At the press conference of Proton’s new engine range announcement, Proton CEO Datuk Abdul Harith Abdullah also confirmed that the next Proton Saga will be positioned closer to the A-segment, bringing it more in line with other such sedans sold elsewhere in the world like the Honda Brio Amaze, Toyota Etios, Hyundai Xcent and Ford Figo Aspire. Does a move to the global market beckon?
The current car is marketed more as a budget B-segment sedan with value-added features taking precedence over higher-quality trim, materials and gadgets. The repositioning would perhaps enable the Saga to be even more affordable, with a more competitive pricing structure.
The move is said to be part of a larger effort to streamline Proton’s slightly confusing model range, with the upcoming lineup being wider in spread to promote a clearer separation between the models – and, we presume, to prevent Persona buyers from cross-shopping with the cheaper Saga, for instance.
Harith also said that the Saga is a likely recipient of Proton’s upcoming three-cylinder VVT engines, displacing 1.0 litres and 1.2 litres. “In the future, the Proton Saga will be moved to the A-segment, or A+ segment, so the 1.0 litre engine would be suitable for that application,” he said, adding that the company is also at work on a turbocharged version of the 1.0 litre mill.
Do note, however, that the new engines are not due to enter production before the end of 2017, so the upcoming 2016 Saga, to be launched later this year, could either use the 1.3 litre VVT engine from the Iriz or soldier on with the 1.3 litre IAFM+ mill from the current Saga.
On the other hand, when quizzed on the future of the existing CamPro engines, Harith said that for certain markets, where emissions and fuel economy requirements are not as tight, Proton may continue using the older, cheaper powertrains. So question is this – would you pay extra for a more advanced engine in the next Saga?
SPYSHOTS: 2016 Proton Saga
Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.
strife for betterment…good job
Good job, let’s hope, move forward.
Lazy macai keep on recycling same crap again.
The car downgraded to A segment but price not downgraded. Those new saga buyers really smart. I just can’t stop laughing
What if you got best computing hardware packed in big boxy desktop casing with 20″ CRT monitor of 90s style? …. That’s the picture of Proton today. They keep producing and developing ‘ancient’ packages. While markets are craving for SUVs, Proton keeps producing sedans, and worse, their sedans are nowhere against market benchmarks (Maybe it’s okey if they did it the best what they can do best). Whatever said, Proton are loosing the market fast now for selling products the market no longer wants, and even worse, with its traditional unresolved problems.
Proton’s Compact SUV is already in the pipeline. And the majority of car buyers still prefer normal cars over SUV.
Good luck … waiting!!!
Aka Proton Emas
Good luck, good job, let’s hope.
Lazy macai simply cloned itself same crap again.
Now isnt this ironic that ur cloning ur same comments like above….
The older Campro engines should be used for cars that Proton will sell to developing markets like Bangladesh, India, South America, etc. just like how VW deploys their MPI engines with 6-speed Aisin gearboxes in Russia, India, Brazil, etc. while their TFSI engines and DSG gearboxes are paired with models sold in more developed markets due to the higher likelihood of infrastructure availability to support the more advanced (and potentially problematic) powertrain.
Not every country import junk, understand?
And not every country needs the latest and greatest, understand? Marketing and sales isn’t about selling the most expensive and the best, or the cheapest and the latest.
Not every country need latest car but everyone on the earth need RELIABLE car, that’s why Proton can’t even cross border to Thailand and Singapore. No one wants junk!
PROTON does not know aerodynamics
more matchbox design.
R&D is useless.Must be hiring those MARA kukos
Common la…look at other designs…
PROTON ???? Close shop la.Better.Every rakyat will be glad and able to afford quality cars and enjoys luxury of life.All this is MAHATHIRS fault..nak design kereta konon.
Would you rather wait for Perodua Sedan and defeat both new Saga and Persona in one go?
Nope. Why wud anyone wait for their coffin to arrive?
Everyone will die yes it is truth.But in Malaysia proton drivers is the largest group of dead drivers on the road, swallow the fact. The moment you take the proton, your wallet bank saving fixed deposit investment already in coffin. Thanks to proton notorious quality.Good luck
Thanks to Toyota’s poor roof structure Hilux, Fortuner, Innova and Avanza roof easily collapse when rolled over. Wait how come they rolled over; oh yes skid over the edge of the road due to lack of TC and VSC across every Toyota models in Malaysia yet people still buys it! A very well done high quality.
@john Gua kerja pilot kapal terbang dalam malaysia airlines, gaji RM20,000 sebulan pon pakai perodua ja pergi kerja. Gua punya kapal terbang harga RM150 juta kalau langgar lu punya kepala pun lu mampos juga la. Ini proton taksubers semua banyak sembang kencang la. Bila-bila semua orang boleh mampos la.
Wow, brilliant marketing strategy..the existing Saga wit 1.3.and 1.6 engine sure market value increase 200%..better sell all yur poperties amd stocks and invest in existing Sagas
Haiya… Macam mana mau achieve economic of scale kalau masih jual itu campro…
Good move to reposition saga to the A segment. So now we wl probably see alto n saga in the A segment, iriz n iriz sedan in the B, Preve n Suprima in the C segment and Perdana in the D segment. However the pricing must be right too. Std pricing for the A segment should be below 40k, B less than 60k, C not more than 80k, D max at 100k. This wl give them edge over foreign model. Probably should introduce gizmo loaded options on certain models like the perdana or the C segments just to show what proton are capable of.
Hope they wont come up with another
Idiotic tag line.
Stay composed and don’t brag when your product is still in its infancy stages.
Pity all Saga owner thinking that they own bigger car but now their status has been reduced to as kancil and viva. A-segment – hahaha.
Proton, you are killing your own market. You should know Proton buyers are mostly wannabes. They are very particular on how people see and label them. Now you are telling them their prize possession is an A-segment car? They will flip.