stop on the way from Malacca to KL.
The Campro CPS has already been unveiled in Thailand together with the new facelifted Proton GEN2. The new Campro CPS engine produces 125 horsepower at 6,500rpm and 150Nm of torque at 4,500rpm as compared to the normal Campros 110 horsepower at 6,000rpm and 148Nm of torque at 4,000rpm.
In the meantime, wait for my full report on the new Proton BLM which will be published at 5:30PM this Friday, 18th January 2008. I know brochures and spy photos are being posted all around the internet by forums and blogs which are not under the constant direct scrunity of Proton, so this blog might seem a little “outdated” now, but paultan.org will be able to bring you the car’s most well kept secret – how the new Saga drives and what the new IAFM-equipped Campro engine feels like – this Friday! Stay tuned.
Related Posts:
2008 Proton GEN2 Facelift with CPS launched in Malaysia
Facelifted Proton GEN2 with Campro CPS engine launched in Thailand!
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Proton had their second stage-by-stage build up teaser for the new Proton Saga replacement, codenamed the Proton BLM last night at Cineleisure Mutiara Damansara. I actually got there late and it was all over, so here are the photos I snapped of the end result of the 2nd night of the build-up activity.
We have already seen a new teaser chassis with a complete roof frame instead of the roofless chassis on the first night, so this 2nd “stage” of teaser might not be very new to us. Proton has added one of the car’s four doors and front fenders and the rest of the roof to the demo car. On the last night of the build up which is on the 17th, we will most probably see the car get front and rear bumpers, the rest of its doors and interior trim.
More photos after the jump, with a total of 8 in this post.
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UPDATE: New Kembara replacement Perodua SUV spotted on Malaysian roads!
Perodua managing director Datuk Syed Hafiz Syed Abu Bakar indicated in a report by The Edge that we will see the launch of the new Perodua Kembara replacement model this year. The new Kembara will logically be based on the new Daihatsu Bego/Toyota Rush, and Perodua targets modest sales of about 300 units per month as they are going to focus on the Viva instead. The Kembara will not be a high volume seller for them.
Just a recap – the Daihatsu Bego or Toyota Rush that the new Perodua Kembara replacement is expected to be based on is powered by a 1.5 litre DVVT engine, similiar to the unit in the Toyota Avanza 1.5. It has a full time all wheel drive system. It first appeared as a concept car called the Daihatsu D-Compact 4X4 Concept.
Shown above is an artist’s impression of the new Kembara previously posted here, or browse the links listed below for more information on the small SUV.
Related Posts:
2008 Perodua Kembara Artist’s Impression
Toyota Rush long wheelbase suitable for Malaysia?
New Daihatsu Terios announced in Indonesia
Daihatsu Terios wins 4X4 of the Year 2007 Award
2006 Daihatsu Be-Go
The Europestar RCR was officially launched in China on the 9th of January 2008 in Beijing. Europestar is a brand of Youngman Automobile Sales Co. Ltd., and the Europestar RCR is basically a rebadged Proton GEN2.
Youngman is confident of selling the 30,000 CBU units of Proton GEN2s within the 20 month delivery period, and has appointed 40 dealers to support the launch in terms of managing its sales, service and spare parts operations for the Europestar brand in China. CKD operations will begin soon after at Youngman’s plant in Jinan, which has an annual capacity of 300,000 units.
The Europestar RCR is targeted at small business owners, middle-income salaried workers and civil servants between the ages of 25-35 who Youngman expects to find the model stylish, comfortable and yet affordable. Youngman wants to capture 20% of the hatchback market in China within 2 years.
