Proton cars are likely to make a re-entry into Chile this year following the effectiveness of the Malaysia-Chile Free Trade Agreement (FTA), ambassador of Chile to Malaysia Christian Rehren has told Bernama. The FTA came into force early last year.
According to the report, the national carmaker was in the republic in the 1990s, but it is not known exactly when it exited the market. Models that were sold there included the early Wira and Satria.
Bernama quotes Rehren as saying the Chilean car market had become one of Latin America’s most sophisticated, and that it “could be a good option (for Proton) to return,” since the carmaker was already well-known there.
Chile drives on the right of the road, and so if this were to indeed happen this year, it could mark the first LHD exports of the current generation of Proton products, which include the Prevé and Exora. We’ve seen LHD Prevés undergoing on-road tests, so perhaps this doesn’t come as a big surprise.
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AI-generated Summary ✨
Comments on the blog about Proton re-entering the Chile market are mixed, with some expressing cautious optimism and others skeptical due to past issues and Proton's track record. Several commenters highlight Proton’s past export efforts, noting that they had a presence in Europe, Latin America, and other regions but withdrew after financial difficulties. Concerns are raised about the quality, reliability, and value of Proton cars, with some sharing personal negative experiences. There's also discussion about the company's focus on export markets offering better features, such as more airbags and higher safety ratings, compared to the domestic market. Overall, the sentiments range from hopeful encouragement to doubt about Proton's plans and execution, with many waiting to see concrete actions before believing in a successful re-entry.