Proton 2016 plans – four new models, emphasis on improving aftersales, new turning point for carmaker

Perdana_red_front

This year is a big one for Proton, as it promises to turnaround a not-so-encouraging 2015. The national carmaker sold just slightly over 100,000 units last year, a bit under the 115k units that rolled off dealerships in 2014 – which is “not very good,” according to Proton CEO Datuk Abdul Harith Abdullah.

As such, the company is renewing its resolve by introducing new products and an improved aftersales experience for the brand. Leading the charge are four new models – the three which we know about are of course the Perdana, Persona and Saga sedans, with one more jointly developed by Proton and Suzuki.

The D-segment Perdana, based on the eighth-gen Honda Accord, will be launched in the first quarter, while the Iriz-based Persona – Proton’s renewed entry to the popular B-segment sedan market that will fight the Toyota Vios, Honda City and Mazda 2 Sedan – will arrive later. After that will come the Saga, still based on the current model but heavily revised, which will form the bottom end of Proton’s new product range.

The relative unknown will be the new Proton-Suzuki model that is expected to arrive before the end of the year – no details have been revealed of the new car just yet, but it’s a safe bet that it will be a new A-segment hatch to fill a void in the company’s lineup. A rebadged Alto or Celerio, perhaps?

Persona2_rear

Harith said that these new models will have “state of the art technology and safety standards, yet are affordably priced.” According to him, it is important get these products ready “with good technology and good quality,” all while maintaining a competitive price position for the brand.

Chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad reiterated that Proton will continue to stick to existing model names like the Perdana, Persona and Saga, adding that it will follow the example of the likes of Toyota and Honda by building new models but retaining names that have a history and identity tied to it.

To develop the new models, Proton has spent a total of RM2.2 billion in capital expenditure over the last two years, including the research and development as well as on building new engines. Previously, chief technical officer Abdul Rashid Musa said that the company is looking to replace its ageing CamPro engines with a new range of direct-injected 1.3 and 1.5 litre engines in both turbocharged and naturally-aspirated forms.

Next comes aftersales, a known weak point for the brand. Proton acknowledges this, and Harith promises an improvement in the area – moving forward, the company will only add 3S and 4S dealers to its sales and service network.

proton-sg-petani-4s

With the recent addition of 29 former Suzuki dealerships as part of the Proton-Suzuki collaboration, Proton’s network of 1+1S, 2S and 3S centres has now swelled to 105, which Harith says will provide Proton with a solid dealer network to support the new models.

Proton is also planning to fill up capacity at its under-utilised Tanjung Malim and Shah Alam plants, which are capable of producing up to 300,000 cars annually. The company is targeting to build 150,000 cars this year – a 50% increase in sales is a bold claim, but we shall see how it goes throughout the year.

Lastly, Proton will be looking to bolster its brand value and confidence, with better aftersales service and the assurance of Suzuki technology coming to its models. With the collaboration with the Japanese small car expert, the brand is hoping to finally put itself on a new level against its competitors.

Overall, Proton has a bullish outlook for the year ahead, and while we still aren’t placing our bets just yet, with a string of new models coming soon, it’s understandable why confidence is running high. “We are very confident that 2016 will be a much better year – a new turning point for Proton,” Harith said.

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Jonathan Lee

After trying to pursue a career in product design, Jonathan Lee decided to make the sideways jump into the world of car journalism instead. He therefore appreciates the aesthetic appeal of a car, but for him, the driving experience is still second to none.

 

Comments

  • dodgeviper88 on Jan 14, 2016 at 2:51 pm

    every year also turning point, last time Iriz was supposed to be game changer. Turn & turn until rakyat’s kepala pening liao la

    Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 283 Thumb down 32
    • wisethinker on Jan 14, 2016 at 2:59 pm

      let them be.. u nak bising2 apa hal. u dont like PROTON just dont buy. Paultan featured IRIZ as one of best car in 2015 that he wrote. too bad not your VIOS or CITY!!

      Hot debate. What do you think? Thumb up 146 Thumb down 223
      • IrizX on Jan 14, 2016 at 3:42 pm

        Jelly kuat iriz owner ini…kecian…

        Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 89 Thumb down 27
      • Close Down Proton Please on Jan 14, 2016 at 4:46 pm

        Proton sales are so bad. 100k figure is false. In actual fact, 90% of sales went to Spanco, Bomba, Tentera, TUDM TLDM, PDRM, JKR, every kementerian in Putrajaya etc etc. Spanco alone buys berpuluh ribu to lease back to the Government. With all this help, still Proton cannot survive.

        Most Malaysians can enjoy cheap and reasonable cars but because of Proton, all the other car prices have been raised up tremendously to protect Proton. Malaysians have already suffered so much. For 30 years, 30 million people suffer so much. We struggle paying for our high car prices all because of dying Proton to live. Proton sucks billions of our LHDN money, money which could be used to build more schools and hospitals.

        If we did not have Proton sucking money from LHDN, each state can have an addition 10 fully fledged government hospitals and 10 fully fledged government schools every 10 years being built. But all our LHDN money go to the failing Proton. Every year government gives hundreds of million to Proton as form of grants. Every other year, Proton ask RM billions in help. Recently, even under private hands also (DRB) Proton asked the government to give them free few RM billions from LHDN.

        Proton also cost us hundreds of billions in ringgit in investments from car companies who moved to Thailand and Indonesia. Car companies got fed up with Malaysia’s MITI for protecting Proton and telling other companies what to price their cars. They got sick and tired of the AP system and how genuine brands cannot get enough APs to import their cars in (like Mercedes, BMW and Honda).

