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Proton Holdings

December 18, 2023

This article is about a Malaysian automobile company. For the industrial town, see Proton City. For other uses, see Proton (disambiguation).

Proton Holdings Berhad, commonly known as Proton (stylised PROTON), is a Malaysian automotive company. Proton was established on 7 May 1983 as Malaysia's sole national badged car company until the advent of Perodua in 1993. The company is headquartered in Shah Alam, Selangor, and operates additional facilities in Proton City, Perak.

Proton Holdings Berhad
TypeJoint venture
IndustryAutomotive
Founded7 May 1983; 40 years ago (7 May 1983)
FounderTun Dr Mahathir
Headquarters
Shah Alam, Selangor
,
Malaysia
Area served
Worldwide, mainly Malaysia
Key people
Tan Sri Syed Faisal Albar (Chairman)
Dr. Li Chunrong (CEO)
En Roslan bin Abdullah (Deputy CEO)
ProductsAutomobiles
Revenue RM8.0 billion[1] (2020)
Number of employees
12,000
ParentDRB-HICOM (50.1%)
Geely (49.9%)
DivisionsPONSB Sdn Bhd
Proton Edar
SubsidiariesProton R3
Websiteproton.com

Proton began manufacturing of rebadged versions of Mitsubishi Motors (MMC) products in the 1980s and 1990s. Proton produced its first indigenously designed, non-badge engineered car in 2000, with a Mitsubishi engine. It elevated Malaysia as the 11th country in the world with the capability to design cars from the ground up.[2] Since the 2000s, Proton has produced a mix of locally engineered and badge-engineered vehicles.

Proton was founded under majority ownership by HICOM, with a minority stake being held by Mitsubishi Group members. By 2005, Mitsubishi had divested its stake in Proton to Khazanah Nasional. In 2012, Proton was fully acquired by DRB-HICOM. Proton was the owner of Lotus Cars from 1996 to 2017. In May 2017, DRB-HICOM announced plans to sell a 49.9% stake in Proton and a 51% stake in Lotus to Geely Automobile Holdings.[3] The deal was signed in June 2017, and Lotus has ceased to be a unit of Proton.[4][5]

As of 2023, Proton has an overseas presence in Bangladesh, Bermuda, Brunei, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique,[6] Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka, South Africa and Zimbabwe.[7] CKD plants are located in Pakistan, Kenya, Nepal and Sri Lanka.[7]

Etymology edit

Proton is a Malay backronym for Perusahaan Otomobil Nasional (National Automobile Enterprise).[8]

History edit

1980s edit

 
The first generation Proton Saga. More than 1.2 million units were sold between 1985 and 2008.[9]

The concept of a National Car was conceived in 1979 by then Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dato' Seri Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad, now Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, with the goal of enhancing the Malaysian automotive industry.[10] The National Car Project was approved by the Cabinet in 1982, leading to the equity investment of Proton on 7 May 1983 with Mitsubishi Corporation for the future of company founding. It was wholly owned by the government of Malaysia through Khazanah Nasional at its creation. It was headed by its founder, Dr. Mahathir. Proton approached Mitsubishi Motors between 1983 and 1984 and brokered a joint venture between both companies for the production of the first Malaysian car. The result of the collaboration was the Proton Saga, which launched in 9 July 1985.[11]

The Proton Saga was based on the second generation 1983 Mitsubishi Lancer Fiore 4-door saloon and powered by a 1.3 litre Mitsubishi Orion 4G13 engine. The first Proton Saga to roll off the production line in Shah Alam is preserved in the National Museum (Malay: Muzium Negara) as a symbol of the beginning of the Malaysian automotive industry. Sales of the new Saga outstripped supply and Proton struggled to meet the growing demand, but by mid-1986 it had captured a 64% majority domestic market share in the Below 1600cc segment.[12] Later in October 1987, a hatchback variant called the Proton Saga Aeroback was launched and had a more powerful 1.5L Mitsubishi 4G15 engine and a redesigned rear-end. Exports to Ireland began in 1988 and by March 1989 Proton entered the United Kingdom car market with the Saga saloon and hatchback duo, where the Malaysian company set the record for the "Fastest Selling Make of New Car Ever to Enter the United Kingdom".[13]

Proton's sales declined during the late 1980s as a result of the worldwide economic recession, and the lack of technical expertise in Proton's management.[14] Kenji Iwabuchi, a former Mitsubishi Motors executive, was appointed as the managing director of Proton in 1988.[15]

1990s edit

 
The Proton Saga Iswara saloon, widely used as Malaysian taxis in the 1990s and early 2000s.

