As mentioned in our previous post, this blue car with trade plates was seen escorting two heavily disguised Proton Persona R prototypes on the highway. It’s a blue hatchback with a large chrome strip across its rear hatch, with pretty much no disguise.
It looks like a Vauxhall Astra to me, don’t you agree? Might be one of Proton’s benchmark vehicles – like any other car manufacturer they have cars from many other marques in their test facilities for observation/research purposes.
Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.
gen2 r?
Hatchback Persona R?
Next Gen Satria Neo?
or….
Savvy Replacement?
maybe benchmark for satria neo…
New Satria design in the making?
wow. Opel. long time no see that logo
as a person who used to live in the UK for some time, I am very much in preference of Vauxhall, though it has no difference at all with Open except for the badges.
Astra GTE gave VW Golf GTI a run for its money in the 80s, and again in the new millenium in Astra VXR form. of course lah, GTI is an all-round superior.
It’ll be nice if they’ll actually brings in Vauxhall here.i love the design language of Vauxhalls.
If anyone were to bring in Vauxhall/Opel again, it would possibly be Naza, since they hold the Chevrolet franchise.
Proton should have re-badge this rather than lancer.. since the only offering from GM is Korean Daewoo re-rabadge Chevrolet. But is easier say then done…
If Vauxhall comes, bring Insignia in PLEASE! Gotta love that design. The new Vauxhall design cues are very pleasing to the eyes in my opinion. Anyways, how is Vauxhall Astra related to the escort of two Proton prototypes? As a benchmark? If it’s a benchmark, why didn’t they go after the newer Astra? I don’t think it is a VXR model. Might be the normal petrol type. Most importantly, has Proton ever associated itself with Vauxhall before? Curious.
Next Gen Satria Neo?
Agree !
i love this car
woooaawww vauxhall…..be longing like ages to see it on our street..i own a rare vauxhall cavalier 93…and with this i know i had young brother
what’s the specs of the car?
if p1 use this car as benchmark, persona R suppose to match or even exceed this car specs right?
The Astra must be under Proton’s R&D cars. Good the have Astra for Satria benchmark. Current Neo design somewhat flaw if you look at the windshield.
Too much gradient, susceptible to head injury risk and make space not spacious.
Benchmarking on a previous generation Astra? Interesting
the previous gen astras are generations ahead of our current generation protons.
So i don see any issues checking out previous gen astras.
what can i confirm is this car owned by proton r&d dept. seen it personally only didnt manage to drive it. quite ice body curves n also interior. most of u guys was right, they only using this car for benchmark. to add, my cuz brought back this very car to our hometown last raya haji. :)
i’ve seen the astra a long time ago, so now i know it belongs to proton.
A 2-door hatch a benchmark for a 4-door sedan? Hmm… weird.
weird…yes. but Astra also comes in other variants. there’s the 4 door version as well as the hatchback. i wonder what’s in their mind rite now…
Maybe to avoid copyright issues?
Blue MPS looks better IMO.
i’m in St.Petersburg, Russia rite now and that Astra is all over the street here. Nice exterior design and interior too! (rode a taxi once). Also rebadged as Opel Astra. Either way, if that car makes into our shore, it’ll be great.
i think its the other way around. opels are usually rebadged as a vauxhall in the UK.
what will they do with the astra after they’re done using it??
I wonder.
mayb Proton wanted 2 imitate their interior for the upcoming Persona R?
this car has been at Proton for at least 2 years already la guys. It’s the Powertrain department’s car. They use it to benchmark its turbocharged engine to help develop the campro turbo.
So it could be that the two persona r that this car was escorting is to test the engine
If the Vauxhall/Opel Astra is being used as a benchmark, seriously doubt the choice when there are better hatchbacks out there. Question is why Astra and a previous gen (now)? The Ford Focus is a better vehicle for mass market and for sportier drive, Renault Megane/Clio. This is not really taking Proton to be a ‘BMW of the East’. Still brings a chuckle whenever I recalled this statement and others.
Maybe it is to bench test the power windows! You know Proton now gives life time warranty.
why previous gen u ask? Obviously because at that time, this car is the latest model. And again, it’s to develop the engine. Not how the car handles or whether it is sportier or not.
If for engine benchmark, just as bad. Vauxhall/Opel GSI or VXR range has been lamblasted by Top Gear to Tiff Needle of 5th Gear(spare Stig replacement). Sure it has power but not smooth. Still Ford has the EcoBoost and the Prince 1.6 Turbo engine found in Mini Cooper S and Peugeot/Citroen.
Then now we have Proton ordering supercharger units. Pehaps a twin charge soon?
for smoothness of the engine, i cant comment. Coz i never driven it. But then, you are commenting based on what top gear and tiff said. I bet there are other reviewers that find it smooth.
I believe the supercharger is for a special edition neo or something similar and made by R3. Not to replace the campro turbo
Its probaly just a benchmark car as the article says. Like if not mistaken, p1 engineers used the old UK civic type-r (ep3) as benchmark in developing the Neo.
Persona R mule?
This Astra is Proton’s benchmark for Turbo performance. it has been around for a few years in Proton R & D. and its been driven around the country a few times. Its quite a hoot to drive (heard personally from the people that drove it).
So seen with the persona R as benchmark.. I hope and wish that it would be true.. they are planning to drop a turbo mill in the persona R and and doing some benchmarks..
….please all, pray with me that this is so….. god knows I would love to at least match the Golf 1.4 Tsi’s performance for half the price.
This is the Astra that makes Jeremy eats his own hair!
hopefully they’ll bring ’em in :)
There was sometime ago a Vauxhall Carlton/Opel Omega, reengineered as Lotus Carlton/Omega, a 3.6 twin-turbo sports sedan/saloon.
Nice of Proton to refer to Lotus’ past j-v for future developments.
Even better if can work together wt OPC, Opel Performance Center for the next Satria, or even Exora(using Opel’s Zafira and Meriva), although I dont find the Neo all that impressive…
Lotus Carlton was launched back in 1987/88 and became the world fastest sedan for some time with a top speed of about 160mph.
that was pretty fast for a 4 door saloon.
Vauxhall astra is a good car even 1.4 engine,
are u sure? have u driven the latest model astra with a 1.6 NA engine? It sucks big time. No power at all. And the gearbox is just as bad. But then, i have to admit that the interior and the size is quite awesome. And very comfortable too.
Never tried the other engines in their lineup tho
I would prefer P1 to use Vauxhall VXR-8 to replace with Perdana.
Vauxhall Astra!
make me ask myself,what really happen to Opel here in Malaysia ye?…
it’s nice to know that Proton have the Germans/Britains as their benchmark though…
Fancy Malaysian car with European techno?…haha
Dear Paul,
This is the same car that saw at Jb near UTM Skudai. If your remembered, I have emailed to you the picture from front. Yes I agreed that this is Vauxhall but dont know what is the purpose, Is it a benchmark exercise or new model based on Vauxhal
i’d love to see holden/ vauxhall in malaysia. especially holden commodore with v8 engine. i heard that johore royalty using holden as their official car. that’s what i heard.
I think its definitely a Proton R&D car. See the trade plate (B2290A), while the Persona R prototype is wearing the B2291A trade plate.
http://paultan.org/2011/05/03/two-proton-persona-r-prototypes-caught-on-the-highway/
Looks like an older model of the Vauxhall Astra 3 door . I wonder if Proton wants to sell it. hmmmmm
my brother is driving that astra with trade plate.. he said it was just for testing & most of all as an escort for Persona R during road test..