        They thought that if they set up their brands and plants in Malaysia, they knew they had to give 30% of their hard earned company free away as well as being told by MITI what to price their cars. They all moved their operations to Thailand making it the AutoCity of the world.

        Recently GM announced that they rolled out already 1 million cars from Thailand. Imagine if GM was in Malaysia and we taxed GM RM10,000 per car. Calculate that with 1 million cars. Just from GM alone, we lost Billions in USD. Imagine what will the amount be from other car companies if they had set up in Malaysia?

        Because of Proton, we lost hundreds of billion of ringgit in investment and trillions of ringgit from jobs lost. If Malaysia was the autocity of Asia, hundreds of thousands of jobs would have been created for Malaysians. We lost all that. Trillions of Ringgit and hundreds of thousands of jobs. Now, Thailand is benefiting from this trillions lost.
        Car companies are flocking to invest hundreds of billions in Thailand despite Thailand being an unstable government, unstable economy and full of bomb blastings and terror.

        Yet, global car companies still prefer Thailand.

        Which is better? 300,000 jobs created by car companies setting up plants in Malaysia or to sustain the existing 30,000 Proton employees that have been living off us the past 30 years?

        Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 199 Thumb down 48
        • Observer on Jan 14, 2016 at 4:54 pm

          They prefer thailand mostly due to the labour cost is still cheap there…. Org Malaysia mana nak keje gaji murah?? semua nak kerja senang gaji beribu… nak kereta mewah harga RM5…. sapa boleh tahan woii…

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 52 Thumb down 12
        • Tulis panjang2 tapi menipu.. Tahniah. Slow clap

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 50 Thumb down 57
        • Which add value to the country? 1000 engineers out of 30,000 P1 employees or 300,000 monkey-see monkey-doers?

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 27 Thumb down 28
        • policeman on Jan 14, 2016 at 6:15 pm

          TLDR.

          But I get the gist of it. Whine, whine, whine, blame government, blame neighbour, blame everyone else.

          Where did you pull the figures out of? 30%, 1 Trillion. Lobang mana dia korek gua tak tau.

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 23 Thumb down 18
        • DonkeyKong on Jan 14, 2016 at 7:18 pm

          Long pointless rant from a typical me-first moron who has no idea how long-term economy strategies work. It’s okay, please continue living inside your tempurung or migrate to the nearest socialist republic that you can find.

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 33 Thumb down 29
          • Real socialists wud not accept them too cuz dun have need for keybod warriors.

            Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 2
          • First Moron on Jan 15, 2016 at 8:56 am

            DonkeyKong why you call yourself moron?
            “typical me-first moron”

            Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 6
        • syer1n on Jan 15, 2016 at 9:18 am

          you dont even buy proton. why are you the one bragging about suffering, no water, no food, everyday harvest cactus for water etc?

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 1
        • roger on Jan 16, 2016 at 4:23 am

          u close down proton u can expect at a million jobs loss and 70% of contract manufacturing of proton was given to ethnic chinese companies in malaysia , your explanation does not make sense..really another rubbish to read

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 1
        • pak atan on Jan 17, 2016 at 10:26 am

          What a false statement. Buckle up..see u in court..

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
      • Why Pay Mahathir Millions? on Jan 14, 2016 at 5:18 pm

        If Proton is bleeding so much of money, why pay Mahathir Millions in remuneration just to be figurehead Chairman? I hear it runs to over Rm1 million plus a fancy office, plus unlimited entertainment allowance, plus driver, plus car etc.

        Proton should show their sincereity by asking Mahathir to do free work with no remuneration. After all, Proton was Mahathir’s baby and he should be doing it for free.

        Also, tell Malaysians how much CEO is also earning. He should be taking a pay cut instead of enjoying 6 figure salary per month and fancy company car. He should be given a Wira as company car to drive.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 36 Thumb down 24
      • Datuk Lawrence's Assistant on Jan 14, 2016 at 10:38 pm

        Memang pun di tak beli kih kih kih

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
      • Ustaz Yunos on Jan 14, 2016 at 11:02 pm

        Kenapa orang miskin mcm u bnyk defend what u think was right? You must know you already being poor for many generation, u don’t have any chance to step in other world, so just sit down quietly and accept the fact and ur next generation won’t be poor again like you, jgn sokong membuta tuli! We must know what our weakness and go for a change!

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 5
      • Dr Mamak on Jan 15, 2016 at 7:12 am

        Power window ok x ?

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 3
      • Dontlikepoorguy on Jan 15, 2016 at 7:39 pm

        Kesian la org miskin ni

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
    • pride of the nation, optimistic turn-around, dare to change, global player, game-changer, turning point, etc, etc…..

      proton is just plain BS.

      Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 79 Thumb down 21
      • How Hyundai Can Succeed? on Jan 14, 2016 at 4:49 pm

        Proton is just not a focussed company. Proton and Hyundai started about the same time. Hyundai maybe started about 8 years earlier. Just see where both companies are.

        Hyundai is a global player. They sell about 7 million cars per year globally. They are No 4 in world rankings for car sales. Toyota is No 1.

        Proton, which stated about the same time, with MITI 100% protecting them and forcing 30 million rakyat to buy their cars, all Government departments strictly told to buy only Proton every year, PDRM also strictly told to buy Proton every year, Bomba, Telekom Malaysia and all GLC also told to buy Proton every year and yet, it can go into financial difficulty and about to be bankrupt.

