Malaysia to be global production hub for right-hand drive Geely Boyue for exports, and the Proton X70

Malaysia to be global production hub for right-hand drive Geely Boyue for exports, and the Proton X70

The big news today is the reveal of the Proton X70, the brand’s first SUV. Proton pulled the wraps off the Geely Boyue-based C-segment SUV at its Centre of Excellence in Shah Alam this morning for a media preview, and you can read all about the new model here.

The first batch of the Proton X70 will be CBU imports, made by Geely in China. Proton’s Tanjung Malim plant is currently undergoing preparations to produce the X70, and that will start in the middle of next year, according to Yoshiya Inamori, Proton’s VP of manufacturing.

The reality is that quality of China-made goods have improved by leaps and bounds, but there’s still a stigma when it comes to cars from the country. Inamori, a Mitsubishi veteran, implied that Geely’s quality is well ahead of Proton’s by saying that the Malaysian company is “coming to Geely’s level,” which itself is “close to Volvo’s level.” More on Inamori’s views on Proton’s quality and improvement initiatives here.

Deputy CEO Datuk Radzaif Mohamed adds that Proton has sent over 500 engineers (on top of the designers) to Geely to not just learn the technical aspects when it comes to quality, but also to “bring back the working culture.” He confirmed to paultan.org that Proton will be the global production hub for not just the Malaysian market X70, but potential right-hand drive export markets, where it’s likely to be Proton badged.

GALLERY: Proton X70 colours

GALLERY: Geely Boyue 1.8L TGDi facelift

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Danny Tan

Danny Tan loves driving as much as he loves a certain herbal meat soup, and sweet engine music as much as drum beats. He has been in the auto industry since 2006, previously filling the pages of two motoring magazines before joining this website. Enjoys detailing the experience more than the technical details.

 

Comments

  • tokmoh. on Sep 07, 2018 at 12:46 pm

    HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHA

    YES YES YEEEES!

    This is how to be a foreign partner, Daihatsu! Give proper world class car that can be exported worldwide, invest more here and give back to the people more here!

    Not exploit and skimp on safety, sell half hearted junk only can be sold in third world country, give nothing back to the people, yet hoard all the profit to yourself.

    Be afraid, be very afraid, for the world will know the might of Geely Empire! The global domination has only just begun, the game is truly, verily changed starting right here, right now with Proton! ALL HAIL GEELY EMPIRE!!!

    Volvo, Polestar, London Taxi, Lotus, Lynk & co, Volvo Trucks, Mercedes, Proton, Geely > all

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 61 Thumb down 29
    • Thank you China on Sep 07, 2018 at 1:11 pm

      What will Malaysia do without China’s help? From automobile to infrastructure…..we need China to guide us. Lucky we have China to lead the country now to more prosperity

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 17 Thumb down 23
    • Muzammil on Sep 07, 2018 at 1:19 pm

      After such a loooong downtime, Proton factory hands gotta busy glueing P1 carbadge again.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 11 Thumb down 20
    • Proton Rebadger After 30 Yrs on Sep 07, 2018 at 1:22 pm

      Dont be so proud. All the work done by China. Proton just goyang kaki and tumpang glamour.

      This whole car is 100% designed by Geely.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 28
      • Rightwinger on Sep 07, 2018 at 6:28 pm

        Yes, we know you. We know you only know how to rain on other people’s parade.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 0
      • Why not tell it to PT or the Marines for that matter.
        “Approximately 750,000 man-hours have gone into the making of this model, and the test mule has clocked over two million kilometres of reliability testing.”

        “In any case, converting a left-hand drive car to a right-hand drive one isn’t as simple as moving the steering wheel and pedals to the correct side. Aside from a completely new dashboard, switchgear, power window buttons and even the front seats, there would also need to be changes to the mechanicals as well.”

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 13 Thumb down 1
    • Raja Celup on Sep 07, 2018 at 2:43 pm

      LoLz…so much hoo-ha but only to become world’s biggest kilang celup.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 16
  • Bernard on Sep 07, 2018 at 12:47 pm

    The land of copy paste(China) has come up with a product that looks somewhat original.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 11 Thumb down 3
    • Thank you Tun and Thank you PH on Sep 07, 2018 at 1:16 pm

      Lucky Tun had a good vision to see this through. All the best Boyue!!!

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 18
    • Andrew Goh on Sep 07, 2018 at 1:26 pm

      30 years Malaysia did not learn anything with Proton or Perodua.

