Alister McRae’s debut in the Proton Satria Neo Super 2000 rally car at the Rally Indonesia last weekend did not end too well despite setting some very competitive times at first. He had to retire from the race prematurely thanks to some issues with the car’s power steering system, which is to be expected considering the car is still under development by UK’s Mellors Elliot Motorsport.

Source: YouTube

APRC.tv (watch the video above) seems convinced that the car will pose a real threat to the Subarus used by the current Motor Image team domination and personally I certainly hope so. Watch the video for some nice footage of the car’s performance in Indonesia. The next stop will be China on the 14th to 15th of November 2009.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 22:10:08 +0800.

It’s confirmed – Karamjit will not be driving the left hand drive Proton Satria Neo Super 2000 at the Rally Indonesia 2009 and the official reason given by Proton is that he is not available. Alister McRae will be joined by navigator Bill Hayes in Indonesia, which will host the 6th round of the Asia Pacific Rally Championships (APRC).

“I have had the opportunity to test the Satria Neo S2000 in the UK recently and am very pleased with the performance of the car. I will certainly be looking forward to competing in the Proton at the Rally of Indonesia against some of the best drivers in the region.” said Alister Mcrae.

The press release did not say if this was a one time change or something more permanent, but I have a feeling Proton requires better results for the car for its own return on investment targets. They couldn’t switch the car so they switched the driver instead.

Up north in Europe, Team Proton Europe is tackling the current round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge right now (24th to 26th September). Performance of the car piloted by Guy Wilks and Phil Pugh in the previous IRC leg in Spain was described as ‘promising’, scoring as good as joint fourth place on SS15 but ended up crossing the finish line in 19th place out of a grid of 80 entries.

The rally was won by Skoda’s Jan Kopecky, who are trailing Peugeot’s Kris Meeke by one point with only two rounds remaining.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 22:10:08 +0800.

Proton officially launched its new Proton R3 Malaysia Rally Team yesterday. The team will run one of those new Proton Satria Neo Super 2000 rally cars and it will be piloted by a team that needs no introduction: Karamjit Singh and Jagdev Singh as driver and navigator respectively. The Neo recently finished 4th place at the Intercontinental Rally Challenge in Russia, driven by Guy Wilks.

“It has been quite a while but we’re now ready to return to the rally motorsports arena. With the Neo S2000 and our long time associate Karamjit, we are sure that we will put up a strong challenge in this championship. What the car has achieved thus far while still in the developmental stage has been extraordinary,” said Proton chairman Dato Mohd Nadzmi.

When asked about his thoughts on the race, Karamjit said he was concerned that his left-hand drive Proton Satria Neo S2000 has him at a disadvantage. “If the car was right-hand-drive I would be confident and able to attack. It’s a fabulous car and the tricky Stages I can handle. I just don’t feel comfortable so I’ll be taking it easy to ensure we finish,” Karamjit said after completing the reconnaissance earlier today.

Rallying has done wonders for Subaru and Mitsubishi in their brand building efforts and Proton is also using the rally scene as a platform to showcase their cars, namely the Satria Neo Super 2000. The Neo will race at the Rally of Malaysia this weekend, and will move on to Indonesia on the 3rd to 4th October and then the China Rally on the 14-15 November.

Look after the jump for some photos of the Neo S2000 on test on Malaysian soil before the official launch, and also read up my previous stories on the Neo S2000 to find out more about the rally car.

Related Posts:
Cool facts: The Proton Satria Neo S2000 Racer
MEM Satria Neo S2000 makes first rally debut
Introducing the MEM Satria Neo Super 2000
Proton Satria Neo Super 2000 enters the IRC
Satria Neo S2000 Videos

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 22:10:08 +0800.

Did you know that the GEMS computer system in the Proton Satria Neo S2000 tracks and logs over 50 variables and has two settings – stage and road? Stage mode uses the standard race settings but road mode is used when the rally car has to travel on regular roads with traffic between stages.

In road mode, the engine runs on less aggressive tuning so it runs quieter and etc. These are just a few of the interesting bits of info about rally cars like the Proton Satria Neo S2000 that should be quite interesting to the enthusiast. Let’s go into more.

The car runs on two different suspension, brake and tyre packs, known as the gravel pack and the tarmac pack. The gravel pack uses smaller wheels of only 15 inches in size. This is so that larger tyres with thicker sidewalls can be used, for the purpose of enduring the tough gravel road conditions. The suspension travel is also longer, and the suspension arms are heavier and stronger. The gravel pack also uses a sumpguard to protect the gearbox and other components from rocks and etc but in both packs, the entire bottom is flat for aerodynamics purposes, and the rear has a diffuser.

The tarmac pack has larger 18 inch wheels, and thinner tyres. The larger wheels are to fit larger 350mm brakes, compared to 300mm on the gravel setup. The tarmac setting requires larger brakes because a tarmac course generally works the brakes harder.

Look into the engine bay and somehow you get the image of some kind of mechanical squid lying in there. I blame the recent Transformers and Terminator madness. This odd image is partly because of the thick ceramic coated (resulting in the white appearance) exhaust manifolds sticking out of the engine and heading towards the rear. The ceramic coating is to keep the exhaust heat in the exhaust and not let it spread to the other components of the car. Keeping the exhaust at a higher temperature also helps with exhaust velocity, allowing the exhaust to escape faster.

The engine bay is a mechanic’s dream, with each component placed in a position for easy access and repair or replacement. The ability to craft such a layout comes with experience and that is what the builders MEM have. The gearbox ratios can be changed in 10 minutes, and the entire gearbox in 12 minutes. It has to be fast because of the 20 minute service interval in rallies, so components are designed to be changeable within those periods of time.

