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Proton-VW deal could be signed in 2 weeks?

November 9, 2007 at 3:23 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Local News, Malaysian Makes, Proton, Volkswagen

Proton LogoThis is some rather exciting news – business daily The Malaysian Reserve has a report quoting unnamed sources that Proton and Volkswagen will be signing a Memorandum of Understanding regarding a tie up involving stake holding within the next two weeks. The MoU is regarding the establishment of a new company which will own certain core Proton businesses.

Volkswagen will hold 20% of the stakeholding in this new company, but it is unknown who will hold the remaining 80%. The unnamed source also said Volkswagen would have management control of the new company, and the first project is likely to be a Perdana replacement model similiar to the Volkswagen Passat.

Proton managing director Datuk Syed Zainal denied knowing of any new developments regarding the Proton-VW deal when queried by The Malaysian Reserve.

You can pick up The Malaysian Reserve at most news stands and it goes for RM1.50. I was in Mid Valley making photocopies of some documents when I spotted the Proton headline on the front page of the paper in the news stand.

I rushed to d’lish to blog this, so this post is powered by d’lish’s tasty scones, hot tea and free internet. ;)

34 Comments      

Proton exports 5,000 Waja taxis to Iran

November 9, 2007 at 1:42 am By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, International News, Local News, Malaysian Makes, Proton

Proton LogoProton will be supplying 5,000 units of the Proton Waja to be used as taxis in Iran through Iran’s Zagross Khodro group. It is marketed as the Proton Impian there, the same name used in other export markets such as the UK market.

There are also plans to assemble CKD kits of the Proton GEN2 at Zagross Khodro’s plant in Borujerd. The same plant also assembles Proton Wiras. There are currently 9,634 Protons on the roads in Iran today, after Proton’s entry into the Iran market in 2002.

The Iran government is working on an effort to renew the country’s taxi force. Iran currently has 70,000 units and many of them are aging and technologically outdated, so there are plans in place to replace most of them and increase the total number of taxis on the road to 100,000 units.

Source

42 Comments      


Both Proton Persona and Perodua Myvi doing well

November 7, 2007 at 3:16 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Local News, Malaysian Makes, Perodua, Proton

After reading two pieces of news in the papers recently about our two national car manufacturers, I found something slightly odd about how the Perodua Myvi and the Proton Persona are doing in terms of sales.

Despite Malaysian preferences for 3 box sedans, the sales of the Perodua Myvi has not dropped at all and it is still selling between 8,000 to 9,000 units a month despite being in the market for over two years and approaching the time for the usual mid life facelift soon, assuming a 5 year product cycle. There is still a three month backlog. And Perodua themselves admit they do not know why.

In the meanwhile, the Proton Persona is doing great as well, with 19,840 units so far in the first three months at last count. Bookings for the Saga has reached 31,455 units, thanks to the current low price. Half of the Persona orders have already been delivered, while 72% of the RM26,999 Proton Saga bookings are on the road now.

Waiting list for the Persona currently ranges from 1.5 months to 2.5 months for the base line model, 2-3 months for the medium line and 3-4 months for the high line.

You would think that the fact that the Proton Persona is doing so well is partly because it has been stealing some Perodua Myvi sales, but it turns out that the Perodua Myvi sales figures have not suffered at all – not even a small 1,000 unit per month drop can be seen, and this is in a market where both cars are in similiar price ranges AND the Persona is of the preferred 3-box sedan format.

Response to the recently launched Toyota Vios has also been encouraging, so where are all these new buyers coming from? Have they all been holding back for a proper 3 box sedan so long?

Source

Related Posts:
Proton Persona: Proton’s New Sedan Details
Perodua Viva and Perodua Myvi loan comparison
Perodua Viva and Perodua Myvi specs comparison

75 Comments      

Black and white Proton BLM spyshot

October 21, 2007 at 2:31 am By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Malaysian Makes, New Proton Saga, Proton, Spyshots


Click to enlarge

These are more spyshots of the Proton Saga Replacement Model or better known as the Proton BLM, which is a codename that stands for Base Line Model. This new Proton will be the most affordable model in Proton’s stables – a three box sedan said to be based on the Proton Savvy with space for 5 and a proper boot for luggage.

Reader december who sent these shots in apologizes for them being in black and white because he shot them with his mobile phone camera that was pre-set to black and white mode. Well, I say no need for an apology mate – you’ve been generous enough to share this with us and the car is clearly visible.

Perhaps being black and white we are able to better guess the shape of the car because there is less distraction from the camouflage tape.

One more shot after the jump.