        Every year also Spanco buys berpuluh puluh ribu Protons to lease to the government.

        How can Hyundai and Proton be so different. Both started about the same time. But Korean Government never force GLC and Government department to buy Korean cars and yet, they can do so well Globally.
        Something is wrong with Proton. It needs to be shut down. Proton has the same problem.

        Given so much of help and still also now sucking the Government big time.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 38 Thumb down 29
        • I din know P1 started during Merdeka era. Which history book you read that from?

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 19 Thumb down 2
        • drMpower on Jan 14, 2016 at 7:49 pm

          You are wrong. All market protect their own goods.

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 25 Thumb down 0
        • DonkeyKong on Jan 14, 2016 at 11:43 pm

          Looks like you have no idea about Korean protectionism and the South Korean government’s billions of subsidies to keep the prices of Korean products artificially low in foreign markets just to enable global penetration.

          People who still believe that Hyundai and Kia went global based on merits pretty much aren’t qualified to comment on the car industry at all.

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 16 Thumb down 2
    • Rashid Bijak on Jan 14, 2016 at 3:38 pm

      This is Rakyat.

      Rakyat wants to buy a car.

      Rakyat only buy either Perodua or Toyota.

      Rakyat is very smart. Be like Rakyat.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 36 Thumb down 16
    • Every1canTalk on Jan 14, 2016 at 4:06 pm

      Talk, talk, talk and talk..
      Saying Gen2 is new generation of potong car but fact is not.
      Saying Priff, Superma, Iris are globalcar, but powertrains not able to meet stricter Euro 5 standards.
      Saying hybrid car selling end of 2014, EV car at 2015, now still kok here kok there.
      Saying 94% of the car’s parts were locally sourced in an effort to reduce capital outflow, now wanna increase price due to currency rate.

      Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 90 Thumb down 5
    • ionlaw on Jan 14, 2016 at 4:21 pm

      Turning all the time, run in circles…

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 17 Thumb down 4
    • George Abdul on Jan 14, 2016 at 4:26 pm

      Finally you get Proton motive… just best on words but end product always end with failure. Self praise, ego and blaming Rakyat.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 21 Thumb down 5
    • Matchy on Jan 14, 2016 at 4:40 pm

      They turn 360… thats why…

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 9 Thumb down 2
    • YeapyEvo on Jan 15, 2016 at 11:47 am

      360 degree turn so back to square one

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • I'm Im on Jan 14, 2016 at 2:54 pm

    What does Proton and Honda have in common…?

    They both dreams…

    Honda wakes up & turns their dreams into reality.

    And Proton keeps on dreaming…

    Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 156 Thumb down 18
  • Iriz based persona won’t work lah, just ask suzuki let u rebadge the Ciaz, sell it with the price of Saga SV, sure u can beat Perodua Toyota and Honda

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 28 Thumb down 19
  • areos on Jan 14, 2016 at 3:05 pm

    ..continue dreaming n you dont have to pay anything..to realise the dream you need everything…concerted effort n money..though there are some improvements..now proton in the hand of DRB..the corporate culture will be maintained.. not like last time ..keeping on changing captains n so the directions…proton become haywire

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 14 Thumb down 5
  • sylinder on Jan 14, 2016 at 3:11 pm

    i hope rear design for all proton model mention in article…will not look like PROTON IRIZ rear. I can only hope…hope..hope..hahahaha

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 14 Thumb down 3
  • As much as I dislike Proton, deep down there is still a part of me that wants to see it succeed.
    I acknowledge their efforts in trying improve, but it still is not enough. Please do try harder, Proton.

    Action speaks louder than words.

    Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 80 Thumb down 5
    • john is otak batu on Jan 14, 2016 at 3:25 pm

      Haven’t you heard their latest action so call “price increase”!

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 11 Thumb down 7
    • Ah Beng ProtonFan on Jan 14, 2016 at 4:30 pm

      Proton always Action speak louder then words… like only Rakyat have no taste choosing lousy P2 more then Proton !

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 10 Thumb down 3
  • lilytan on Jan 14, 2016 at 3:17 pm

    Why so many B segment models? Perdana is ok since its a D segment. But iriz sedan, saga n celerio is too similar. Why not produce SUV like the grand vitara, n a MPV to update the exora or perhaps a crossover from the S Cross.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 41 Thumb down 2
    • applegreen on Jan 14, 2016 at 3:28 pm

      proton did update exora but it turns to be extremely unpleasant…

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 1
    • sylinder on Jan 14, 2016 at 3:29 pm

      i’m with you bro, i’m with you..come let go survey other car…or i’ll treat you teh tarik watching all proton B segment model on the road cruising…

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 2
    • IrizX on Jan 14, 2016 at 3:44 pm

      Exactly. The new Suzuki A-segment doesn’t make a lot of sense, since it’s covered by SAGA.

      A new MPV, HRV or CRV makes more sense.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 0
      • camtakpro on Jan 15, 2016 at 1:40 pm

        SAGA is still sedan. Rakyat need small and efficient cars. Gone are the 850cc or 660cc Viva DVVT; now replaced by a 1L 1980s engine without any variable valve.

        A cheaper Proton Alto that has smaller engine than Axia will hit great esp in these hard times.

