Archive for Proton

The Proton Saga will be entering the Australian market in early 2010. Proton will sell the Saga with a 1.6 liter Campro engine, an engine size up from the 1.3 liter consumer version we get here.

Proton Cars Australia says the Proton Saga will be Australia’s cheapest sedan, which won’t necessarily mean it will be Australia’s cheapest car as most cheap cars are 5-door hatches, which would not lay claim to the cheapest sedan title.

According to Proton Cars Australia, there are currently 25,000 Protons on the road down under right now and hopefully the new Saga will increase those numbers.

While a 1.6 liter version of the Proton Saga isn’t officially on sale in Malaysia yet, there have been classifieds ads appearing all over (such as this) advertising limited units of a Saga 1.6 for sale. The specs include a 1.6 Campro IAFM engine with a 5-speed manual gearbox. The ads also say it is only available in solid red which leads me to believe these are the taxi cars being sold to consumers who want it.

Prices range from between RM39k to RM43k from what I’ve seen and the equipment is minimal, with steel wheels and no airbags, but there are front power windows.

I sent a query to Proton when the RON95 introduction was officially confirmed on whether their engines would be compatible with the new fuel. From what I understand from reading some comments on this site and on other forums apparently there are some Proton manuals that call for RON97 fuel to be used. So I think it’s best to get an official answer from the manufacturer.

Proton’s powertrain department have tested all of their engines including the Mitsubishi models and have stated that all Proton cars can run on RON95, despite what they’ve stated in their manuals (why???). This includes the old carburetor cars, the Renault engines, and the new Campro CPS engine.

There is only one issue. They acknowledge some of the old carburetor cars may experience knocking depending on the condition of the engine and needs to go into the Proton service center to adjust the engine’s ignition timing.

This happens to carburetor engines because a carburetor cannot inject fuel as accurately as a fuel injection system, thus sometimes the air-fuel mixture is too rich. All the unburned fuel results in lots of carbon deposits, which change the shape of the combustion chamber and causes pre-mature ignition, which results in engine knock. Any high mileage engine may also have the risk of carbon deposit build up.

So if you have an old Wira or Satria with a carburetor, you are at a higher risk of engine knocking if you use RON95, if you didn’t have it already with RON97 of course. Any other high mileage car is also at a risk because of carbon build-up that can happen over time, even with a fuel injection system. For those that are a little adventurous, RON95 is now available at the Petronas stations in Precinct 9 Putrajaya so you can go try it out.

And of course, saying your cars can run on a certain fuel octane grade without knocking is one thing, but it’s another to say it would run at the same level of performance and fuel economy because of the ignition timing adjustments, whether manual or automatic.

If you would like to learn more about what RON really is, read the related link.

Related Post:
What is RON (Research Octane Number)?

Proton Edar has signed a new Master Dealership agreement with EON for the sale and service of Proton cars in Malaysia. The new agreement is to rationalise the sales and distribution network.

This new agreement will extend for a period of 5 years from the 1st of July 2009. Here are the terms and conditions of the new agreement:

• EON shall be entitled to maintain its existing forty (40) sales branches but shall reduce the same to thirty two (32) on or before 31 December 2010
• EON shall ensure that the said 32 sales branches are consolidated into 3S (sales, service and spare parts) centres on or before 31 December 2010
• EON shall be entitled to maintain its 32 service centres
• EON shall be entitled to relocate its sales and / or service branches subject to Proton Edar’s written approval
• EON shall be entitled to service or continue to service Mitsubishi marque cars until 31 December 2010

Take note that EON currently has sixty five (65) sales dealers and one hundred and fifty two (152) service dealers. It will have to rationalise its network to meet the conditions offered above. The last point in particular is quite interesting. It looks like Proton wants EON dealers to focus on selling Proton cars only.

With the signing of the new agreement, all EON sales and service dealers will undergo a migration process into the Proton Edar sales and service network with effect from 1 July 2009. Subsequent to the migration process, EON will no longer have any sub-dealers (sales & after sales) for Proton vehicles after 31 December 2009.

Under the consolidation exercise, EON dealers will migrate to Proton Edar within the next six months. During that period, EON’s sales and services dealers will be evaluated on their performance, compliance and business ability. This exercise is to streamline the dealer network into a smaller and stronger dealer network.

The Proton Exora has been launched and it won’t be long until the car is handed out to members of the media. An MPV is quite a different animal from a regular car.

People buy it for different reasons, and most rational people just want a big box to move people or stuff around. I don’t have a bunch of kids to lug around as of yet so perhaps it is better if you guys share with me, what would you like me to check out in a write-up of the Proton Exora? Please do share your questions in the comments section of this story and I will try my best to answer all of them in a future test drive story.

Please keep the comments here to questions only. To share your opinion or showroom experiences of the Proton Exora there is the launch story.