On 15 August 1992, the Proton Saga Iswara was launched. It shares the older Mitsubishi platform used in the original Proton Saga, but its exterior and interior styling are unique to Proton. The Saga Iswara was widely used as taxicabs in Malaysia during the 1990s and 2000s, and many continue in service.[citation needed]

 
The Proton Wira saloon. Over 952,216 units were sold in around 65 countries worldwide.[16]

On 21 May 1993 the Proton Wira was introduced. It is based on the fourth-generation 1991 Mitsubishi Lancer and was sold in a four-door saloon guise at launch. The Proton Wira Aeroback, a five-door hatchback variant featuring a Proton-designed rear-end joined the range in 1993. By 1996, the Wira saloon and hatchback shared six different engines, all of which were sourced from Mitsubishi Motors. The engines included the 4G13 1.3L and 4G15 1.5L carried over from the Proton Saga, the newer 4G92 1.6L, 4G93 SOHC and DOHC 1.8L and the 4D68 2.0L diesel. The Wira was the first Proton car to be produced in right-hand drive (RHD) and left-hand drive (LHD) configurations, and remains the only Proton car to have been available with a diesel engine.[17]

 
The Proton Satria GTi, widely regarded as the best Proton car ever produced.

Proton launched the three-door Proton Satria hatchback in 1994 and the two-door Proton Putra coupé in 1996, both of which are based on the Wira platform and powered by the same range of Mitsubishi engines offered in the Wira, except for the 2.0L diesel. The Proton Wira, Proton Satria and Proton Putra were exported and marketed across the European Union and Middle East during the 1990s. The Proton Perdana, a premium D-segment saloon, was launched in 1995. It is based on the seventh generation Mitsubishi Eterna, introduced in 1992, and was fitted with Mitsubishi's 4G63 2.0-litre straight-four engine. It was also offered with the superior 6A12 DOHC 2.0-liter V6 engine after 1999. The Perdana remains the only D-segment, V6-powered car to be commercially produced by Proton. A Citroën AX-based 1.1-litre five-door supermini called the Proton Tiara debuted in 1996. It was the result of a joint venture between Proton and PSA Peugeot Citroën, a collaboration which was later abandoned after the death of Proton's then CEO, Tan Sri Yahaya Ahmad in 1997.

 
The first generation Proton Perdana, then the company's most premium offering.

On 30 October 1996, Proton acquired an 80% stake in the British company, Lotus Group International Limited, valued at £51 million.[18] The controlling interest was purchased from A.C.B.N. Holdings S.A. of Luxembourg, a company controlled by Italian businessman Romano Artioli, then also the owner of Bugatti. By 2003, Proton's stake in Lotus was increased to 100%.[19] Lotus has been involved in the development of suspension and handling elements of all Proton cars launched since 1996. The Proton Satria GTi, widely regarded as the best Malaysian car ever produced, owes much of its success to Lotus' contributions.[20]

2000s edit

 
The Proton Waja, the first indigenously designed Proton car.
 
The Proton GEN•2, the first model to be offered with Proton's CamPro engine

The Proton Waja, the company's first indigenously designed model, was launched in August 2000. However, it still had a Mitsubishi 4G18 engine at launch as Proton's first in-house CamPro engine was unavailable. The Waja marked the end of Proton's extensive reliance on other car manufacturers for vehicle platforms and components.[21] However, the model was only a moderate seller, being significantly outsold by Proton's own much older and slightly smaller Proton Wira.[22] The Waja also marked the start of a decline in the local market-leading Proton marque which led to Perodua, the second Malaysian vehicle manufacturer, eventually capturing Proton's sales crown in 2006.[23] In 2002, Proton introduced the Arena, a ute based on the Proton Wira platform and thus far the only Proton model to enjoy significantly more popularity in its export markets (specifically Australia) than domestically. The Proton Gen-2, a hatchback model, was launched in late 2004. It was the first Proton vehicle equipped with the new CamPro engine.[24]