The gearbox is a specced down version of the X-trac gearbox in the Citroen WRC car. The engine should be familiar to you guys now, it is a config that is commonly used whenever a Proton race car needs a 2.0 liter engine. The 1.8 liter Renault engine from the Waja 1.8X is used, and has its displacement increased to 2.0 liters. It produces 278 horsepower at 7,600rpm and and a massive 271Nm of torque at 7000rpm, with a usable powerband of between 5,500 to a screaming 8,500rpm.

Get into the interior and at first you might get confused by the seemingly messy array of exposed raw parts and rollcage bars. It looks that way for the purpose of weight reduction. However the upper dash area itself is more “posh” compared to the standard Neo. It has a black felt covering to reduce dashboard glare on the windscreen, to help the driver see on glaring days.

The handbrake lever is quite interesting. It uses hydraulics, but where are the hydraulics stored? The oil is actually stored in the handbrake lever itself, so you actually unscrew the top of the handbrake lever to access the oil. When you pull the handbrake, the gearbox automatically disengages the rear axle from being driven, as the rear brakes aren’t going to do much when the rear wheels are still being driven by the powerful engine.

Next to the handbrake is the gear change lever. Simply push forward to downshift and pull back to upshift. You don’t have to operate the clutch unless you are rolling off from a stand-still as the gearbox automatically cuts itself off from the engine when you shift. This means you can shift while you have your pedal to the metal, no need to lift-off. This means faster shifts.

Of course in the end you realise that most of the components of the car are third party. What’s left of the Neo is just the chassis and body design itself, which is widened (not just aesthetics, the wheel arches are widened even when you look on the inside). You may wonder what exactly is the benefits of using a Satria Neo chassis? I’m not sure if the chassis is the best but there are a few benefits.

For one, the Neo already has a lower roof height compared to other cars, so this helps with lowering the center of gravity. You cannot take a car with a higher roof and change the roofline for rally car spec because it is against the rules. Secondly. you cannot change the placement of the wheels, and the Neo’s wheels are already at the edges of the car with minimal overhangs so this helps with the car’s agility and balance.

So there you have it, some interesting tidbits about the Satria Neo Super 2000 rally car. Look after the jump for new hi-res photo gallery of a white Satria Neo S2000.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 22:10:08 +0800.

The Proton Satria Neo S2000 will be participating in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, and Proton officially unveiled its line-up at the 2-day Rally Show festival (6th and 7th June), held at the ground of the Chatsworth House.

The Satria Neo Super 2000 will be pilot by a team consisting of two-times British rally champion Guy Wilks and co-driver Phil Pugh. The S2000 car was designed and built by British team Mellors Elliot Motorsport (MEM).

“We are very excited to have Guy Wilks driving for Proton in the IRC. After his stunning performance in the recent Pirelli Rally, we are positive about our capabilities to put up a strong challenge. MEM has done a great job with the Proton Satria Neo S2000 and we will continue to improve as the year progresses,” said Proton MD Dato’ Haji Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir.

“This is fantastic news and a fantastic opportunity. Proton and MEM are highly ambitious but also very realistic as newcomers. We need to make progress in every round and be ready to fight for the championship in 2010,” said Guy Wilks.

The Proton Satria Neo Super 2000 uses the Satria Neo’s chassis and a 2.0 liter engine which is derived from a 1.8 liter Renault engine, similiar to the one you will find in the Waja 1.8X. It produces 278 horsepower at 7,600rpm.

The IRC uses the standard FIA points system: 10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1. The best seven scores added together will decide final championship results. There are 7 races remaining this year – Belgium Ypres Rally, Rally Russia, Rali Vingo Madeira, Czech Republic, Spain, Rally Sanremo and finally Scotland. All are Asphalt rallies except Russia and Scotland.

Look after the jump for more pix of the Neo S2000.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 22:10:08 +0800.

Along with the official launch of the Satria Neo CPS, members of the media were given the chance to test out the new Neo CPS at an empty parking lot. Although excited about testing the new spiritual successor to the Proton Satria GTI, I wasn’t too keen about driving the up-rated Neo within the confines of a rather small area. Proton had setup a pointless-looking mini race track within the compounds of the APAC parking lot and I managed to get a taste of both manual and automatic variants.

First up was the automatic version. Featuring similar cabin room as the standard Neo, the CPS variant also suffers from lack of head clearance. In my honest opinion, it was quite fun to drive the Neo CPS through tight spots, as the handling was rather sharp. At average speeds of up to 60 km/h, I only felt some easily correctable understeer at the limits of car. While negotiating those tight turns, I felt very minimal body roll, while the nicely-weighted steering wheel offered good feedback.

The sprint performance with the auto tranny was just about average. As expected, the performance of the automatic transmission during my initial test was made me to look forward to the manual Neo CPS. The manual is the only way to really enjoy this car!

The first thing I did when got myself into the manual Neo was to have a feel of the gear lever hoping for it to be nicely weighted, as opposed to being “soggy” or “lose”, and I am happy to say that my hopes were realized. A little on the hard side of things, gear change was slick and precise, which is good since this car is positioned as a performance variant. For the manual Neo CPS test, there were longer straights on the temporary track, which allowed me to feel the CPS powerplant’s good performance on high revs.

Through out the quick test drive, I also noticed that the throttle response was also up to expectation. I would like to mention about its ride quality but unfortunately the test drive was rather short, so looks like we have to wait for a longer drive. But based on the short drive, things are pointing the right direction for the Neo CPS. The handling and performance seems to suit the aggressive looks on the outside. Some might say that the body kit treatment is a little over the top, but personally, I feel its alright.

I just wish that the wheels were extended by half an inch or so, but that may affect the overall handling. I also feel that the rear exhaust box should have been hidden neatly. The way it is now makes the rear diffuser look bad. So far, my thumbs are pointing upwards for the Satria New CPS. Stick around as we will bring you the test review as soon as we get a test drive unit.

Story by Harvinder Singh, because Paul Tan cannot fit properly in the car while wearing a safety helmet, thanks to the headroom.