Some of you have enquired on the song at the end of the Proton Exora launch video posted up yesterday.

The song is “Menawan Dunia” by Aubrey Suwito, lyrics by Tinta S and performed by Badri Ibrahim. Look after the jump to listen to the song, and you will also find the lyrics.

Click here to read the rest of Proton Menawan Dunia Song and Lyrics

For those of you who missed the live telecast of the Proton Exora’s launch on TV1, I am re-”broadcasting” it here on this site as I noticed some of you had praised Datuk Syed Zainal for giving a good speech, which piqued the interest of some other readers to want to watch it, but missed the chance.

I was busy writing the Exora stories so I did not make it to the launch, and even missed it on the TV so I was also curious of the contents of this speech, so I managed to source it and here it is. OK let me stop rambling. Continue reading to watch the MD’s speech at the launch. The video ends with a Proton theme song performance by Badri Ibrahim from MyStarz LG, who just so happens to be working for Proton. Enjoy!

Click here to read the rest of Proton Exora: Dato Syed Zainal’s Speech

Proton has sent the Proton Exora for crash testing using the Applus+ IDIADA facility in Spain. The tests were required to engineer the Exora to meet Euro NCAP 4 star standards, which Proton claims the Exora will be able to achieve based on its tests conducted at IDIADA according to Euro NCAP test specifications.

In this story are tables listing the tests – note that P0 and P1 denote two different stages of prototypes, so the earlier P0 car would have failed some tests which the P1 car passed later because of revisions to the prototype specs.

Click for enlarged image

The Exora was designed to be able to achieve a 4 star Euro NCAP equivalent of crash safety but of course you can’t just rely on your engineering data for that, you have to actually crash it and see what happens, and if it doesn’t go as to what you predicted, go back to the drawing board and fix it.

Click for enlarged image

A total of 32 Proton Exora crash test vehicles were destroyed in various tests including a rollover test. The cost of these vehicles amounted well into a Ringgit figure that is 8 digits long, because at the early developmetn stages you are essentially making a few nearly one-off parts, so when things are not produced in volume they are very expensive.

These videos have already been inserted into the launch, specs and price story that I published right after the Exora launch ceremony, but here they are again after the jump for those who missed them.

Related Posts:
Proton Exora: Malaysia’s first MPV from RM69,998!
Proton Exora platform to spawn new models
Proton Exora Prototype Test Drive Experience!
Proton Exora: Body Control Module and a few more juicy details!
Proton Exora Technology Exhibition
Proton Exora Prime Concept
Proton Exora Prestige Concept

Click here to read the rest of Proton Exora Crash Testing Videos

This is the other concept Proton Exora which Proton Design whipped up in conjunction with the Exora’s launch. The Proton Exora Prestige converts the Exora into a VIP chauffeured car with a lounge behind where one can either continue to work on the move or relax on the way home after a stressful day.

There is of course a bodykit which includes a double fin front bumper grill, warp-around chrome foglamp garnish, a front lip, side skirts, rear apron with integrated quad exhausts, a rear roof spoiler, chrome glass trimming, chrome side protector moulding, a customised smoked rear brake lamp, tinted glass, and 18 inch wheels with 224/40R18 tyres.

In the interior, the first row is separated from the rest of the vehicle via a glass panel to give the boss at the back some privacy. The rear passenger can communicate with the driver via an intercom. This privacy glass panel includes a 19 inch LCD TV.

The VIP seats have electric adjustments, a massage system, and a built-in working table. Other creature comforts include a nice sound system including two 8 inch subwoofers to match the 5.1 channel DVD player, a stow-away footrest and a cooler box.

Look after the jump for a full gallery of the Exora Prestige.

Related Posts:
Proton Exora: Malaysia’s first MPV from RM69,998!
Proton Exora platform to spawn new models
Proton Exora Prototype Test Drive Experience!
Proton Exora: Body Control Module and a few more juicy details!
Proton Exora Technology Exhibition
Proton Exora Prime Concept

Click here to read the rest of Proton Exora Prestige Concept

During the media preview and drive event for the Proton Exora MPV last week in Cyberjaya, Proton had a whole room dedicated to a tech exhibition showcasing the technologies that went into the new Proton Exora. Of course alot of these stuff isn’t exactly cutting edge but are unique at this price segment for this model, and alot of them also represent their first time of usage in a Proton. I wanted you to feel like you were there so I snapped photos of as many slides and items as possible. Look after the jump for a full gallery of the Exora tech exhibition.

Related Posts:
Proton Exora: Malaysia’s first MPV from RM69,998!
Proton Exora platform to spawn new models
Proton Exora Prototype Test Drive Experience!
Proton Exora: Body Control Module and a few more juicy details!