Related Proton BLM Posts:
New Proton BLM spyshot – this time in turquoise!
Another rear shot of the Proton BLM
Is this the new Proton BLM?
Clearer Proton BLM side profile spyshots
Proton BLM Artist’s Impression by Maru
[Read more...]

138 Comments      

2008 Perodua Kembara Artist’s Impression

October 19, 2007 at 6:09 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Concept Cars, Malaysian Makes, Perodua, Perodua Nautica SUV


Click to enlarge

UPDATE: Perodua has announced that a new Kembara will be launched in mid-2008. It is expected that the new Perodua Kembara replacement will be based on the Daihatsu Bego/Toyota Rush. Click here for more details.

UPDATE: New Kembara replacement Perodua SUV spotted on Malaysian roads!

Once again Theophilus Chin has whipped up his Photoshop and created this artist’s impression of how a future Perodua Kembara replacement model could look like. He used a short wheel base Toyota Rush/Daihatsu Be-Go and slapped on the combination of a Myvi and a Viva on it, to match Perodua’s current design language.

It makes sense for the Rush to be introduced here, but what we don’t know yet is whether it will be a short wheelbase or long wheelbase version, and what badge will be on the hood. Read my commentary on that in the first link in the related posts link below.

Related Posts:
Toyota Rush long wheelbase suitable for Malaysia?
New Daihatsu Terios announced in Indonesia
2006 Daihatsu Be-Go
Daihatsu Terios wins 4X4 of the Year 2007 Award

45 Comments      

Proton-Volkswagen deal waiting for management control agreement

October 10, 2007 at 4:16 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Local News, Malaysian Makes, Proton, Volkswagen

Proton LogoThe Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi says the government has not decided yet whether to allow management control of Proton by Volkswagen AG. He cited Volkswagen’s insistence on wanting to be very certain of everything – you could call it cautiousness – as one of the reasons why the deal is taking some time to be finalised.

“We want as soon as possible but we cant force them to hurry up,” added Abdullah. Apparently Volkswagen is just waiting for a nod from the government in regards to the management control.

Source 1, Source 2

136 Comments      

Proton’s 1.5 liter motorcycle

October 10, 2007 at 3:51 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Bikes, Local News, Malaysian Makes, Proton

Proton LogoDid you read NST yesterday? Saw the weird Proton motorcycle? It’s a chopper-style bike done up in orange and features a 1.5 litre Megavalve engine from the old Proton Wira or Iswara 1.5. This engine is connected to the rear wheel via a single driveshaft with a 90 degree joint coming out of the Wira 5-speed manual gearbox.

According to NST, The rear wheel is a 17″ Proton car wheel wrapped with 210/50 motorcycle rubber, while the front uses a 21″ motorcycle wheel with 80/90 motorcycle rubber. Even the brakes and calipers are from Proton cars.

It’s quite a Frankenstein-like piece of madness really, and Proton is planning another prototype with a 1.6 litre Campro engine soon.

Read the full story here!

45 Comments      

5th gear tests the Proton Savvy

October 3, 2007 at 3:38 am By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Malaysian Makes, Proton, Videos

Fifth Gear has an interesting take on how to compare the few economical superminis that they have in their market – how much can the little engines in them actually take? The superminis compared are the Hyundai Amica (known as the Atos here in Malaysia), the Proton Savvy, and some little unidentifiable car that seems more like a golf cart with a roof over it. Check out the video after the jump.
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92 Comments      

Proton Balik Kampung Community Service Message

September 28, 2007 at 4:08 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Laughs, Malaysian Makes, Proton, Videos

Proton LogoThis is a community service message ad from Proton (or at least it appears to be) for the upcoming Hari Raya balik kampung season.

Humour always works. Of course, let’s all not just laugh at the video, we have to actually take the advice given too, otherwise it’ll all be in vain! Thanks to Daniel Gomez for sending me the video.
[Read more...]

39 Comments      

Proton Satria Gemilang – convertible Satria Neo limo

September 27, 2007 at 1:14 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Concept Cars, Malaysian Makes, Proton

Proton Satria Gemilang

This concept from Proton is called the Proton Satria Gemilang and it was a one-off thing that was commissioned for this year’s Merdeka celebration parade. It looks like a Proton Satria Neo, but underneath it actually lies the chassis of a Proton Waja Chancellor – in fact if you’ve seen the interior the dash and etc remains the same as a Chancellor’s.

I’m not sure where the car has gone to now in the past month after the Merdeka parade, but perhaps it will make an appearance again at the next KL International Motorshow.

62 Comments