VIDEO: White Satria Neo CPS

VIDEO: Black Satria Neo CPS

Proton Satria Neo CPS – Launch Photos

Proton Satria Neo CPS – Exterior Photos

Proton Satria Neo CPS – Interior Photos

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 22:10:08 +0800.

The Campro CPS engine is finally in the Proton Satria Neo, something that many have been eagerly waiting for. The CPS is essentially a Campro engine with a few updates and a variable valve lift system called CPS as well as a variable intake manifold (VIM) system. These additions help push up power to 125 PS at 6,500rpm and 150Nm of torque at 4,500rpm, figures which are up from the standard Campro’s 110hp and 148Nm.

The car’s front and rear track has also been updated. While the Proton Satria Neo had a front and rear track of 1,470mm for both, the Satria Neo CPS H-Line has a narrower front track at 1,467mm and a wider rear track 1,483mm.

We didn’t managed to get hold of a Proton engineer to ask this question but we did manage to ask a member of Proton’s Race Rally Research (R3) team who said the change was made because Proton found the standard Neo suffered from slight oversteer, so this change was made to induce a slight understeer to improve handling. Anyway either way as a result of the large wheel arches, the wheels looks kind of lost inside them at certain angles.

As for aesthetics, as you can see there’s a new bodykit and more prominent flared wheel arches that are inspired from the old Satria GTI’s design. The alloy wheels are of the same 16 inch size as the M-Line but feature a different design that looks like a carbon copy of Advanti Racing’s MEDUSA design but without the two-tone design – perhaps it’s licensed or “inspired”. On the interior, the dashboard is now of a darker shade with red lighting on the various air conditioning controls and auto gear position indicators, has a different door trim design, some new trim around the gear shifter area, and leather seats in a black and red combination similiar to the GEN2 CPS.

The following are the prices for the new Proton Satria Neo CPS, available in only two colours which are unique to the CPS – solid white and tranquility black.

Proton Satria Neo CPS M/T (white) – RM 57,313.00
Proton Satria Neo CPS M/T (black) – RM 57,763.00
Proton Satria Neo CPS A/T (white) – RM 60,313.00
Proton Satria Neo CPS A/T (black) – RM 60,763.00

Click for enlarged image

Click for enlarged image

CPS is only available for the high line model, so the lite and M-line models retain the regular Campro. Unfortunately this is the old original Campro engine, without the new IAFM systems in the Saga, Persona and GEN2. The CPS system has also been tweaked with this version of the Campro engine, so the high lift cam profile activation point has been revised. However I’m not sure what is the purpose of activating it later.

VIM switches between a long intake manifold at low RPMs and a short intake manifold at higher RPMs. According to Proton, a longer intake manifold is used at low RPMs to achieve slower air flow; this promotes better mixing with fuel. The short intake manifold allows more air in faster. This is beneficial at high RPMs. The CPS system uses a switching tappet and a trilobe camshaft to switch between two different cam profiles, one with low valve lift and another with high valve lift.

Campro CPS engine in the GEN2 CPS and Waja CPS

Campro CPS engine in the Satria Neo CPS

The regular Satria Neo High-Line is now phased out so if you want the higher safety features of the Highline model (dual airbags and ABS) you also must take the CPS engine and bodykit! This leaves a gaping hole in the produce positioning IMHO as some may like the looks of the Neo and want safety features but do not need the CPS power.

The price difference between the M-Line and the H-Line CPS is huge – RM9,300 so perhaps it would have been better to retain a H-Line regular Neo or upgrade the M-Line with ABS at the very least.

Look after the jump for some very high-resolution photos from Proton as well as our own photos from the launch event. Also, please read our short Satria Neo CPS Test Drive where we tell our experience with both the manual and automatic versions for a short period of time at the launch event.

Related Posts:
Proton Satria Neo R3 Test Drive Review
Proton Satria Neo CPS Short Test Review

Proton Satria Neo CPS – Exterior Photos

Proton Satria Neo CPS – Interior Photos

Proton Satria Neo CPS – Launch Photos

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 22:10:08 +0800.

Will Proton make a debut in the World Rally Championship for the 2010 season? Apparently this is a possibility, and Proton is actually working at making this happen, according to Proton director Datuk Haji Abdul Razak Dawood. He says a successful WRC program could establish Proton’s brand and reputation in Europe the same way it helped Subaru in the 90s.

According to Datuk Haji, a Proton Satria Neo in the WRC could possibly turn it into a cult car with a following like what Subaru enjoyed with the WRX. If the proposed WRC regulation revisions to a “S2000+ spec” becomes official, it would allow Proton to compete in the WRC with a much smaller budget and compete against the big boys like Ford and Citroen. All that needs to be done is to upgrade the existing MEM Satria Neo S2000 (shown above) to whatever the S2000+ spec is.

2003 World Champion Petter Solberg is said to be in talks with Proton for a 2010 season. He will be testing the MEM Satria Neo S2000 car sometime in February, and according to him the Proton is a nice and detailed car. He says he has met with Proton but nothing about the proposed 2010 season has been finalised yet. There is also word about Solberg racing in a Citroen C4 instead, but he says that deal has not been finalised yet either.

Related Posts:
MEM Proton Satria Neo Super 2000
MEM Satria Neo S2000 makes first rally debut
VIDEO: MEM Proton Satria Neo Super 2000

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 22:10:08 +0800.

The MEM-engineered Proton Satria Neo S2000 made its rally debut at the Rallye Antibes Cote d’Azur leg of the 2008 European Rally Championship in the South of France, piloted by Bryan Bouffier and co-driver Xavier Panseri. During the race, it managed to reach the highest position of sixth place before settling down at 18th place with a stage time of 00:02:45.4.

“The Satria was fantastic, really predictable and comfortable to drive and with really good engine power, I am looking forward to driving it again,” said driver Bouffier. The team encountered some teething problems with the car which is said to be normal for a first race. The car will continue to be tweaked over the next few months.