The RM1.8 billion (US$580 million) Proton Tanjung Malim manufacturing plant in the Malaysian state of Perak commenced operation in November 2003.[25] The new plant had been projected to open in August 1998, but it was deferred due to the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis.[26] However, it was revived in 2001 and completed in late 2003 instead.[27][28] The new 1,280 acre plant was also developed as part of the Proton City project, which would span 4,000 acres of land in Tanjung Malim and consist of residential, commercial, institutional, industrial and recreational areas.[29] The plant has an annual production capacity of 150,000 vehicles, but could be expanded to 1 million units in the future. The Proton Tanjung Malim plant complements the original Proton plant in operation since 1985, located in Shah Alam, Selangor.[30] Despite a combined production capacity of around 350,000 units, both plants are underutilised with just 52,235 and 114,645 units produced at the Tanjung Malim and Shah Alam plants in 2011 respectively.[29]

On 7 July 2004, Proton purchased a 57.57% stake in MV Agusta S.p.A. of Italy, valued at €70 million. Proton failed to reverse the misfortunes of MV Agusta and sold the marque to Gevi S.p.A. in December 2005 for €1, with Gevi assuming the €139.44 million debt carried over from MV Agusta.[31]

 
The second generation Proton Persona, the successor to the Proton Wira saloon.

The latter half of the 2000s marked Proton's comeback in the domestic market, with its vehicle sales growing a total of about 37 percent from 2006 to 2011, significantly above total passenger car sales growth of about 10 percent.[32][33] The comeback was spearheaded by the Proton Persona saloon launched in August 2007, the long-overdue replacement for the best-selling but ageing Proton Wira saloon. The Persona was based on an extended version of the 2004 Proton GEN•2 hatchback platform and shared most of its components and external appearance.[34] The Persona successfully sold 19,840 units in the first three months following its launch.[35]

 
The Proton Satria Neo.

The second generation Proton Saga was launched on 18 January 2008.[36] Previously, the first generation Proton Saga had been Proton's first and most successful model, having had a long 23-year lifespan, the longest of all Proton models to date. The new Saga proved to be a successful model Proton with over 23,000 bookings two weeks into its launch.[37] It has consistently ranked as Proton's best-selling vehicle domestically, while placing 3rd overall in 2008, and 2nd between 2009 and 2012, beaten only by its archrival, the Perodua Myvi in overall vehicle sales.[38][39][40] Proton further widened its model base when it introduced the Exora, Malaysia's first indigenous 7-seater MPV in April 2009.[41] The Exora was based on Proton's next generation P2 platform and helped satisfy the growing demand for a budget 7-seater in the domestic market, which had been monopolised by the Nissan Grand Livina and the smaller Toyota Avanza. For several years, it consistently positioned in the Top 10 best-selling vehicles in Malaysia.[38][39][40]

2010s edit

 
The Proton Exora, the company's first 7-seat MPV.

On August 6, 2008, the Proton Saga and Proton Persona were seen doing road tests at the Greater Noida Expressway, hinting at the potential to export Proton automobiles to India.[42] However, negotiations for Proton to establish an Indian branch did not materialize.[43]

In December 2008, Proton resumed product collaboration with Mitsubishi Motors.[44] Under the agreement, Proton gained the rights to rebadge the 2007 Mitsubishi Lancer to be sold exclusively in the Malaysian market. The result of the collaboration was the Proton Inspira, which launched on 10 November 2010. It also marked a return to closer ties between Proton and Mitsubishi, the Japanese company which was instrumental in Proton's foundation in the 1980s.[45] Proton showcased the EMAS concept hybrid city cars at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show.[46] They were designed by Italdesign Giugiaro and related to the Lotus Ethos, a similar concept car from Proton's British subsidiary.

 
The Proton Prevé, the first 5-star ANCAP safety rated car from Malaysia.

The turbocharged inline-four petrol engine from Proton was revealed at the 2010 Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show.[47] Officially known as the 1.6L CamPro CFE, it is capable of producing power and torque figures of 138 bhp (103 kW) at 5,000 rpm and 205 N·m at 2,000–4,000 rpm respectively, comparable to a 2.0L naturally aspirated engine, while achieving better fuel efficiency and reduced greenhouse emissions.[48]

In January 2012, Proton was acquired by DRB-HICOM, a Malaysian conglomerate in a transaction between Khazanah Nasional and DRB-HICOM which totalled RM1.2 billion.[49] The Proton Prevé, the company's latest saloon car was unveiled on 16 April 2012.[50][51] It became the first Proton car, and to an extent, the first Malaysian car to be awarded the full 5-star safety rating in the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) of Australia and New Zealand.[52] In December 2012, Proton acquired all of Petronas' E01 engine technologies in addition to associated technology patents at a cost of RM 63 million.[53] The deal encompassed a family of naturally aspirated and turbocharged 1.8, 2.0 and 2.2-litre engines to complement Proton's own CamPro 1.3L N/A, 1.6L N/A and 1.6L turbo engines.