Click here to read the rest of GALLERY: Proton Exora Technology Exhibition

Proton Design showcased two modified Proton Exora MPVs at the launch of the Exora yesterday evening. Some of you may have already seen these cars during the live telecast on TV1, but here is a closer look at the two vehicles. This is the white one called the Proton Exora Prime. Here’s the stuff that Proton Design added to the Exora Prime:

• Pearl White Exterior
• Double Fin Front Bumper Grille
• Corporate Graphic At FR Door Trim
• High Gloss Black Side Mirrors
• High Glass Black Roof
• Wrap-around Satin Galvano Foglamp Garnish
• Customised Side Skirts
• Customised Rear Apron with Integrated Exhaust
• Customised Satin Galvano Glass Trim
• Clear Rear Brake Lamps
• Tinted Glass
• 17 inch Wheels with 215/45R17 tyres
• 2-DIN DVD player with integrated GPS
• Rear view mirror with integrated LCD for reverse camera
• 1st and 2nd row pilot seats with integrated LCD and mobile theater system
• Cooler box for the floor console

Look after the jump for a full gallery of the Exora Prime concept.

Related Posts:
Proton Exora: Malaysia’s first MPV from RM69,998!
Proton Exora platform to spawn new models
Proton Exora Prototype Test Drive Experience!
Proton Exora: Body Control Module and a few more juicy details!

Click here to read the rest of Proton Exora Launch: Proton Exora Prime Concept

Click for enlarged image

Our resident photo-manipulation wizard Theophilus Chin has whipped up this lightly kitted sporty Proton Exora for the benefit of our imagination. Kudos to Theo for managing to churn this out in such a short time. This should provide some inspiration to early adopters of the Proton Exora who want to make their new MPV look a little more different. Of course certain things like the different headlamps are not very feasible to do. Then of course there are the show cars that Proton themselves prepared for the launch, that’s coming up next. For now, what do you think of this design?

Look after the jump for a rear view.

Related Posts:
Proton Exora: Malaysia’s first MPV from RM69,998!
Proton Exora platform to spawn new models
Proton Exora Prototype Test Drive Experience!
Proton Exora: Body Control Module and a few more juicy details!

Click here to read the rest of Proton Exora SE Concept by Theophilus Chin

Proton has always had this problem. The high development cost of vehicle platforms. Vehicle platform and engine technology are some of the main reasons that they need a technical tie-up. Whether it is to share a platform with an existing manufacturer, or sell their own platform to recover some of the development cost, the world economy is just in too much of a crappy condition for Proton to have so many platforms.

Continue reading after the jump for a glimpse into Proton’s new platform strategy.

Click here to read the rest of Proton Exora platform to spawn new models

After a long long wait, Malaysians finally have a decently sized MPV at a decent price to choose from. The new Proton Exora is here and two variants will be available at launch time – a 1.6 liter automatic high-line and a 1.6 liter automatic medium-line, priced at RM75,998.00 and RM69,998.00 respectively OTR with insurance. Head on after the jump for the full scoop on the Exora.

Click here to read the rest of Proton Exora: Malaysia’s first MPV from RM69,998!

Click for enlarged image

We’ve seriously come a long way and it has been a long wait for this vehicle which will be Proton and the country’s first ever affordable people mover, at under RM80k for a vehicle that can decently move 7 adults and some minor luggage. We first knew this vehicle simply by the name Proton MPV until its name – Proton Exora – was handpicked by a contest winner and unveiled a few months ago.

Stay tuned for 1030pm tonight where this site will unveil plenty more juicy details on the new Proton Exora. There was a previous report on a test drive experience of a prototype car, I hope you’ve all read that already otherwise please check them out in the linked related posts in this story. Some interesting BCM details in those stories!

Other than the specs and price of the Proton Exora I will also share with you my initial driving impressions of the actual production car, instead of the previous drive session which was with a prototype. So come back later tonight, it’s a decent product and I am as excited about writing the story as you hopefully are about reading it!

Related Posts:
Proton Exora Prototype Test Drive Experience!
Proton Exora: Body Control Module and a few more juicy details!

Proton managing director Datuk Hj Syed Zainal says Proton is in very preliminary talks with Renault on a technical collaboration, which sources in the company say are centered around the supply of a diesel engine for Proton. Proton is also toying with the idea of a Laguna-based Perdana but this is just one of the many options that are being looked at including one based on the SAIC-owned Rover 75 platform.

Renault currently has various diesel engines ranging from 1.5 liters to 2.2 liters including the M9R 2.0L diesel, which comes from the same family as the MR petrol engines found locally in the Nissan Grand Livina and Nissan Sylphy.

These talks between manufacturers happen all the time and could range from a simple supplier and customer relationship to a technical collaboration, and this happens even more often these days due to the pressure on manufacturers to reduce costs, increase sales and improve profits.

Proton says an equity sale is not being considered in these talks.