Apparently the Satria Neo S2000 in full rally trim has the smallest front and the lowest roof height of any homologated S2000 car. Its driver and co-driver seats are fixed at the rear-most possible mounting positions to achieve the best weight distribution.

The 2.0 liter engine complies to S2000 specs and is derived from the 1.8 liter engine from the Waja 1.8X. It produces 278 horsepower at 7,600rpm, with a usable powerband of between 5,500 to a screaming 8,500rpm. This engine is mated to an Xtrac 4WD six-speed sequential transmission.

For more information about the car visit the related links below:

Related Stories:
More MEM Proton Satria Neo S2000 videos
MEM Proton Satria Neo Super 2000
Proton Satria Neo Super 2000 Touring Car
VIDEO: MEM Proton Satria Neo Super 2000

Source

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 22:10:08 +0800.

This rear three quarter view of the minimally taped up Proton Satria Neo was snapped by reader Keith Tay and they reveal the new design of the Satria Neo’s wheels.

The bling turbine wheels are gone now and are replaced by these new wheels which made their debut earlier on the Lotus EVE Hybrid Concept driven by the Prime Minister at the Proton Technology Week. The wheels are an alternating combination of silver V-spokes and grey Y-spokes. It seems that this same wheel design has also made its appearance on a certain model of the Satria Neo in Proton’s Thai offering.

UPDATE: Apparently those wheels are actually not a unique or new Proton design, but are in fact Advanti Racing MEDUSA wheels.

This clearer photo also seems to show that the wheel arches of the car are much more prominent than on the current Satria Neo, and they seem to have little “holes” integrated in the design much like the old M24 Satria GTi. A similiar bodykit with the large wheel arches was found on this car: Possible Satria Neo GTi?

Look after the jump for a clearer photo of the wheels snapped earlier this year at the Proton Technology Week.


Click for hi-res photo

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 22:10:08 +0800.

UPDATE: Read our Proton Satria Neo CPS launch report! View photos, specifications and pricing for the new H-Line Proton Satria Neo with the Campro CPS engine.

UPDATE #2: Read our Proton Satria Neo CPS short parking lot test drive review at the media launch in APAC Subang!

A trio of Proton vehicles were spotted on the highway by reader the_king near the Prai Industrial Estate area. From what I can see, they are two lightly covered up Satria Neo hatchbacks and one heavily camouflaged Proton MPV test vehicle.

If we look at this lightly covered up test car, we can immediately notice a large spoiler at the top of the hatch, something missing on the standard Satria Neo. It doesn’t even really look like the one found on the Proton Satria Neo R3 so this is something new that could end up on the final product of whatever version of the Neo this is.

You can also see that the rear bumper is new. Those little side strips on the side of the car have always been on the Neo but on this car they continue after the rear wheel arches onto the bumper. The area at the bottom of the bumper near the exhaust pipe also seems to be taped up, indicating it could be hiding a diffuser-like design of some kind.

The photographer did not manage to snap a front shot of the vehicle, just these rear and rear three quarter views as he was driving alone and turning back to snap a photo is just not possible, or too dangerous. But this is definitely enough as we now get to discuss a future Proton product.

The Satria Neo was launched in mid-2006 and facelifts commonly come every 2.5 to 3 years. This could be a facelift for the Proton Satria Neo that could make a debut sometime next year. Now the question is what’s under the hood. Will the Proton Satria Neo finally come with 125hp Campro CPS power?

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 22:10:08 +0800.

We’ve already seen one video of the MEM Proton Satria Neo S2000 rally car in the past, where it was being tested out by a very young racer. You will find two more videos after the jump, including one video of the Neo S2000 being tested on the French alps.

Video: MEM Proton Satria Neo

Video: MEM Proton Satria Neo testing on the French Alps

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 22:10:08 +0800.

Fans of Top Gear will know that one of the segments in the popular motoring TV show is the “Star in a Reasonably Priced Car”. In the UK show it is currently the Chevrolet Lacetti (called the Optra on our shores), which replaced a Suzuki Liana after the first 7 seasons.

What happens is a celebrity is brought onto the show, is interviewed about his or her interests in cars, then the star sets a lap around the Top Gear test track in the car.

In Top Gear Australia, the segment is called the “Star in a Bog Standard Car”, and the first car used is our very own Proton Satria Neo! I’d say its a great choice thanks to its relatively cheap price and above average handling, and for the most of it because I am Malaysian and it’s quite exciting to see something as familiar as a Proton used.

Proton Australia (whether they paid for this inclusion or not) must be really happy that their little hatch getting plenty of airtime through the show. As for the new and upcoming Top Gear USA, their reasonably priced car is supposed to be the Kia Rio.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 22:10:08 +0800.

We’ve all drooled at the MEM Proton Satria Neo Super 2000 Rally Car built by Mellors Elliot Motorsport according to FIA Super 2000 rally specifications. The Satria Neo S2000 car uses a 280 horsepower 2.0 liter normally aspirated engine based on the 1.8 liter Renault engine in the Waja 1.8X.

Look after the jump to watch a video of a young driver trying the car out and listen to the 280 horses and 271Nm of torque being unleashed through the 6-speed Xtrac sequential transmission. Hopefully more videos of the S2000 Neo will make its way onto the web for our enjoyment soon. Thanks to reader IsaacVky for the pointer.

Related Story:
MEM Proton Satria Neo Super 2000 – Specifications and Photos

VIDEO: Proton Satria Neo S2000

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 22:10:08 +0800.

This is the MEM Proton Satria Neo Super 2000 Rally Car by Mellors Elliot Motorsport. The Super 2000 Rally was proposed by the FIA because of the rising costs of running World Rally Cars and competing in the World Rally Championship.

