Last month, as part of our coverage of the Proton Design Competition 2015, we spoke to Proton’s Head of Design Azlan Othman regarding vehicle packaging – a new consideration for participants to incorporate into their designs this year – and how it affects the design of a car as a whole. Today, we’re focusing on the latter; more specifically, what makes a Proton look like a Proton?
Are there specific elements or a general design language that are unique to Proton?
We have certain cues that we’ve been propagating since we launched the Prevé – in fact, we already had that vision in mind even on the EMAS show car. When we designed the Iriz and all the cars that followed, we made sure we carried those elements through.
The “Proton Wings” that cradle the badge and the single front graphic that envelops the “wings,” for example, make up the characteristic front end. The mouth that you see on front the Iriz is becoming an identifier as well.
For the side, there’s the characteristic line that usually joins the headlights to the tail lights, which we define as the “arrow.” This also provides definition and breaks up surfaces so that they don’t look too heavy. At the rear, there’s the horizontal connecting bar that connects the tail lights.
Those are some of the cues, but we have been using these for a number of years. So now, we are looking at modernising these elements. So what does that mean for the contest? Well, it means that the contestants are allowed to explore further what we have already used today, because we are looking for concept cars here. So they’re allowed to interpret these elements in their own ways.
However, one key word that they must remember is that all the elements must work in harmony. It’s very easy to have all these nice features, but if they don’t gel together than the design is not going to work.
How about inside? What makes Proton’s interiors different from the others?
For the interior, we actually carry over the DNA of the exterior. Two main elements include the layered design that you see on the Iriz – done by design and will be in our future cars – and the cascading effect of the IP [instrument panel, i.e. dashboard]. And if you look at [the Iriz’ dashboard] from afar, it echoes part of the front of the car.
The Iriz has got very prominent “side blades” – are there any benefits in having those elements?
That feature is not just for design’s sake – it also strengthens the door panels. A door panel without the feature will simply have a huge, almost flat surface, which will tend to wobble. So we added that feature to assist engineering and manufacturing – the panel is now very stiff, which is ideal for NVH [noise, vibration and harshness] as well as crash protection.
From a design standpoint, it also gives us the ability to provide customisation in the future. When we added it, we already knew that we could have different colourations within the boundary, either through painting or by using decals. I’ve seen a few cars on the road that already have that, with things like carbon fibre stickers applied – I think the owners have gotten the message!
What about the Iriz’ chamfered rear design, the bit that wraps around the tailgate and tail lights? What’s the thought behind that?
We’ve had a long squabble with engineering and manufacturing over this frame design – they hate it. It’s not an easy thing to implement because the surfaces are almost at right angles, so you can end up with the material crimping and stretching. You can also have issues matching the bumper with the body side panels.
For us, however, it was important because a frame holds something important, whether it’s a picture on a wall or anything else that is of value to you. On the Iriz, it puts everything that’s within it – the horizontal connecting bar, the tail lights, the badges – into perspective. Without it, it would just be another rounded rear end – soft, undefined.
As it is, the trend right now is to have edgy design, so we’re trying as much as possible to have that in our creations. The feature also complements the aforementioned “side blades” and, aerodynamically, it helps to separate the airflow at the rear as well.
Are there any other design features that are unique to the Iriz?
There are certain subtle elements that have been included, such as the “Proton” script in the headlights. Those are what we call high-value design cues – small, but very important. It’s the first time we’ve ever done that – and I think people really appreciate it – and other people have done it successfully before.
On the inside, there’s also the 3D stitching effect on the dashboard. We were actually the first to use the technology, but we were late to market it. I was in Korea when we were building the moulds, and we had moulds from another brand next to ours – even though ours came out first, we had a longer development time [for the Iriz].
So we thought we’d let them launch it first, because they had the credibility – we were worried that if ours came out first in the market, people might not accept it so well. In the end, it worked out quite well. I know a lot people who, when they get in the car, think it’s leather, then knock on it and think, “wow, it’s not, but it looks so much like leather.”