        It is just that higher priced Proton (avg >65k), not much are willing to spend such money on Proton.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
    • kazanixm on Jan 14, 2016 at 3:47 pm

      same in my mind, i thought the heavily revised saga will be in A segment while the Persona based on Iriz platform will be B segment?

      which mean now the list would be;
      A segment: rebadged suzuki
      B segment: Persona based Iriz platform
      Heavily revised Saga
      Current Iriz
      C segment: Preve
      Suprima S
      D segment: Perdana

      seems like B segment is having a lot of model for Proton.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 1
      • powershot (Member) on Jan 14, 2016 at 6:09 pm

        Wrong. Proton actually has a lot of C segment models.

        A segment: Proton-Suzuki collaboration car
        A+ segment: Saga
        B segment: Iriz, Persona
        C segment: Exora, Inspira, Preve, Suprima S
        D segment: Perdana

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 1
        • kazanixm on Jan 14, 2016 at 6:54 pm

          May have left out the Exora as it was considered as MPV but is not Inspira production and selling ceased already?

          C segment had 2 models right now which are the Preve(sedan)& Suprima (hatchback).It is not an issue as it is depending on the choice of consumer either they would like the sedan or hatchback

          The question would be,why would they have 2 same size sedan (regardless of the segment A+ or B) competing with each other? Should not only one affordable sedan is enough?

          And, i never see a sedan in A segment in Malaysia. If it is true, we`ll see which would the consumer buy, A segment sedan or B segment sedan

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 2
    • Bcos Saga become A segment sedan already, Persona fron C segment drop to B segment

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
    • DonkeyKong on Jan 14, 2016 at 11:52 pm

      Compact SUV is the way to go. The Exora’s platform is modular enough to be an SUV and even a D-segment sedan. They should leverage on that instead of constantly developing a new platform for every new car.

      They should have actual market analysis to see what customers want instead of building what they feel like building. Compact SUVs are an obvious choice. Look at the HR-V.. sold by the bucket loads with no sign of slowing down anytime soon. Even a low end compact SUV like the Haval M4.. its entire CKD quota has been fully booked, it is sold-out.

      But instead, Proton is just trying to play catch-up by having a me-too product that’s two years too late. Caught unprepared by the Axia’s tremendous success, now they also want to jump on the bandwagon… two years later. After everyone who’s interested in a small cheap car like the Axia has already bought one.

      I won’t be surprised if they come to their senses and see that compact SUVs have potential, based on the sales of the HR-V, and decides to rebadge the Grand Vitara with its good but ageing powertrain three years later.. after the fad has died down..

      I support Proton and I support all our local industries, especially those that foster the growth of our domestic human capital so that we can actually build everything along the supply chain instead of being like Thailand and Indonesia in which their industries are just about assembling and replicating, without actually developing the human capital and domestic expertise.

      However, Proton and other captains of the industry must convince Malaysians that there’s something worth supporting, and a future worth looking forward for. It’s already an uphill battle with the majority of Malaysians being selfish myopic foreign-brand-worshipers.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 0
      • Jangan persoal their worship of jepunis. They rather die in their vios than survive in a Preve.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 3
  • 2016plantocloseshop on Jan 14, 2016 at 3:22 pm

    turning point? just another copy and modified abit version of honda. stop cheating rakyat’s money. where is the promise of reduce car price? now instead of reduce u increase. great, digging own grave at least u don’t need rakyat to dig for u. close shop la all these joint producing, rebadging shit, if no quality u dare to rebadge other brands cars? with that fxxking high price? close shop la

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 3
  • kzm (Member) on Jan 14, 2016 at 3:23 pm

    P1 should terminate partnership with most of their authorize service centre as they mostly give subpar services and focus on their own 3S centre.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 1
  • Setiventailer on Jan 14, 2016 at 3:39 pm

    I dedicate this song “Dream On” by Aerosmith…please put on repeat until sukses proton..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 3
  • A good strategy to partner with Suzuki for small cars and Honda for large ones, while P1 continues to inhouse develop for mid-size. Some might call it a backward step but nowadays, no single mass market manufacturer that does not share any models with one another. At least the bread and butter B-segment is still fully P1.

    Unlike P2 which only rebadges Daihatsu models yet cannot give the safety net of the donor vehicles but wanna charge expensive. If their sedan model is not based on any Toyota/DMC car, then I give my respect.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 12 Thumb down 8
  • Jadilah seperti rashid on Jan 14, 2016 at 3:42 pm

    KERETA ASEAN MANA??? KATA 20 BULAN JE…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 2
    • Jokowie on Jan 15, 2016 at 6:58 am

      Kereta ASEAN = Toyota. Don’t waste your time trying to change reality lah Proton.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 2
  • For a small ailing auto company with sales slightly above 100k a year plus incompetent management and half-pass 6 jurutera, wants to launch 4 models? You can imagine their quality.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 12 Thumb down 3
  • macromedia on Jan 14, 2016 at 3:51 pm

    They must start to respect users and buyers. I mean look at that car design rendering. It scream amateur and someone just slap something together and call it a day. Nothing wrong with doing PR news and promotions. But c’mon, have some respect for your own products.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 1
  • lcmbryan on Jan 14, 2016 at 3:57 pm

    Please when you launch new model don’t do it in hall only full with proton supporter. Or at those open air parking. No one will go. Market at please where big car maker market their product like auto fair or our big mall. Your marketing department are improving but still now enough. That the reason you fail to sell.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 4
  • ahpek777 on Jan 14, 2016 at 4:07 pm

    u cant stop perodua people from dying with their soft cars ,

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 12 Thumb down 2
  • john die on Jan 14, 2016 at 4:09 pm

    while it still retains the concept of political cronies then go ahead with the dream

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 5
  • Chee Voon on Jan 14, 2016 at 4:13 pm

    Janji tetap janji, janji boleh dicapati.
    Proton syok sendiri in 2016.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 11 Thumb down 3
  • Mr Fakta on Jan 14, 2016 at 4:18 pm

    When the world’s automotive industry is now concentrating and hot on compact SUV, hybrid, fuel cell and autonomous, Proton is still struggling and focusing on technology others had done 20 years back.