The following are the specs for a Super 2000 Rally Car:

• 3, 4 or 5-door models with length over 3900mm
• Generic 4X4 transmission without active differential from Sadev or Xtrac
• 2.0 liter normally aspirated engine from either a base engine used in any model from the manufacturer, or a engine licensed from another manufacturer with 2,500 units minimum production per year
• Engine must comply to BTCC/ETC specs with 8,500rpm rev limit
• Minimum weight – 1100kg tarmac, 1150kg gravel
• Maximum bodywork and wheel arch extension width 1800mm

The MEM Satria Neo S2000 complies to these specifications, measuring 3905mm long, 1800mm wide with a 2440mm wheelbase and a weight of 1150kg. Its chassis is based on the road-going Neo and has been strengthened to comply with FIA regulations and the components of a S2000 rally car. It is fitted with a rollcage built from 35 meters of Chrome-Moly Steel Tubing.

Its 4-cylinder 1998cc DOHC normally aspirated engine is based on the 1.8 liter Renault engine in the Waja. It produces 280hp at 7,800rpm and a massive 271Nm of torque at 7,000rpm, and is installed transversely at the front of the car. This engine is mated to an Xtrac 6-speed sequential transmission with Alcon clutch and 3 player LSD.

Brakes are also from Alcon, with 300mm discs with 4 piston calipers at the front and 300mm discs at the rear on gravel. For asphalt, the front brake discs are uprated to 350mm. Wheels are 18 inch alloys for tarmac and 15 inch alloys for gravel. The car’s electronics system runs on the GEMS Multiplex System with Power Management, Data Logging and a Glass Dash Display

Look after the jump for more hi-res photos.


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© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 22:10:08 +0800.

Parker’s is a car price guide in the UK started back in 1972. According to the latest Parker’s guide, the Proton Satria Neo was placed within the top ten slowest depreciating cars for 2007 in the UK. According to Parker’s, desirability, reliability, style, reputation and mileage as well as the original cost are all key factors in determining how much a brand new car is likely to depreciate in value.

“Proton might not be one of the obvious brands people think of when it comes to cars that lose cash slowly. But the fact that the Satria Neo is a new model and is relatively inexpensive in the first place means drivers haven’t lost much money to depreciation during the first year of ownership, which is a pleasant surprise for anyone who has one on their drive,” says Kieren Puffet, Editor for Parker’s.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 22:10:08 +0800.

Inspired by the spyshots of the performance-oriented Proton Satria Neo prototype posted earlier today, talented Theophilus Chin has worked some photoshop magic and produced this artist’s impression of a Proton Satria Neo GTi.

Bumper design as well as hood vents are inspired from the design we saw in the spyshots, and an intercooler has been added, peeking out from the center bumper intake. Theophilus has also added wheel arch extensions, though he has omitted the “screw holes” that we saw on the prototype car.

The bling wheels have been swapped with larger 6-spoke wheels though not of the same design as the prototype car, and behind these are red Brembo calipers.

Click the image above to have a look at a larger version of the image for more detail. What do you think?

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 22:10:08 +0800.

A reader sent in these photos of what appears to be a more aggressively kitted Proton Satria Neo complete with something that looks like a big cardboard made to look like an intercooler smack in the middle of front bumper, hiding details on how it looks like from our eyes. Or it could be a real one, I’m not too sure. The foglamp inserts seem to be shaped differently though.

We also see a more prominent roof spoiler at the rear, as well as more pronounced wheel arches complete with the Satria GTI’s “screw” design, which leads me to believe this might be a prototype grey Proton Satria Neo GTI getting some tender loving care in the form of a car wash.

The alloy wheels of a new non-bling design, but they look like they remain to be 16 inch-sized. Peeking out from behind those 6-spoke alloys are what seems to be red-coloured brake calipers. If you look carefully at the hood, you will notice what appears to be two hood vents on the left and right of the hood.

A look at the EXIF data of the photos reveal that the shots were taken with a Fuji Finepix Z1 on 17 May 2007, exactly a month ago, thought it might be just taken yesterday, just that the camera’s date and time settings were wrongly set.

This could either be something from Proton, or a custom kit done by a Neo owner himself. More shots after the jump, but they are pretty much of the same angle.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 22:10:08 +0800.

If you’ve ordered a Proton Satria Neo, as with any car, there are a few things you need to check before you accept delivery of the car. There is a thread on the Satria Neo Club forums that is 9 pages long and provides many useful details on things you should watch out for before signing the acceptance form. Here are a few:

• Make sure CAPTOR alarm system is registered
• Check rear seat fitment
• Check front passenger seat “slide forward” mechanism
• Check headlamps
• Check if chassis/engine number is same as the one on the registration card

I’ve only listed some as a “teaser”, and there are many more, so head on to this particular Satria Neo Club forums thread to read up. The Satria Neo is an excellent drive, it handles really well, so it would be a pity if your unit has problems. These checks will help you get a car that is as problem-free as possible, so your car can spend more time where it belongs – on the road rather than the service center. With early detection, many problems can be solved more quickly.

Link: Essentials before picking up your Neo forum thread

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 22:10:08 +0800.

Proton’s Satria Neo has been made the official safety car for the Australian Motor Racing Series (AMRS). It made it’s debut as the safety car at the AMRS opening race in March 2007. This is the third year of the new AMRS race, which began in 2005. There are 13 race categories including the Production Touring Car Championship, The Australian Touring Car Challenge, V8 Giants, OzBoss, and X Challenge.

Source

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 22:10:08 +0800.

We really must thank Proton’s design team for the Satria Neo as it has inspired many graphic artists to practice their skills. Above is a new photoshopped image from Theophilus Chin, something that looks abit more realistic thanks to an actual photograph source image.

Below is reader cikdet’s modification of Theophilus Chin’s previous work, turning the 5-door Neo into a 5-door stationwagon called the Satria Neo T. I assume the T means Touring, following BMW’s naming convention. You can click both images in this post for a larger version.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 22:10:08 +0800.