The perceived value, therefore, is very high, despite the low cost it took us to manufacture the part. The development cost itself is high, because there are actually eight layers of texture applied to the moulds just to create the effect, so it’s very labour-intensive and expensive. But it’s a cost that you pay only once, and as a company we decided that it was worth the investment – and I think it paid off.
Any other helpful tips regarding the competition?
I think it’s very important for contestants to follow the subtle hints that we’ve provided in the terms and conditions. We felt that last year, a lot people were jumping head first without even reading them, so a lot of people forgot their design briefs, for example.
Also, pay attention to the theme [concept car for the Malaysian family] and the judging criteria – which is very important – and do a lot of research. It’s more than just submitting several beautiful pictures; designs must have meaning behind them.
We’ve added a requirement to submit hand-drawn works, and they’ll have to be sent through postal mail this year. Digital technology has advanced in such a way that sometimes it’s very difficult to tell whether the work was actually done by that person. We want the integrity; we want to appreciate the skill of each individual – that’s why we wanted them to do things the traditional way.
This year, Category 1 (13-17 years old) participants have to submit work as groups of up to three. Any tips on how they can work effectively with each other?
In any group, there should be proper delegation of work. During the brainstorming and ideation, anyone can take part and contribute as much as they can, but as you go further, in terms of presentation renderings, there should only be one person doing them.
That creates a consistency in the presentation, rather than having one person doing the front render and another doing the rear. Others can produce the packaging drawing, for example, which has no relation to the final rendering.
There should also be a leader appointed from the very beginning; ownership should never be shared equally, because when push comes to shove, one person must be responsible to make a particular decision. If nobody can decide, if there is no consensus, the leader should decide and the others should pull back and support the leader, no matter where they stood before.
Interested? If you’re a budding designer, submit your vision of a concept car for the Malaysian family, along with a design brief on A4 paper containing the title of the design, the design concept and unique selling proposition of the car. Participants can submit a maximum of three (3) designs via mail only for this year; the entry form for the competition can be downloaded here (BM form here) or collected from selected Proton outlets nationwide.
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Although I am not a Proton fan, but they really try hard in the design department especially the Iriz.
Hopefully they can restore faith in the eyes of Malaysian.
Used to be the inside…..seriously, they dont really try hard enuff…..
Have u met some of the designers??? selebet, no style, comot, no taste….how can they produce stylish cars???
8am punch in, then go send kids to school, stop by kedai mamak chit chat, 11am start work, 12noon go lunch with vendors, 2.30 finish lunch, 4pm fetch kids from school, 5.30 punch out…….thats daily routine…..
U think its the same routine as GM, Toyota, Pininfarina, Hyundai, Renault styling designers????
…..what makes a Proton look like a ****…..
I am not hentaming them, but their environment prevents them from producing…..even HR also dont know how to get a world class designer since HR also low class only scouting at UMW, Honda Msia, DRB….they are not globally competence…..
Koyakutty,
Protom’s evil is its work culture.
YOu are absolutely correct.
It can come out with a thousand competitions,carnivals,price cuts BUT as long as the STUPID CVT and Campro engine is around,we will still seethe same old story////STAGNATING sales!!!
Proton,all your highly educated uni graduates failed to understand one thing called PERCEPTION.Buyers perceive Proton cars to be inferior.Can u change that just by organising competitions?
Old Proton is not same as new Proton under DRB. They are really changing this time with private firm pouring a lot of investment without any help from the G. Lots of model coming up next year and new engine which proven Proton commitment to produce good quality and fuel efficient cars to rakyat. Proton don’t need trash talk from bashers but support from rakyat under new Management.
does “support” mean protection?
meaning not allowing vios same price as Saga? or civic same price with preve?
aww..
alldisc:
Im guessing you still new in Automotive industry. Yes, the G had impose tax to foreign cars same goes to Proton and Perodua. But why these foreign cars imposed higher tax?? One of the reason why these cars imposed with high tax because their parent company don’t localize their parts in Malaysia. In a mean word, they don’t like to share Technology with local vendor. Learn from Nissan and ETCM, how Almera can be sold cheaper RM 60k. Most of their parts where made by APM and its subsidiary..Change your mind basher. Those “protection by G” are no more laku. Proton is a Proton now who stand by its own under DRB management. No more G!