    As a Malaysian, I do want Proton to success and tell the world that Proton is from my country. Even Kia and Hyundai is selling in the US and makes Korean pround. When is our turn? But is there a turn or never….

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 12 Thumb down 1
  • I recognize proton’s effort to be successful
    I really hope someday they’ll be there.

    All the best!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 17 Thumb down 1
  • hamba allah on Jan 14, 2016 at 4:34 pm

    hoping for this brand to change…at least beat perodua market and sales….they dont deserve to call as a national brand at all…

    come on proton…i love ur car as much as i do……

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 13 Thumb down 5
  • Chen Xin Xin on Jan 14, 2016 at 4:38 pm

    Wow . Good job Proton. 1.3 and 1.5 TurboGDi engine?!!!!
    Wahhh. I can smoke my brother 2.0 car after this. Will kept my money from buying other car right now!! I wait for you turbo Proton …

    Sudah test itu Suprima s. Manyak syokk. With your new 1.3 and 1.5 turbo I bet it will be even better!!!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 12 Thumb down 5
  • shawal on Jan 14, 2016 at 4:38 pm

    direct injection and turbo….
    interesting…..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 1
  • When Exora replacement will come out? It’s been overdue

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 1
  • alldisc on Jan 14, 2016 at 5:11 pm

    The people that Proton should sack from the very beginning
    1. The person who wanted to name Waja, instead of new Wira.
    2. The person that decided wira 1.6 is so good. We cannot sell it at 50k, lets sell it at 66k.
    This made the govt forced other car makers to push car price higher in order to protect Proton
    3. The person who claimed Proton is Asia’s BMW
    4. The person who decided to name Gen2, instead of new Wira when the code name was wira replacement model.
    5. The person who decided gen2 no need glovebox. And the entire team that designed the cabin interior. 1 cupholder?
    6. The design head for Proton savvy.
    7. The engineering head for campro engine. Engine low end power is weak.
    8. The person who wanted the name for Preve. And suprima. Why must keep changing names??
    9. The person who approved punch CVT in saga flx. Punch him before he exits.

    Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 56 Thumb down 2
    • You do realise the person semua salah is the elderly patron of Bersih 4.0?

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 9 Thumb down 13
    • Delusional on Jan 14, 2016 at 5:34 pm

      10. The person that keep insisting put signal stalk on left side steering column. Macam lah mau jual eksport Europe USA China 1 million units. His brain nothing right left.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 22 Thumb down 6
      • Its awkward at first but once you used to it, its actually more intuitive than Japan style stalk-at-right, especially when I am rowing my gears too. All done with my left hand, while steering is still controlled by my dominant right hand.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 9
        • Madcow disease on Jan 14, 2016 at 8:27 pm

          You have a funny brain. Please check with your nearest neurosurgeon as soonest okay!

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 10 Thumb down 5
          • Funny for you to say that when you puchong ah bengs dun even use your signal-at-right stalk when switching lanes.

            Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 3
  • preve owner now headache la, bocor sana bocor sini

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 7
  • Buaya Darat on Jan 14, 2016 at 5:33 pm

    New perdana looks like a renault fluenze!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • iskhalifah (Member) on Jan 14, 2016 at 5:37 pm

    Another auto blog mentioned that the JV car would be the Ertiga compact MPV. Perhaps Jonathan can comment on this?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
    • Funny jokers on Jan 15, 2016 at 7:06 am

      First attempt with Exora CFE to fight Alza but sales failed.

      Second attempt with cheaper Exora SV to fight Alza but sales failed also.

      Third attempt with rebadge ugly Ertiga to fight Alza…Hahahahehehehohoho

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 1
  • nabill (Member) on Jan 14, 2016 at 5:45 pm

    Bring in a an experienced forigner who knows what hes doing, and he will take a holistic approach to changing proton, only then u get my full respect, meanwhile, all those who came n went, kno crap about cars and automotive…do wat MAS is doing.. Their new ceo probably nobody likes him within MAS bcos hes head on face2face guy.. Anyting not working, either cancel it or alter the way of doing things….
    U can only have so much time proton, most of us grew up with the brand, and we yet to see it successful in an open environment…
    Get dr. M out, hes we all long for him as a PM compare to wat we have now, bt at the end of the day, hes no automotive genius, and his old school of doing things just doesnt work now…. Halt all new models and r&d, Revamp the WHOLE managmemt, disconnect l political influences, get a proper plan, a 5-10year long term plan.. And go on from there…ur own models are basically eating each others sales…. There is still time… Bt not much…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 22 Thumb down 1
    • How do P1 kick Tun M out if HE IS PROTON and PROTON IS HIM? You would have to walk over his dead body before P1 gets a gweilo CEO, thats for sure.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 4
    • iskhalifah (Member) on Jan 14, 2016 at 10:41 pm

      Proton had already hired few Suzuki engineers. Japanese I supposed. Hopefully it would be some kind of technology sharing to build a new car or develop major enhancement, rather than rebadging exercise.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • come on proton, we support your product and we love the people of malaysia, never mind of those negative comments, those are the people who are salesman of other cars made and has brain tumor problem in business, come on proton

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 12 Thumb down 4
  • proton user on Jan 14, 2016 at 5:52 pm

    paultan next time you see proton ceo tell him to go to paultan and read the comments. he probably still dreaming proton is on par whit BMW while others proton employees kissing his a**.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 6
    • If Steve Jobs read the comments about ipong 1 back then, you wouldnt have ipong 2, 3, 3G, 4, 4s, 5, 5s, 6, 6+, 6s….