Another photoshop by contributor Theophilus Chin. He’s whipped up a 5-door hatchback version of the Satria Neo called the Satria Neo5, inspired by manufacturers like Chevrolet and Kia who add the 5 suffix to their hatchback cars. I think the way the rear door extends onto the wheel arch is abit weird, but looks okay overall. I wonder if the Golf Mk5 could somehow have Satria Neo inspired body panels slapped onto it and end up looking like this. Click the image above to view an enlarged version.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 22:10:08 +0800.

Proton Singapore Pte Ltd has launched the Proton Satria Neo 3-door hatchback in Singapore, with only the H-Line model being offered at SG$51,488 for the automatic transmission model and SG$48,988 for the manual transmission model.

As a comparison, the Mazda3 5-door hatchback 1.6 Auto sells for SG$60,800, the Chevrolet Optra 5-door hatchback automatic goes for SG$58,488, the Kia Cerato 1.6 Auto 5-door hatchback goes for SG$48,499, while the manual Cerato goes for SG$45,499. The Cerato is actually Kia’s replacement for the Sephia. The Kia Rio 5-door hatchback is even cheaper at SG$43,499 for the manual and SG$46,499 for the automatic. It looks like Proton is pricing the Satria Neo in between the Mazda3 hatch and the Kia Cerato hatch.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 22:10:08 +0800.

More Proton Satria Neo-based photoshops by Theophilus Chin. Above is a sedan car based on the Proton Satria Neo, pretty much the same as before but this time in Iridescent White instead of the usual orange you see on most Satria Neo images. The bling turbine wheels have also been replaced with something similiar to the first wheel design featured on the Proton Waja.

Like the Chevrolet Optra has it’s brother the Optra Estate, Theophilus has given the above sedan a sibling in the form of this estate car. Estate, station wagon, it all means the same thing anyway.

Make the body larger, raise the suspension and you have an SUV! This is what Proton’s possible upcoming SUV could look like, if it carries Satria Neo design cues.

As usual, click on any of these images for an enlarged version.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 22:10:08 +0800.

Graphics designer Theophilus Chin impressed us earlier this week with his take on how a small-sized sedan based on the Proton Savvy would look like. Here’s another piece of his work, a four-door sedan based on the latest car from Proton’s stables – the Proton Satria Neo. Click the image to view a larger version. Enjoy!

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 22:10:08 +0800.

Booking figures for the Proton Satria Neo for the past month has reached over 2,000 so far, meeting it’s initial sales target of about 2,000 to 2,500 a month. These are combined booking figures from both Proton Edar and EON. Proton says the most popular colours are twilight blue, iridescent white and metal grey. I personally like the twilight blue and the brilliant red colours the most. How about you?

Proton has already handed over cars to the early buyers at a ceremony on Tuesday, so we can expect Satria Neo owners to be posting their experiences on various forums on the internet soon. My comments are always open to anyone who wants to share their Neo story, good or bad.

Source

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 22:10:08 +0800.

These videos demonstrating the handling capabilities of the Proton Satria Neo are thanks to “Wajakuat” who originally hosted them on Youtube. I’ve put them on my server for faster loading speeds. There are three videos, one with the Proton Satria Neo 1.6, one with the Proton Satria Neo 1.3, and the last one is a Proton Waja with a turbocharged Lancer Evolution engine complete with a 4WD drivetrain.


Video: Proton Satria Neo 1.6

Video: Proton Satria Neo 1.3

Video: Proton Waja with an Evo 6 engine

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 22:10:08 +0800.

Here are some photos of the Satria Neo on the Sepang International Circuit track. We took the Satria Neo for a few spins around a half-track and it was a pretty enjoyable drive. The photos are taken by Shukor Janis using a Canon EOS-1D Mark II, and photos are courtesy of Proton Corporate Communications.

More photos for your viewing pleasure after the jump.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 22:10:08 +0800.

Proton launched it’s iconic two-door hatchback, the Proton Satria back in December 1994. The Proton Satria was based on the Mitsubishi Colt and came in 1.3 liter and 1.6 liter variants. Two years later, it received it’s first minor facelift, with the number plate relocated to the hatch instead of on the bumper. Four years after it’s introduction, the sporty Satria GTI variant was released, featuring a sporty bodykit, Lotus tuned ride and handling as well as a powerful 1.8 liter twin-cam engine making 140 horsepower. In 2003, Proton introduced the Satria Special Edition which featured a new bodykit and a minor interior facelift. In 2004, the R3-tuned limited edition Satria R3 was launched.

The Satria is one of Proton’s more successful models, achieving near-cult status in hatchback-loving countries like the UK. We have been looking at spy photos of the Proton Satria Replacement Model for more then a year now, and the wait is now over. Proton has launched the Satria Replacement Model and it has been given the name Proton Satria Neo. Let’s have a look at the new Proton Satria Neo.

Related Posts:
Proton Satria Neo R3 Details and Photos – new limited edition tuned up Satria Neo!

The Proton Satria Neo is an all new platform developed from scratch. It is not based on the Waja/Gen2 chassis or the old Satria chassis. However for the sake of better economies of scale, it does share some components with the Proton Gen2. The new Proton Satria Neo’s exterior design projects a stout and intimidating image. Projector headlamps are of the Proton tiger eyes design first seen on the Proton Gen2. The headlamps are a 4-headlamp projector system which uses H1 bulbs. These H1 bulbs have a 2000-hour lifespan. Of course, the silhouette was designed to provide a good drag coefficient of 0.35, front lift coefficient of 0.01 and rear lift coefficient of 0.05. This is an improvement of the old Satria’s drag coefficient of 0.405 and the Satria GTI’s drag coefficient of 0.395. This will improve performance and fuel consumption.

