By far the biggest news surrounding the recently-launched 2022 Proton X70 was the new engine option – a 1.5 litre turbocharged three-cylinder, first seen in the smaller X50. Except that this isn’t exactly the same mill, as it doesn’t come in a box from China, but assembled in Malaysia.
This was announced ahead of the media test drive on Tuesday, during which we were able to sample the downsized engine – you can read our first impressions here. The three-pot, which replaces the old 1.8 litre four-cylinder on most variants, is being built on a new production line at Proton’s Tanjung Malim plant.
According to powertrain deputy COO Muhamad Hasbullah bin Ismail, the new engine is made out of 30% Malaysian-made parts; we were told this exceeded the government’s requirement. As a result, the X70 now has a local content count of almost 70%, said the car’s chief engineer Md Fariza bin Ibrahim.
It’s been known for some time that the national carmaker had been courting vendors to build parts for the engine, with Sapura Industrial announcing as early as May last year that it had been contracted to supply the camshafts and torsional vibration dampener. The company has also been steadily increasing the local content for the X70 itself, which stood at 45% when the CKD model was launched in early 2020.
Building the Geely-Volvo engine in house is a major step towards Proton’s eventual goal of replacing its dated CamPro mill with the three-pot. This is the key reason behind the development of a port-injected (PFI) variant for use in cheaper models, although currently only the more powerful direct-injected version (TGDi) is being produced locally. No word yet on whether the X50 will also receive the CKD mill, though it stands to reason it will get it sooner rather than later – if it hasn’t already, of course.
Fitting the engine into Proton’s Geely-based products is one thing, but its indigenously-designed models will be the next frontier. While the Exora is due for a minor change (MC) this year, we know the ageing MPV is set to get a more comprehensive facelift at some point in the near future – and the hope is that the old CamPro CFE turbo mill will be replaced by the new 1.5 litre unit, perhaps in PFI form. We can also expect the eventual replacements for the Saga, Iriz and Persona models to be designed with this engine in mind.
For now, the CKD 1.5 litre engine is making its debut in the 2022 X70, which is priced starting at RM93,900 for the 1.5 TGDi Standard and rises up to RM117,900 for the 1.5 TGDi Premium. The old 1.8 litre four-cylinder – still sourced from Geely in China – lives on in the range-topping 1.8 TGDi Premium, which is priced at RM121,800.
GALLERY: 2022 Proton X70 1.5 TGDi Premium
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Hopefully can reach >90% by 2027.
Maju Proton.
Prosperous Car industry for Malaysian.
Malaysian supplier can fabricate parts for assembly too.
Be Optimistic, I’m So done with P2 Fanboys and other Fanboys who thinks that P1 is a Failure Product…
I don’t hate or mock other brands (my sister own an P2 Activa, and i think it’s a good car), but i hate fanboyism, i’m a Fan of Proton not a Fanboy. I can apprecite other brand to be better, but i hope Proton to be better too …
38yrs in existence, p1 still not capabled to build a proper car enjin. Totally inept, useless, a piece of manure is more better
Proton have been building some good engines for ages please do not spread fake news.
The only thing is they are financially restrained from investing into R&D for newer engines. With a tiny market like Malaysia, it’s just not worth it.
In order to increase their budget for R&D, their only option is to increase exports apart from maintaining high sales figures in Malaysia .
all makes sense now
proton can only focus on 1 engine for local content. since they cannot change x50 to use 1.8, they change x70 to use 1.5
With the target for local manufacturing, this 1.5L engine could be the keystone to power future Proton models in various configurations; 1.5NA, 1.5T, 1.5TGDI, 1.5 Hybrid, 1.5 Recharge, and so on. It is a world class award winning engine so it has solid pedigree and there is really nothing to complain about getting a Volvo engine at Proton prices.
If no new model for sunset Exora,at least Dr.Li ngam in using the 1.5 turbo to replace museum Jurassic Campro engine.At last,got some fresh breeze for a stale product.
The 2 most important aspect of a petrol driven car..engine and gear box.If these 2 keep sending us to money pit mechanics,then times up,to change to something better.
I hope for the same thing ..
to use x50 powertrain imagines exora needs to go thru major modifications on engine mountings and gearbox fitting
Why not assembled at Proton Casting plant at Glenmarie?
Proton plant is no longer as advance as people thinks. Time have changed and so are the equipments and machinery. Looking at the world chip shortage, takes a longer time to do so. At the same time it requires cashflow injection
It is good if this engine can be fitted into preve/suprima and make them alive again.
Now people discuss EVs. Malaysia is damping obsolete ground technology.
“LOng lifetime, low noises timing belt engine”, i don’t mind. But when reach 80k+ km, ended up rm1000++ bill came out from proton service center.
bro, if can’t afford better buy kancil or axia la haiya jgn paksa diri