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 3
      • applesss on Jan 14, 2016 at 6:48 pm

        this thing is steve job kept improving, that’s why. proton? just keep lying.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 11 Thumb down 3
        • Is there any safety improvements between 1st gen & 2nd gen Myvi? What about kelisa-viva-axia? Find ur facts first kid and then come back to me, who is the one keep improving and who is the one stagnating since beginning.

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
      • applesss on Jan 14, 2016 at 6:48 pm

        the thing is steve job kept improving, that’s why. proton? just keep lying.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 5
      • Nasi Lemak Mentality on Jan 14, 2016 at 7:01 pm

        Jobs sudah gi lama la… Apesal iphone 6 pun ade… Pandai kelentong la u…. Kakama

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 2
        • Vincent Ang on Jan 15, 2016 at 2:45 pm

          ‘Kept’ lah bodoh bukan ‘keeps’. Inilah akibat belajar sains danamteamtik dalam Bahasa Melayu.

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 2
  • Nasi Lemak Product! on Jan 14, 2016 at 6:58 pm

    Tutup la kedai ko Proton… Sudah cukup hisap darah dan duet orang malaysia…ape lansau pun mahal… Maintenance mahal, repair mahal, takde quality, selalu rosak… Tutup aje la… Jgn nak muka tebal ye!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 10 Thumb down 7
  • Anonymous on Jan 14, 2016 at 7:01 pm

    I believe the Preve, Suprima, Iriz… even Saga are good cars for their segment. I just don’t believe in TunM n DRB P1 mgmt anymore. Cars proven to be good enough to enter export market are not making it out there. Global small car is not going global yet blame the banks and public perception.

    TunM & DRB P1 only know how to complain about not enough govt assistance n public perception n everything else but themselves. They are complacent becoz the fed govt are the main consumer of their cars.

    Overall car sales are encouraging enogh but sales of P1 have been dwindling since 2001… n now they’re banking on the next new lineup to boost sales. By 2017 when the sales don’t push up TunM & DRB P1 mgmt will again come up with someone else to blame.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 2
    • Smart Tycoon on Jan 14, 2016 at 8:32 pm

      They will blame Mercedes because those towkays not buying the new Perdana.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 1
  • Shamgti on Jan 14, 2016 at 7:03 pm

    My mother iriz 2015 1.6 auto is like a sampah for 60k car.Want to support prontong but end with engine no power,nvh,radio,aircond and silly gearbox problem.So dont give excuse la Protong.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 12 Thumb down 15
    • Yeah .. proton still looking for another engine to replace campro… maknanya this year they will produce another sampah… how many more year proton need just to resolve the campro issue… rasanya dah dkt 10 tahun isu enjin ni tak selesai… lembap giler.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 1
  • rajaiskandarshah on Jan 14, 2016 at 7:05 pm

    I drive a proton savvy and manage the company’s proton exora. I look forward to the improvement in after sales and support. hoping to see more Proton owned 4s centres. currently some service centres are not even sure of service interval, dont even do the point checks (eg check timing belt tension), have very little knowledge of sensors / electronics, dont have the computerised diagnostic tools, not sure on warranty claims.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 14 Thumb down 2
  • Aiman hakim on Jan 14, 2016 at 7:42 pm

    Congrulations,proton.i hope proton will be a good company

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 1
  • Buruh paksa on Jan 14, 2016 at 8:36 pm

    John @ Ah Beng working overtime here, eh? Kesian macai defend junk like hell.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 10 Thumb down 5
    • I commend those that improves themselves especially in terms of safety. And I will hunt those macais working for companies that does not care about their customers yet wanna reap maximum profits. You go grovel back to ur masters and tell them that.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 1
  • ketutkentut on Jan 14, 2016 at 9:17 pm

    I am Malaysian. I am patriotic and a govt servant.
    However, enough is enough with never ending problem of Proton.

    I gave up Proton 20 years ago. I vowed I wont touch proton in my life time.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 20 Thumb down 4
    • Lifetime regret on Jan 14, 2016 at 10:00 pm

      Macai sure tembak you with “lifetime warranty power window, apa lagi lu mau”

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
    • Proton of today is much different than Proton of 20 years ago. Just test drive urself. its free of charge

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 3
    • Pengguna Bijak on Jan 15, 2016 at 9:39 am

      Buying car = Patriotism? Stupid bollock.