As usual, another syok sendiri statement from Proton representative aka Ah Beng. Proton produce good quality cars? Look at the score that Proton got from JD Power, then you’ll know whether rakyat satisfied with Proton or not. Also, how much cars does Proton sold globally? No protection from G so tak laku right? How come Vios and City can be sold for RM50k in Langkawi but not other areas of Malaysia if not because of protection by G? Whoever the management of Proton is, it’s still the same shit
Proton, whether it is a Perdana or a Wira is meant for the poor and gutter society of Malaysia. If you are well to do, not even rich, just normal well to do, you won’t buy this jamban car company.
People who buy this car are mainly kampong people who either live in the bandar or the kampung and are poor. They cannot afford anything better and they have no goals and ambition in life to better themselves.
The blame the world for being poor but they are poor solely because they are nothing but pure lazy and do not want to work hard to earn more money. they spend their free time kongkek instead of working hard earning more money.
I am just a mere Toyota salesman and I am already looking to buy my 3rd Lexus. I appeal to those Proton owners and potential Proton buyers, work hard and aim higher in life. Get something safer for your family and kids.
You just a fake Protonian.
If u are really Protonian, you will know how hard we work for Malaysian.
You mean how much we songlap with Proton
” their environment prevents them from producing”
Yeah. like the entire haters and bashers in this article comment section.
like all the rakyat in this low mentality nation. the designer would freaking cussing every little thing these peoples said if they can.
you said something like this designer poop out a whole lot of design idea out of their brain. they’re like you being a fulltime haters on the internet.
How are Proton trying hard in design when they are resorting to rebadge? Enough of this nonsense, just close it down
Don’t you get it?! Design the batch!
you mean the badge?
Dr M and his son rather drive Porsche tells you how good Proton’s design is. Even his family don’t have faith in Proton, much less Malaysians
Compare p1 with Porsche? So lame
vecko,
read properly the statement..
Agreed. I was parked beside an Iriz and mistook it for one of my all time favourite small car, the Fiat Punto HGT. The surfacing is well done. A beautiful little thing
Dude come on…. It looks nothing like the punto
Surface? Theopilus Chan did that like 100x more times, and better.
Interior? Before making it look nice, pls use the material that won’t self-disintegrate and falls off. At least use the plastic material that is as good as Transformers toys, not from those two-ringgit shop.
The frontal part of Iriz (bonnet until front overhang) visually looks too bloated from the side view. It might have something to do with the engineering requirement (crash test regulation or even engine bay thermodynamics),but if you look at other car models in the same segment (hatchbacks), they have better end result when it comes to the frontal design and at the sametime complying with the regulation/engineeirng requirement.This is something that Proton needs to improve. The current Iriz design language is still facing polarised opinion/view from the public.
Lel, syok sendiri again.
If they have to give huge discount, and couldn’t clear 2014 stock until as recent as raya last month, how do u call that a success?
He may be a designer, but no excuse to turn blind eye on iriz’s Achilles’s heel: sub-par cvt gearbox.
They wanna beat myvi, they gotta best its powertrain first, then use other feature like better safety, design, handling etc to beat myvi. End up axia is the true myvi-killer, not like perodua cares, money still flow into them.
“the leader should decide and the others should pull back and support the leader, no matter where they stood before.”
Lel, loyalty over smart, just like dear leader’s train of thought.
Great! Then lets hear about your design concept for a car to be usable, functional, luxurious on appearance yet does not cost a bomb, uniquely Malaysian yet acceptable by the world.
