Proton will be launching a 1.6 liter IAFM variant of the Saga in Australia soon (November 2009 ETA) and has put up a teaser website for it at newsedan.com.au. It won’t be called the Saga in Australia though – a new name will be picked. Prices will begin at under AU$13,000, or under RM37,895 for the 1.6 liter manual, but an automatic option as well as a smaller engine (likely the 1.3) will be available from February 2010 onwards.
Proton previewed an all-electric version of the Proton Saga sedan in University Putra Malaysia, Serdang during the “Proton Exora – The Making” seminar organized by SAE International earlier this week. The “Proton” name would definitely make sense on this particular car! 
You might expect this plug-in electric vehicle to have been co-developed with Detroit Electric which have a deal to produce electric cars based on the Proton GEN2 and the Proton Persona for certain overseas markets under the Detroit Electric brand. But on the contrary, what you see above is an in-house project done with the help of unnamed suppliers and partners.
This means that unlike the Detroit Electric e46 (based on the Proton Gen 2) and the Detroit Electric e63 (based on the Proton Persona), the electric Saga (officially called the Proton Saga EV Green Propulsion Concept for now) is probably being considered for the local market, although the auto maker is very tight-lipped about possible launch dates. It could take years.
The emissions-free Proton Saga EV on display features a 125kW (168hp) brushless DC electric motor, mated to a 5 speed manual transmission. It has a 20kWh Lithium Ion Polymer battery pack (12 separate batteries stored in the trunk). Because of the batteries, truckspace is pretty much non-existent but this is quite normal with concept electric cars based on a chassis that was originally designed to take a regular combustion engine and fuel tank. A production car would ideally have neater integration of the batteries.
According to Proton, the Saga EV can sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in 10.1 seconds, up to a top speed of 161 km/h, with a driving range of 109 kilometers over a full charge. Both the Detroit Electric e46 and e63 will feature a 150kW Axial Magnetic Flux motor instead.
There is more! The “green-mobil” also features re-generative braking and an electric power steering, apart from a built-in Batter Management System (BCMU), a plug-in charger (with a household power outlet), air conditioning as well as an In-Vehicle display screen that displays various information pertaining to the electric vehicle functions. Sources also revealed that Proton has plans to built an electric Exora MPV, and, is currently working on some hybrid vehicles as well, for research and development.
Since Proton took the trouble to produce a fully functioning Saga EV Concept, I am sure it is a matter of time till we actually see Proton-built electric cars on the road, but it doesn’t end at just producing such emissions-free vehicles. There has to an infrastructure ready to accommodate charging in the outdoors, which is something that will involve the government, apart from the private sector.
Continue reading to view an image gallery. Click here to read the rest of Proton previews the Proton Saga EV Concept
We now have more details on the new Proton Saga SE, which is positioned as a premium variant of one of Proton’s cheapest cars right now. The Saga SE continues using the 1.3 liter Campro IAFM engine that’s found in the rest of the Saga range except for the taxi model, so what exactly does “SE” mean? Here are the full details:
As previously mentioned, the Saga SE manual is priced at RM43,000 while the automatic transmission model is priced at RM45,500. It is available for booking now for RM500, but the cars will only be in the showrooms from the 15th of August 2009 onwards.
Look after the jump for more photos of the Saga SE. Click here to read the rest of New Proton Saga SE in showrooms from 15th August
Proton launched two new models at the Felda Settlers Day in Johor today – the Proton Saga SE and the Proton Exora 1.6 manual.
From the info I am getting now, the Saga SE uses a 1.3 liter Campro IAFM engine as before (the sole 1.6 liter model continues in taxi spec), but comes with aesthetic and equipment changes, while the Proton Exora 1.6 M/T like its namesake comes with a manual transmission. The Proton team is having trouble sending full specs and press release over because they are in an area without internet access now but at least we have the prices:
More details and photos of the new car to come later.
UPDATE: Look after the jump for an event photo gallery of the Saga SE. Click here to read the rest of Proton launches Saga SE and Exora Manual – more details to come later!
The Proton Saga 1.6 liter B-Line with manual transmission is now available for public booking on Proton Edar’s website. The B-Line M/T listed at RM39,000 is the sole 1.6 liter model on sale, and is only available in Chilli Red. That’s about roughly a RM3k premium over the 1.3 liter B-Line M/T.
No specs for the B-Line 1.6L M/T have been made known on the site but based on various ads placed on online classifieds: it has power windows for the front, air conditioning, an alarm system and a CD player so it should satisfy the bare requirements of creature comforts, but with no safety features as there is no airbag.
The car comes with steel wheels so if you want to spend some money you can quickly junk them and put something else on to match the more powerful engine.
Interestingly the cheapest and most affordable N-Line which was priced at RM31.5k seems to be completely gone from Proton Edar’s website now.
It is not unusual for car manufacturers to launch a car model with the very baseline model priced without profit or even at a loss to draw customers to showrooms, and then later get the sales staff to try to sell them the more profitable trim levels. This baseline model will then be phased out later.
Also, is it just me or have the prices changed since launch?
India’s DNA Money reports that the Proton Saga and the Proton Persona have been spotted on test on the Greater Noida Expressway in India. These may be Proton’s initial model range in the Indian market which is good as niche cars like the 3-door Satria Neo do not make sense at the moment. Interestingly the same report also considers Proton vehicles “high-end” but with quality and finishing issues. When contacted by DNA Money, officials from Proton and rumoured partner Argentum declined to comment.
There are currently long waiting lists for the Proton Saga, but there might be a way you could get delivery of your car in 2 weeks via a new lucky draw scheme by Proton. No, you don’t get a free Saga, but what you might win in the lucky draw is a chance to skip the long queue that currently takes months and get your Proton Saga delivered in approximately 2 weeks.
The lucky draw will be held weekly and will be carried out in the presence of an internal auditor. Every week, ten lucky customers will be picked, and will be able to get their cars delivered within 2 weeks of the draw. Winners must meet all the buying criteria – the settlement of the full down payment and receipt of the Letter of Undertaking (LOU) from the finance company.
BTW, any Proton Saga owners here? How is your ownership experience so far?
Related Posts:
Proton Saga – 23,000 bookings, 5 month wait!
Click here to read the rest of VIDEO: Proton Saga TVC: “Cabin Space”
This the final video of a new set of 3 30 second TV commericals which are focused on the new Proton Saga’s features. This video features Dr. Kenny Lee again, using the Proton Saga to brig his patients to the hospital. Watch the video after the jump. You will also find links to the other two 30 second TV commercials, and also the original 1 minute plus length ones.
Click here to read the rest of VIDEO: Proton Saga TVC: “Boot Space”This the second of a new set of 3 TV Commericals which are focused on the new Proton Saga’s features and they are about 30 seconds each. This video features David Arumugam of the Alleycats and he demonstrates how you can use the new Proton Saga’s 413 liter boot space, although I wouldn’t really recommend it. Watch the video after the jump.
Click here to read the rest of VIDEO: Proton Saga TVC: “Acceleration”We’ve previously seen the set of 3 TV commercials promoting the new Proton Saga which were about 1 minute long each featuring local personalities such as Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor our Malaysian Angkawasan, David Arumugam of the popular Alleycats band as well as Dr Kenny who serves the rural areas in East Malaysia. There is another set of 3 videos which are more focused on the car’s features and they are about 30 seconds each. Here is the first of three, featuring our Angkawasan again. Video after jump.