      Selling crap problematic car to own rakyat is what? Patriotism too? Bangang brain.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 1
    • Awang England on Apr 24, 2016 at 2:52 am

      Hebat! Powerfull. Tendangan penuh aksi dan bergaya ke gol sendiri pun boleh dapat tepukan gemuruh. Kira apa. Bunuh anak sendiri yang cacat (cara buang masalah) dan melalak meraung puja anak orang yang comel sukar juga nak suruh orang kata sebagai anak kita – Kut jadi syok sendiri.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • JB guy on Jan 14, 2016 at 10:13 pm

    I dont understand why there are so many Proton haters.I have owned both Euro makes and Proton,and I must say Protons have served me and my family well.Im proud to say I am using a Preve Turbo and its pretty powerful and handles well.I can bet the Proton bashers have never owned a Proton.Yes,there are some Proton models I wouldnt buy,and the Malaysia auto policy is screwed up,but it is what it is…it is our National car and many people’s first car was a Proton,so quit bashing it…cheers
    And…Happy Ponggal…:-)

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 3
    • Hopeless on Jan 15, 2016 at 11:51 am

      Preve so good better sell it at Civic or Altis price lah macha. Let’s see which car you gonna buy worth it every single cent your hard-earned money.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 3
  • Jimmy on Jan 14, 2016 at 10:36 pm

    Vehicles are mostly not perfect; you will agree when you own multiple luxurious vehicles. That’s why aftersales service is important. It is how you tackle it to win the heart of customer despite having a defect: hey, this is having defect in the first place and yet manage to win the heart of customer.
    Electron’s employees are mostly deficient in commitment and enthusiasm in problem solving, attitude problems, promotions/enumerations based on Bing or Bingdi, managers sambil-lewa, ‘capability’ is not in the dictionary. You cannot treat adults like pengemis, who are behind them? Are they dumb/pekak-tuli?
    Train your staffs, including your 3S managers.
    I owned Wajar many years ago when I was young.
    Now my vehicles are houses moving on roads.

    Oh, btw, a small thing power window warranty still takes 89 days to claim now in 2016? I don’t know, I am asking.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • jalil on Jan 15, 2016 at 12:57 am

    Proton is a prostitute producing bastards.
    Sleep with mitsu = inspira.Honda=Perdana.
    Renault / Citroën / Suzuki
    Just like a headless chicken with
    zero direction. Think logically ,
    Why would Suzuki wanna share their tech with Proton who has nothing to offer in return.
    Wanna produce 150k cars in 2016 ?
    2015 stockpile taking up so much space at the junkyard and they have the cheek to produce somemore.
    While the global automotive industry is expecting a slowdown & have made contingency plans, Proton is hoping for a miracle to happen.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 1
  • Simon on Jan 15, 2016 at 1:44 am

    If Proton had not exist, all these crap of nation hate, blames, argument won’t have started in the first place. We all Malaysians will drive peacefully.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • Big Alpha Dog on Jan 15, 2016 at 7:50 am

    As long protong cannot export, and only local market, it’s a failure. katak. 2.2b? What a joke…I bet those cronies supplier to build whatever is laughing..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • LanspiraEvo on Jan 15, 2016 at 7:50 am

    Proton, honestly speaking, it is due to price that the Rakyat has chosen you.
    If you understand this fact, stop the nonsense of increasing the price! Yes, your Iriz is impressive with the material you use, but your CVT is really letting it down. Game changer? Ask yourself.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • rashid kedaun on Jan 15, 2016 at 8:06 am

    bought preve instead of city, end up with high maintenance cost, spark plug rm400, brake pad front only rm520, cvt major service almost rm1k…numerous part & quality problem…last proton for me

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • areos on Jan 15, 2016 at 8:28 am

    wow..clash of the titans..haters vs lovers…sama-sama handal aa..dont quarell and dont compare proton with hyundai..(the nealy bankrupt co which forced to merge with KIA or vice versa) they supported by patriotic Korean 70 million population which very much love their countries and product ..whereas proton is only supported by 50% of 25 million (the other 50% only cari makan here)…Hyundai bought technology from Japanese right from the very beginning but proton was only allowed to rebatch cars from Mitsubishi..

    In other countries cars not cheap either even they dont have tax regime like ours.. In Singapore the cheapest car you can get is RM120,000. If only car prices are cheap..you still have to pay exorbitant prices for other essential like petrol. So try to live according to your means..if you are poor.. dont ever dream to have a new BMW in your garage ( do you have garage in your house anyway ?)

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
    • Hopeless on Jan 15, 2016 at 11:52 am

      Proton Preve so cheap in Australia yet nobody buy it. Maybe Australians are very smart to avoid or really dumb not to try it.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • azrai on Jan 15, 2016 at 9:20 am

    They should sell the land in Shah Alam and the g turn them into rumah rakyat la. Focus on tg. malim only. Efficient. Cost cutting.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • whip Proton but be fair on Jan 15, 2016 at 9:21 am

    There is no doubt that the Proton brand is not liked by many people
    it’s true they have made many mistakes
    so it’s only fair that we whip them
    and keep whipping them until they get back in shape
    there is no magic potion for Proton
    it’s all about hard work and doing right by their customers, and that is us
    Proton’s story reminds me of Carlos Ghosn’s book ‘Turnaround’ when Nissan was suffering
    They kept making losses and every time they took steps to turnaround it didn’t work
    Nissan had debts of over USD22 billion at the time
    Nissan came in and gambled with over USD5billion in cash to bail out Nissan
    at the time Nissan had outdated models, because they didn’t have the cash to develop new models and the workers were demoralised because the company kept losing money and their sales were sliding
    Nissan once controlled 34% of Japanese market and over time that slipped to 19%

    changing their ways was difficult, it took an outsider to do it.