Bling bling “turbine”

Bling bling covers for the 1.3 liter

The Proton Satria Neo 1.6 comes in specification levels: the M-Line and the H-Line. Both features 16 inch alloy wheels wrapped with Continental SportContact-1 tyres in 195/50/R16 88V size. The alloy wheels are of the bling bling design. Proton prefers to call this design a turbine design. This turbine design is symmetrical, which means the left and right sides of the car use different designs to ensure the turbine always “spins” forward. I still think they’re horrible, but then again wheels are something that are easily replaced and is one of the first things to be changed on a car. The Proton Satria Neo 1.3 L-Line base model uses 15 inch steel rims with bling bling turbine wheel covers. The tyres provided are Sime Astar Prima 195/55/R15 85V.

The Satria Neo uses Proton’s self-developed Campro engines

The Proton Satria Neo uses Proton’s Campro engines. These are the same ones found in the Proton Gen2 and the Proton Waja Campro. The 1.3 liter Campro offers 94hp at 6000rpm with 120Nm of torque peaking at 4000rpm and the 1.6 liter Campro gives you 110hp at 6000rpm with a torque figure of 148Nm at 4000rpm. This is for a car that weighs about 1146kg for the 1.3 L-line manual up to 1184kg for the 1.6 liter auto. I took the car for a spin around Sepang. The 1.6 liter was a fun drive although it is seriously nothing fantastic. Not mind-blowing, just adequate. Performance was quite on par with my classic Proton Satria’s 1834cc SOHC engine. The Campro engine’s revs felt like it had a slightly heavy flywheel, though I suspect it must be because the engine has not fully run in yet. The engine is a bit noisy. At high revs from 5000rpm onwards it screamed with a very metallic sound which was too loud even with my helmet on. I think if you change the intake system to something less restrictive it would sound nicer, but in stock form it sounds abit painful at high revs towards the redline. Not very pleasant. But the power is there.

The 1.6 H-Line comes with an engine cover but I think the engine looks sexier uncovered

As for the 1.3, I cannot imagine how the Gen2 1.3 auto’s performance is as I have not test driven that yet. But the Satria Neo is a lighter car than the Proton Gen2, and the 1.3 auto is really underpowered. The engine struggles to go under load but you don’t really go anywhere. I highly recommend you stay away from the 1.3 liter models unless you’re a really really slow driver who is very patient. By the way, the Campro’s torque dip at low RPM ranges is still there. To help with the 1.3’s performance, the manual transmission for the 1.3 model has a revised final drive ratio of 4.33 instead of the 1.6 model’s 4.05.

Here are the obligatory performance numbers:

Notice the huge difference in the acceleration statistics for the 1.3 automatic and the 1.3 manual model. I think the 1.3 manual model would have acceleration numbers almost as bad as the 1.3 automatic if it were not for the new gear ratios. Hence the huge difference as compared to the difference between the 1.6 auto and the 1.6 manual.

The brakes are good, as expected from the sporty drive Proton promises. You’ll be happy to hear both the 1.3 and the 1.6 liter models come with disc brakes on all four wheels. The brakes are ventilated at the front, and solid at the rear. The Proton Satria Neo’s front disc brakes are larger than the Proton Gen2’s. The 1.6 high-line model comes with anti-lock brakes, while the 1.6 M-line and the 1.3 L-line models do not.

Previously, spyshots and patent filings have indicated that the Satria Neo would come with a cream based interior like the Proton Gen2. Thankfully this was revised and the Proton Satria Neo now comes with a grey interior. A cream interior really does not lend to a sporty look. Proton calls this a Tempest Grey colour scheme. The interior is a combination of dark grey, light grey and silver. Air conditioning controls are arranged in a vertical arrangement below the integrated Blaupunkt CD player.

The air cond vents are circular in shape. You twist the outer ring to adjust the amount of air flow. The vents can be adjusted independently from the outer ring for airflow direction. While I do not know if this is an original idea, it’s a clever design which reflects the minimalist concept of the interior. It is functional too once you get used to it. Interior air conditioning is an improvement over the Proton Gen2’s air conditioning system where there is a delay while the air conditioning system cools the air. This delay is not present in the Proton Satria Neo. The Proton Waja Campro also features this system. There is a glove box but it’s really very tiny. I think it’s just enough for you to put a case with your audio CDs and a Smart Tag transmitter in it.

Tiny glove compartment

Gear console design has a metal trim around it, like the Satria GTI’s. I like how the ball of the manual gearshift fits into my palm.

The meter panel is the standard symmetrical pod design used in all new Protons. The meter illumination is blue in colour. I’m not sure if this is a good idea since blue is a bit hard to focus on as a foreground colour. You can adjust the brightness of the meters via a dial to the right of the meters. Steering wheel is a three-spoke design with a silver ring in the middle and a Proton logo in-set. The 1.6 models have audio controls built into the left and right steering wheel spokes. The dashboard meter features a digital trip meter in the middle. The trip meter also has a fuel computer funtion which shows distance to empty and average fuel consumption. The whole interior looks very minimalist and modern, and it gives me a sporty feel. The plastics are softer than the typical hard Proton plastics so at least that is an improvement. I wish they’d given the steering wheel a better feel too. Somehow it feels really bare bones in my hands. The impression I get is “budget, budget, budget”.

The audio system is powered by a Blaupunkt CD player. The 1.3 model features FM and CD, while the 1.6 model has the additional capability to play MP3 files. The 1.6 model comes with 4 speakers, while the 1.3 model comes with only 2 speakers. This Blaupunkt CD player also has options to interface with a CD changer or an iPod. These functions are optional accessories. The Satria Neo’s bee sting antenna is an active system in the 1.6 model, it actively searches for signals in poor reception areas like basements where passive antennas do not work.

Modern door inset design. The half-moon shaped door handle looks dodgy, and the door knob looks cheap. I prefer a design integrated with the door handle like the classic Satria’s.