      Now we still rebadge. Malu betul. Berpuluh billions down the drain

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 15
      • rally_fan (Member) on Sep 11, 2018 at 1:01 pm

        its so weird that when proton produces its own cars, persona, saga, savvy, satria neo, gen 2, waja, exora.. people just talk rubbish, and buy a rebadged perodua anyways .. when proton works together with its majority shareholder and gets a new platform albeit rebadged at this stage.. people talk rubbish again.. proton and geely are not just “rebadge” partners like how ertiga, tiara, etc. were made. geely owns practically 50% of proton. this is long term business.. not a one-off rebadge job. besides that.. rebadging a working, tested and existing model from geely makes the most business sense as proton needs an injection of new models fast. to develop a new model from scratch will take upwards of 2 years. proton doesnt have the luxury of time.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 0
    • theShah on Sep 07, 2018 at 1:34 pm

      No evoque lookalike. what a shame…

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 13
  • Thank you China on Sep 07, 2018 at 12:48 pm

    This car will do well and will once again make Malaysia great again. Thank you Geely and thank you China for helping Malaysia. Without your help, Proton would be in the longkang.

    Thank you Geely and we hope more brilliant people from China come and lead us to greater heights.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 27 Thumb down 6
  • Pilihanraya Kalah Teruk on Sep 07, 2018 at 12:54 pm

    In the 80s and 90s we were heading to be the Detroit of Asia. Unfortunately, because of ketuanan issues and caveman thinking, Malaysia managed to chase all the investors away to Thailand. Thailand is now the Detroit of Asia. We lost hundreds of billions USD in investments the past 20 years plus about few hundred thousand jobs.

    Now, this car is showing a good sign for Malaysia. Let us hope this is a good start for more China car manufacturers to open up plants in Malaysia and make Malaysia the next motoring hub. Hopefully, the car companies in Thailand also will see this and return back to Malaysia, building our car industry even more.

    Malaysia is heading to better times with a new and proper attitude.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 28 Thumb down 20
    • kzm (Member) on Sep 07, 2018 at 3:16 pm

      Who do you think produce a lot car back then? I give u answer it is proton n perodua not Honda or Toyota. During 80’s n 90’s Thai already produce a lot of car because Thai ban imported car. That time Indo oso compete with Thai. Bolehland in 3rd place. Thai remove import car ban in 90’s by then most Japan car maker already have car plant in Thai. Enter new millennium proton sales dwindle…u rest u know already.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 9 Thumb down 1
    • Rightwinger on Sep 07, 2018 at 6:32 pm

      Certainly not your attitude- belittling and casting aspersions about any and all efforts to move forward and to downplay any local achievements.
      You’re not bangsa Malaysia material.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 1
  • TunM visit made them know who da boss. Lulz!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 15 Thumb down 12
  • “…Proton has sent over 500 engineers (on top of the designers) to Geely to not just learn the technical aspects when it comes to quality,…”

    This is like Malaysia sending people to North Korea to learn democracy.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 78
  • Not Toyota Fan on Sep 07, 2018 at 2:28 pm

    If the local CKD are of the same quality standard as the future export variant, then there is hope yet for Proton QAQC.

    Remember when Wira & Saga UK export variant had better fit, finish, QC & safety? That shouldn’t happen again.

    Why should a Malaysian manufactured car be substandard quality in it’s own country of manufacture?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 0
  • Sasha on Sep 07, 2018 at 3:36 pm

    Who cares about all the old grandfather issues. If this car is half as good as it looks and with decent price. I’m down to order one.

    The fact that is has some Malaysian input and supports Malaysian jobs, that’s a bonus for an anak Malaysia like me.

    Can you say the same about buying a Honda or Toyota, etc. I don’t think so.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 12 Thumb down 0
    • Bernard on Sep 07, 2018 at 4:13 pm

      All workers in Toyota, Honda etc in Malaysia are locals and it has been for decades…for example : munusamy, ah kau, bujang:)

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 2
    • John Jenin on Sep 07, 2018 at 7:37 pm

      Thailand without national car but today become the Detroit of Asia exporting millions of cars globally even Thai-made Hilux exported to its parent country Japan simply a testament of proven Thai product quality.

      That’s how car industry done right unlike here MAI EEV NAP full of nonsense fairy tales while Indonesia and Vietnam fast catching up the ante with Thailand to conquer global car export.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 1
 

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