Im sure its not mish-mash of elements from various cars ala Frankencar. You wouldnt be that incapable to come out with an original idea since you bash Proton’s design language.
John running his big mouth again. Do all Malaysians need to take part in Proton design competition to tell whether the design is good or not? We are customers, not designers!
If you cant tell what is good and what is bad, how can you condemn others.
Your words now carries no weight!
How is Proton going to improve if it can’t accept criticism? If you don’t understand what i said, why reply?
Your comment now has no meaning!
I said nothing about design, everything to do with powertrain.
No matter how great Iriz design, safety etc, people won’t buy into that stupid cvt.
Bodo piang, Proton can design artistic car, better than Alfa if they want, if their powertrain cannot do Euro 6, at least UK 70mpg, laugh die me la, don’t say nobody gonna buy, nobody can even buy.
It’s like teksi, the system is rigged to favour permit owners, squeezing taxi drivers. Puspakom, JPJ also squeeze them, stupid endless red tapes and extra cost. Until anyone got telor to overhaul entire system, leaving taxi drivers to properly have no excuse to compete with uber, grabcar, nobody gonna trust taxi. Uber, grabcar > gangster, bloodsucker, rapist, dirty smelly taxi drivers.
Only way they can beat MyVi at the present moment unless they use the same tactics as P2, that is to say to ‘re-badge’ a reputable brand.
Amik je la engine and gearbox Toyota, confirm laris camtu.
Myvi buruk cam katak, ada orang kesah? Janji jimat minyak, RV tinggi.
Myvi safety cam tin milo, ada orang kesah? Janji jimat minyak, RV tinggi.
Myvi pun ada gak qc issue, ada orang kesah? Janji jimat minyak, RV tinggi.
So iriz pun amik la engine, gearbox Toyota, confirm jimat minyak, RV tinggi.
Volvo pun amik gearbox Toyota, takyah pening cam VW.
Did you know our money rizab has going slumped cause of imported engines???
Adakah anda tahu rizab duit kita hendak jatuh teruk disebabkan enjin import???
Dont short-minded man!!!
Janganlah berfikiran sempit saudara!!!
Perodua import engine, they made profit, they pay tax and dividend to their shareholders and big fat bonus to their board of directors.
Proton made losses, get loss allowance ie future discount to tax payable to the govt. They get grants (financed by taxpayers) which are tax exempt, the only winner seems to be cronies splashing on fancy conti, mansions, overseas trips, send their kids overseas to universities “on par” with local universities.
Oh wait, maybe i made apple vs orange comparison. Now proton as good as BMW, as safe as Volvo, so actually proton sales much better, so very successful. Cukuuur
Why bother with this Proton? Since you are the king of rebadging other people’s cars. You’ve not changed in 30 years.
While it’s no doubt that exterior of the Iriz has a unique, modern and radical design, it does look strange/unrefined from certain angles..
One word – imbalanced. While having the same ‘head’ as Fiesta, Fiesta doesn’t looks odd.
That’s the Proton syiok sendiri design. Iriz front copy Fiesta, rear inspired by the bottom of cloth iron.
Proton cars have always looked good (from the outside). Some people will say the Juara looks horrible, but the donor Mitsubishi model was already so ugly, it was hard to make the Juara look any better than it did. I cannot think of any other Proton that looks bad, they’re all different shades of good. To this day, I still think the most beautiful Proton is the 2007 Persona (not the facelift, which looks so much worse), but the Prevé, Perdana V6 (both pre- and post-facelift), Saga Orion/Magma, Putra, Satria GTi, Waja (pre-facelift), Suprima S and Iriz all come very close.
I know the new Perdana will be equally as impressive if not more when it comes out next year. But what I don’t know for sure is whether Malaysians will buy it or not… sigh.
