Also revealed at the Proton stand at the Malaysia Autoshow 2024 is the S70 R3 Malaysian Touring Car, the national carmaker’s first all-new race car since the Saga in 2019. It’s also the first to be built on a Geely-based model and will compete at the Sepang 1,000 km (S1K) endurance race for the first time since that year.
The S70 race car will debut a new aero package, which appears to be based on the bodykit currently offered as an option (and fitted to the first 3,000 units of the range-topping Flagship X), along with a large carbon fibre rear wing. It also rides on 15-inch Raxer RP10X flow-formed alloy wheels wrapped in Hankook Ventus TD semi-slick tyres.
If it appears that the car you see here is simply a kitted-up Flagship with R3’s signature black and yellow graphics, you’re absolutely right – it’s missing the regulation roll cage, stripped-out cabin and larger track-biased brakes, and it still sports the ADAS windscreen-mounted camera that is obviously not necessary for racing.
So it’s no surprise that technical details are thin on the ground. The retail S70 uses a 1.5 litre port-injected turbocharged three-cylinder engine that pushes out 150 PS and 226 Nm of torque, mated to a seven-speed wet dual-clutch transmission. However, there will be some changes necessitated by regulations and the punishing nature of racing.
The S1K race uses Malaysian Touring Car (MTC) regulations comparable to the M-Production (Modified) category of the Malaysia Championship Series (MCS), which forbids the use of forced induction. This means Proton will have to remove the turbo from the three-pot and modify it for race use – likely with increased stroke to bump up the engine capacity to the 1,600 cc limit.
The alternative would be to use the 1.5 litre naturally-aspirated four-pot from the S70’s donor car, the Geely Emgrand; in China, this engine makes 114 PS and 147 Nm. The DCT will also have to be swapped out for a hardier race gearbox, likely a sequential unit.
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The rear so Ah Bengist looks, spoiler lurus je, needs to tweak a bit la., whatever it’s , still bullied by Honda gangs .
Why NA? The turbo not reliable ka?
Its mentioned there, the regulation forbid force induction
i doubt they still can use tahyt 3 cycl
with such low power, the spoiler is just for show.
Meeehhh… a glorified body kit supplier with. O proper engineering background…..
P1 is again venturing into the abyss…just focus on availability of spare parts,better QC,and prompt attention to aduans.
If I have spare cash,I can go to any top car spa in town..and spruce up my Proton at my whims and fancies.No need all these gaudy designs that r more of an eyesore.
standard proton s70 come with 16inch and premium is 17inch rim this one is 15inch raxer rim, kinda weird to downgrade size isn’t it?
Gearbox at least Hewland or Xtrac sequential. Why not retain the turbo, put on some weight ballast.
For ah beng and ah lian…
Proton pls make a rm60k ish proper 4 cylinder timing chain sedan for malaysian. Not a high fuel consumption car to fight against vios or city.
While all other car manufacturers showcase new car model, concept car, something that represent what is coming in the future, Proton show case this Ah Beng car with stickers and spoilers.
Geely probably regretted buying Proton now. Many of their competitors from China is making waves here selling EV while they now have extra burden to decide to launch EV under own brand of Proton.
Under Geely brand = double investment in same country. Under Proton = service quality/no parts will marred the image of their EV.
Not proton just Geely