    Change is difficult, even on apersonal level we can find change difficult, inikan pulak to change the work ethics and attitude of 10,000 people

    So I think the current management is looking at a huge mountain to scale and they are finding it challenging for whatever reason

    we should keep whipping them to make them climb the mountain but I think it is important that we whip them out of kindness and out of wanting them to do well rather than whipping them for the sake of whipping

    Malaysians have every right to be upset and angry with Proton, like someone said we have supported them and all our families have bought a Proton at some time and that makes us all their customer

    I am hoping that the new Suzuki dealers who are joining Proton will inject new internal competition and work culture so that the others can see that they have to buck up and improve

    Perodua spent RM1.3 billion on a new factory and hired all new workers to change the work culture and it is paying off for them but even they realise that customer service is an important key to their success

    After Sales will account for more and more of their income and profit in the future and Proton is slowly realising this and they have to share this perspective with their dealers
    After all everyone works for money, if the dealers start seeing that bad attitude in the service bay results in a lot of lost income then they will start changing

    I used to work in retail and I can tell you that a smile and good communication skills can convince customers to upgrade their purchase decision and makes upselling a lot easier

    All this turnaround talk by Proton may be getting abit boring but I think we should take the positive side, that it is a sign that they realise that they are in trouble and doing everything they can think of to change and be better

    I hope they will soon find the thing that they need to do and do it and make that change

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 1
  • applegreen on Jan 15, 2016 at 9:32 am

    susah sangat kita rebadge proton jadi paultan. Di sini ada ramai pakar kereta jadi kita boleh buat ‘paultan national car’ lagi hebat daripada toyota

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 2
    • Hopeless on Jan 15, 2016 at 11:57 am

      Dulu Proton buli rakyat kaw-kaw. Tahun 80an 90an tiada internet boleh kelentong.

      Sekarang sorry lah giliran rakyat pula buli Proton kaw-kaw. Sudah semput nak lingkup jual saja kilang sama Toyota Perodua.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 3
  • Annoynimouse on Jan 15, 2016 at 12:02 pm

    Credit given where its due. The IRIZ was indeed a great product and rightfully awarded best car by this blog last year. However, PROTON has to put in place the “get it right the first time” mentality in launches of its future products. News of new car customers needing frequent visits to the workshops for warranty claims does not good to the image of the brand even though whatever replacement and repairs are FOC. It is a very challenging industry. And please do something about the whining CVT. I still wanna see the Malaysian manufacturer improve.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • john=Proton CEO Datuk Abdul Harith Abdullah, working overtime just to improve proton image at paultan comment

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • proton must be change the engine and gear box after the company can improve sale

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • Same L0rrr on Jan 17, 2016 at 10:05 am

      Yeah.. dont shy to put in the I-Vtec 1.5 engine inside the proton iriz..
      If not, just put the perodua engine plus 4 speed E-AT transmission inside iriz.. Problem solve!

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • I own a Proton Saga FLX. (SV)
    The prblm is only at 1yr and a half the bearing at left front already make a noise, not just that also change wiper and a bumping noise at front and back whenever hit hump or bumpy road at dead slow movement, not like my Perodua Myvi almost 3yrs nothing happen at all, not even change the wipers,
    This is shown the quality of Proton and Perodua…patutlah saga flx murah, rupanye barang tak kualiti…sayang seribu kli Sayang, nk sokong buatan Malaysia tpi…….

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • syafiq on Feb 10, 2016 at 4:01 pm

    muhammad said:when someone who is wicked and bring a news to you , please investigate (tabayyun) carefully before you tell the news to anybody else .

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • tehtarik on May 08, 2016 at 8:52 pm

    I own 1997 wira,1996(1.3) Iswara, 2002 (1.5)Iswara, and 1992(1.3) Saga,all give me little problem,I am still using them except the 1.3
    saga sold.But the power window problem had in all in Proton car, However my 2005 (1.5) wira did give me a lot of problem, new
    car 3 mth oil seal broke down, asked proton to replace,foc but refused, 8mth later manual cluth plate broken down.Those car use Mitsubishi engine work best.all mileage hit av 300k, But car
    produced 2005 onwards produced WORST Car.Since then never
    intent 2 buy Proton car,but saga,wira parts cheap,not Waja part
    My friend Iswara 2007 car Lousy car,many problem.Since then
    my family keep Proton at bay.How we rakyat want to buy Proton car,with Campro engine in it. Just simply do not trust them any
    more.My relative 2013 Saga, 2nd year all sort of noise came up.
    Buy used Myvi 5yrs sound better investment, got resale value after 10 yrs, and save time not having go to work shop like Proton car.you will get sick with it

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • sang kancil on Jun 01, 2016 at 2:28 pm

    pada suatu hari, sang kancil berjalan jalan dan tersempak dengan sang buaya di sebatang sungai, kemudian sang buaya pon makan sang kancil… tamat… ok bye

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 1
  • Don Juan on Jul 15, 2016 at 8:36 am

    Bad talk about Proton. Have a look at chinese made car …..BUY one FREE one…and still nobody one to buy. You buy today guarantee tomorrow go workshop bro.
    So proton is better bro

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Drove a shit car proton on Jul 19, 2016 at 6:38 pm

    DI? Turbo? Can handle anot. Latr engine explode u noe.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • DroveSuckCarProton on Jul 19, 2016 at 6:39 pm

    DI? turbo? can handle anot. latr engine explode.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Proton own Lotus, give them campro, sort engine emmissions and get some Gen2’s back on UK market with LPG factory fitted. I have a 2010MY Gen2, one of the best cars made, have driven hard for 2 years and had to change change signal switch, handles like a dream, lots of friends would buy, dealers pulling out hair as nothing to sell. Sort it.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
 

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