You can buy them all if you think they all look good
Definitely, especially the Satria GTi… but not so soon lah… I don’t have enough parking space. :(
Aduh proton ni jual kereta mahal sangat la…..tak sepadan dengan gaji rakyat malaysia kebanyakanya………saya ingat lagi semasa satria neo dilancarkan dengan yakin proton mengatakan sasaran satria neo adalah untuk eksekutif muda…..bila harga diumumkan mak aih…..mahalnya tak mampu…..tapi saya tgk eksekutif muda lebih berminat nak beli kereta ada bonet macam waja ….proton ni tak kaji ke orang muda kat malaysia bukannye semua eksekutif saya dengar ramai budak muda yang suka satria neo….tapi mahal ramai x mampu membelinya……..proton buat la kaji pasaran sikit mengenai kebolehan kuasa beli rAkyat malaysia sikit……..cuba fikir ramai ke eksekutif kat malaysia nih denga harga begitu macam mana nak dapat target jualan……..proton lebih utamakan minoriti berbanding majoriti dalam menyasarkan…….(sasaran jualan)……..kajilah gaji kami……tangok sekarang axia lebih menonjol dari myvi apatah lagi iriz
bro, tahukah kamu dalam setiap kereta ada sejenis cukai dipanggil duti eksais kastam sebanyak 75% minimum?
bermakna jika proton persona berharga 45k, hampir separuh dari nilai itu akan pergi kepada kerajaan malaysia yg kita cintai.
jgn lupa juga, ada cukai GST 6% dari keseluruhan nilai kereta itu.
Iriz’s design is better than previous proton’s model.. Better design of headlights and dashboard including other interior and exterior design..
I am not proton die hard fan.. Had tried driving different types of car, such as myvi, vios, axia, preve, persona and others.. Iriz much more stable during corner and hi-speed.. The only drawback, the car is small..
Suprima and preve are expensive and dull interior..
Why cant u listen to the rakyat via market research instead of wasting time wit all tis syiok sindili crap…yes like previous comment Persona facelift looks so lame vs pre facelift…Preve design both inside out epic fail…Suprima rear design epic fail…Iriz actually looks ok but again destroyed by the ugly butt…and the SAmE designer still earning fat paycheck at the SAmE company
Design a new badge 1st. Proton badge is too outdated and ugly now. I still dont get why use tiger / thundercat with the full “Proton” written as the badge.
the badge need to survive longger than the car. what now we have a plastic laminated logo. yeah ,,soft plastic. prone to scratches, and deteriorates, more importantly its look damn cheap due to the material.
yes i agree, they need to rethink about this.
proton’s first grille emblem was the legend. illuminated at night. looks so cool compare to any other thing on the road.
only for Saga Orion, Magma and Megavalve production. should bring back such concept.
Its easy to build a milotin. Even kindergarten kids do that! Thats kind of reputation n quality milotin hv.
You must be fan of Almera and Vios catfish designs, lol
Please man. At least milo is good to drinks. Proton? People just buy them because of pricing game.
Design wise, the iriz front is highly inspired by the polo (lights and grille) and the fiesta (bumper). The rear is wholesale Vw Up!. But it does come out looking really nice, unlike the very2 wierd suprima.
To me one of the most original proton design was for the gen-2 and satria neo. Waja was mostly a vw bora lookalike.
Other details I like on the iris:
Side blades. A good feature, combining good looks with engineering function, ie reducing vibration and “humming” of the door skin. A flat panel like the on the Axia acts like an amplifier of road vibrations, making long distance drive uncomfortable.
Dashboard/instrument panel. The mock stitching on that really looks class. Contrast to the very2 bland and chinese car like dashboard of the preve/suprima. Though now other cars have the same mock stitching feature.
What makes a proton look like a proton?
Copy & paste.
What do you mean by copy and paste?
Like what u did in the exam?
just put turbo in iriz..done.
I wanted to see something from Proton designer, not from unemployed designer who doing it for name n money.
Proton designer shud come with several concept n design. Let us decide tru online vote or something.
That wud b nice to call “Malaysian Choice”