Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad is surely the oldest practicing car guy in Malaysia? The fourth and seventh prime minister’s love for automobiles and driving himself is well documented, and he’s still doing it today, at 99 years old. Yes, the man will be a century old next year and he’s still sharp. Here, the ‘father of Proton’ is pictured driving the marque’s latest sedan, the S70.
What also caught our eye is the spec of this S70, which doesn’t match any of the four variants available in showrooms – Executive, Premium, Flagship and Flagship X. Based on the leatherette upholstery, 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system and analogue meter panel, this ought to be the Premium.
However, the car also comes with a sunroof, which is exclusive to the Flagship X. The range-topping X is basically the Flagship with the addition of a sunroof and front dashcam. Is this a one-of-a-kind S70 custom made for Tun? Not surprising, as the statesman is the founder of Proton and was the carmaker’s chairman until 2016.
Launched in November last year, the S70 is based on the Geely Emgrand, which shares the X50’s BMA platform. It’s a touch larger than the B-segment Honda City, but Proton calls the S70 a C-segment sedan and has given it a 1.5-litre turbo engine.
That’s the 1.5-litre port-injected three-cylinder engine that powers the X50 Standard to Premium (not the 177 PS/255 Nm 1.5L TGDi unit in the X50 Flagship and X70 MC). The 150 PS/226 Nm 1.5L MPI unit is paired to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic – so the difference between the RM74k Executive and the RM95k Flagship X boils down to kit – and you can compare the specs here.
Also check out our comprehensive review of the S70 below, as well as galleries of all the variants.
GALLERY: Proton S70 1.5T Flagship X
GALLERY: Proton S70 1.5T Flagship
GALLERY: Proton S70 1.5T Premium
GALLERY: Proton S70 1.5T Executive
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Prove fit to drive is to drive all the way from Klang Valley to Alor Setar and return back safely?
Why is he still not in jail along with PMX and with the rest of PH mentris & politicians for ruining our country?
Just like how someone can become DPM and totally free from any allegations after becoming DPM.
Everyone knows he is a PH mole in BN colours. The blame still goes back to PH being the destroyer of our future.
U mean like the previous PM with his saving Malaysia antics to support his cronies family and friends until his son in law left the country for doing wrong?
Son in law still here, staying near Semantan MRT..with lotsa hutang..
By right whole PH should be running the gomen inside jail right now. Previous gomen only 1 kleptocrat current gomen all of them are kleptocrats including husband company can get direct nego contracts.
Most of his cars has been reworked by Bufori at Kepong.
This car really suits that old man because
1. Uncle design.
2. Just like the man, they still putar belit by claiming this car is a C-segment even though it’s clearly not.
colossal waste of resources if proton layaned this racist request for a custom
Guess he would have said ahhh its good for the Malaysian market however in his heart if Proton is not sold to China then I can make maximum profit by enriching my vendor cronies by giving the people sub par quality all these years and still force people to buy it.
Proud! Kalau tak bau tanah, dah bau kapur barus dah.
Don’t know what Tun feels about driving a China car.
Please excuse him for a while. He needs to cry. His child (Proton) is dead.
Stop kidding . Is it really a Proton ?
Good question. Is Vios still a Toyota when its based on DNGA?
Yes, considering Daihatsu is majority owned by Toyota.
Proton on the other hand, owns jack shit.
So you admit Toyotas are cut rate downgraded from a lower end car rebadged to a Toyota for consumers who don’t know any better because they only buy the badge not the car.
The only news i want to hear that is related to Tun is when he kicks the bucket. Otherwise, this doesn’t need to be reported.
The special features doesn’t include ejection seat? Opening at the roof sudah ada..
father of what again? He just copy paste from mitsu back then, spent BILLIONS of our taxpayer money just to slap high excised duty to non local brand to our face with 9 years loan. Good huh?
No one cares who is the founder if P1 cost taxpayers 20 to 30 Billion Rm in multiple bailouts.
People only care ,Elon Musk founded Tesla,for being super successful,tho he is super eccentric ,erratic and lunsi.
It is meaningless for us ordinary Msians who have to forgo Japanese marques due to high car taxes to protect failed Protong.
Nothing to shout..just a painful reminder for us rakyat having to bailout a failed car project called Protong.
exactly. he created some of the worst policies during his super-long reign. lots of policies that hurt the Rakyat until today.
But his policy must be so damn good for you folks to vote him in as PM a 2nd time wat.
imagine, if proton not exist, we all we get better car and specs. like no vios, city, myvi, axia, saga, x50, x70, x90, s70, persona, like in any other developed country. maybe we get 3 series, c class, a5 for city’s price. honda at least give us civic and above.
Just one problem with that – we already get the 3 Series and C-Class at the same prices (often cheaper still) even compared to Germany. If you can’t afford these cars now, you wouldn’t have been able to afford them even without the national automotive policy.
Probably get brv like indonesia
how does it feel to drive a pendatang made car atuk
Pendatang car so good he drives Proton regularly again
He’s the reason why cars are so expensive in this country. Nothing to be proud of off this man.
should’ve present him Ford Model T.
the car belong to Plat Gempak, own Iriz, Perdana, X90 and recently S70. mod it all and tested by xPM , Tun Mahathir.
Atok, don’t Hogging right lane ,ok..
Tun Dah Mati Mou?
1985 tuan/puan. Ingat tarikh keramat tu. Tarikh yang membawa bala kepada harga kereta…