The interior is a bit cramped for me. I am 181cm tall. That’s about 5 foot 11 inches. When I got into the car, I had problems wearing my helmet for the track session. Sitting down in the front, my head was almost touching the ceiling of the car. With my helmet on, I could not even fit in the car properly. I had to slouch a little in my seat so that I could get the helmet on. This was the front, so imagine if I was sitting in the rear. The rear legroom is abit larger than the original Proton Satria but too little to make a difference. This is definitely not a car for large people. It’s a two-door hatch, do not expect it to give you wonders in terms of interior space like a four-door sedan or even a Perodua Myvi.

The Satria Neo attacking the corners at Sepang

What about ride and handling? The Proton Satria Neo’s body is supposed to be 2 times stronger than previous Satrias and is built with high tensile steel. The Proton Satria Neo has a torsion ridigity of 13,300Nm per degree and a bending ridigity of 14,000Nm per millimeter. The front suspension is features MacPherson struts and the rear suspension is a multi-link setup with a rear anti-roll bar. My experiences with the Proton Satria Neo on the Sepang F1 circuit impressed me. The body behaviour was typical of a Lotus tuned suspension, however I had some qualms about the steering feel. I had expected more of the car’s reaction time to my quick steering actions. Perhaps I had overestimated the advertised Lotus handling, the car did not respond as quick as how I expected it to. You will get used to the steering feel sooner or later.

Let’s have a look at what Proton had done to improve the reliability of the Satria Neo. For one, the Proton Satria Neo has been tested at Spain’s stone pave circuit. The stone pave circuit like it’s namesake is a circuit paved with stone. It’s really rough and it shakes and stresses the car’s body and parts to ensure maximum endurance. The Proton Satria Neo underwent a 200,000km test on the Stone Pave Circuit, which is equal to 10 years of wear and tear. The Proton Satria Neo also comes with a 7-year anti rust corrosion warranty.

An improved power window design

The power window switches are located in the center console area near the handbrake. The power window mechanism has been improved over the Proton Gen2 system and features a scissors type regulator which apparently provides for better reliability. The load bearing components are made out of stronger materials, and additional roller bearings reduce stress on the mechanism. There are also balance rails for the glass pane, and the motor is also an improved version.

As for safety features, the Proton Satria Neo does offer SRS airbags, pre-tensioner seatbelts, electronic brakeforce distribution (EBD), and anti-lock brakes (ABS) but these are only offered on the Proton Satria Neo 1.6 H-Line model which is the top of the range. So I expect Proton will get some criticism for not making it standard on all models. For your car’s security, the H-Line model also comes with a CAPTOR alarm and immobilizer system. The Proton Satria Neo has also passed EuroNCAP, GCC for Gulf Nations and ADR for Australian crash test standards.

Cupholders, samurai sword handbrake, power window controls, 12V power socket, and electric wing mirror controls occupy the center console area

Other creature comfort accessories include powered wing mirrors, front fog lamp for the 1.6 models, cruise control for the automatic transmission 1.6 H-Line model, steering wheel audio controls for the 1.6 models, a 12V power socket in the center console area, reverse sensors, ignition key reminders which alert you when you leave your keys in the LOCK or ACC position, and lamp warning buzzers when you leave the car with your headlights on. The hazard lights blink automatically when you open your door while the engine is running to alert oncoming traffic. The rear seats also fold down in a 60:40 configuration to allow extended boot space. The 1.6 model has rear headrests. I am disappointed at the lack of an armrest. In the place of the arm rest are cupholders. Expect aftermarket armrest accessories to be out soon.

L-R: Brilliant Red, Twilight Blue, Brilliant Red, Iridescent White

The Satria Neo comes in five colours, Liquid Orange, Brilliant Red, Twilight Blue, Iridescent White, and Metal Grey. To be honest, all the colours are nice making it hard for me to choose my favourites. But I seem to favour the red and blue the most. Twilight blue isn’t exactly the blue you expect, it’s almost black. Iridescent white is a very interesting colour. It’s like a mix of white and silver. All of them are excellent choices for the car. Good job Proton on the colour combination.

Metal Grey

So, how much will this car cost you? These prices are on the road with insurance.

An aggressive forward stance

Rear seats for the 1.3 model. The 1.6 model has rear headrests.

Right, yadda yadda. I’ve tried to detail the specifications as much as I can. Now what do I think about the car? Personally I think the car is a good buy for those in the market for a two-door hatchback in the 45,000 to 55,000 ringgit price range. There’s nothing else in that market range actually and the Satria is a little dated now. Evergreen! But the 1.3 and 1.6 liter engines leave something to be desired, and I am more of a performance guy (as most people who buy sporty hatches?) so I’ll wait to see what Proton’s Race Rally Research team has up it’s sleeves for the Proton Satria Neo’s raw horsepower and torque numbers. The car might also be a little uncomfy for large people like me. Kudos for the grey interior though. I heard this was a last minute decision change from the original cream interior. This is definitely Proton’s best interior look so far.

Another shot of the interior. Proton logo on the passenger airbag compartment seems out of place.

This might be Proton’s best car yet, and I can see it going in the right direction. If Proton improves with each model like this, I’d say the Waja replacement is going to be an excellent car once it finally comes around. Which is what the Malaysian market really needs right now actually, an economical comfortable 4-door family sedan. That fort is held by the Waja right now and that seems to be eaten away slowly by the Vios and City.

The 1.6 and 1.6 H-Line versions feature a roof spoiler and rear wipers.

The Satria Neo’s boot, sorry this is not very clear.

The Twilight Blue is actually a very dark blue, almost black. You can see the blue highlights under a bright sun.

Proton intends to capture at least 0.5% of the growing 20-35 year old market segment with this Proton Satria Neo, which would be about 31,500 units a year.

Video: Proton Satria Neo Advertisement

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 22:10:08 +0800.

I am sure most of you have seen the leaked product pages from Proton Edar’s site. Come back to this blog on Friday evening for a full review of the car specifications including a track test drive experience.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 22:10:08 +0800.