 
The Proton Suprima S.

On 17 August 2013, Proton launched the Suprima S, the hatchback complement to the Prevé saloon.[54] It became the second 5-star ANCAP rated Proton and the first to offer extensive standard safety features in its domestic market. On 11 December 2013, the second generation Proton Perdana was finally unveiled after a three-year gap in the nameplate's production.[55] The new Perdana is a badge engineered eighth generation Honda Accord and is for exclusive sale to Malaysian civil servants and government officials.[55]

 
The Proton Iriz.

The Proton Iriz was unveiled on 25 September 2014 as the company's first B-segment 5-door hatchback.[56] The new Iriz competes directly against the Perodua Myvi in its domestic market.

On 18 January 2016, Proton unveiled their all-new four-cylinder GDI/TGDI and three-cylinder VVT engines.[57] The new engines, of which there are six in total, are being developed in collaboration with Ricardo and Lotus Engineering, and are slated to enter production by late 2017.[57]

Proton unveiled their new logo in February 2016, and appointed a new CEO and Deputy CEO in April.[58][59] The government had also granted Proton a RM 1.5 billion soft loan in mid 2016.[60] The loan came with a number of conditions, including a mandatory tie-up with a foreign automobile company in the near future. Several companies have expressed interest, including Suzuki, Škoda, Groupe PSA, Renault and Geely.[61] This culminated with the entry of China's Zhejiang Geely Holding Group in June 2017, after the Chinese carmaker acquired 49.9% equity in Proton from DRB-HICOM.[citation needed]

 
The third generation Proton Persona.

Proton introduced four new models in 2016. The new Perdana launched on 14 June,[62] followed by the new Persona on 23 August,[63] the new Saga on 28 September,[64] and the new Ertiga on 24 November.[65] The launch of four new Proton models within the span of six months was unprecedented in the company's history. Masazumi Ogawa was recruited as the director of quality control in Proton.[66]

On 24 May 2017, parent company DRB-HICOM announced plans to sell a 49.9% stake in Proton to Zhejiang Geely Automobile Holdings.[3][67] Eventually, DRB-HICOM also sold 51% controlling-stake in Lotus to Geely, and the remaining 49% stake to Etika Automotive.[68] The definitive agreement was in July 2017.[69] Proton had owned Lotus since 1996, and largely struggled to turn the fortunes of the sports car maker around. Nonetheless, in late 2016, Lotus announced their first operating profit in over 40 years.[70] Their presence in Proton is said to not affect Japanese auto manufacturers due to being in the market for a very long time.[71] Still, many of Proton's cars benefitted from the Lotus relationship, with the Satria GTi specifically mentioned by car reviewers as possessing good handling traits. Subsequent Proton some models received "Lotus Tuned" input.[citation needed]

Proton recruited Yoshiya Inamori as the vice president of manufacturing, who had previously been involved with Proton back in the 80s when it was founded during his time in Mitsubishi from April 1982 until July 2017.[72]

On 29 September 2017, DRB-HICOM announced changes to the board of Proton Holdings Berhad.[73] Following the signing of a Definitive Agreement with China's Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Limited on 23 June 2017,[74] the Chinese carmaker acquired 49.9% equity in Proton. The announcement on 29 September saw a new board of directors put in place in Proton Holdings, Proton Edar (the local distribution arm) and Perusahaan Otomobil Nasional Sdn Bhd (PONSB).

Three nominees from Geely Holding joined the boards; Daniel Donghui Li, the Executive VP and CFO of Geely Holding; Dr Nathan Yuning, the Executive VP of International Business of Geely Holding, and Feng Qing Feng, the Group VP and CTO at HK-listed Geely Auto. DRB-HICOM are represented by Dato' Sri Syed Faisal Albar, who chairs the boards, and Amalanathan Thomas and Shaharul Farez Hassan. Both are part of the senior management team[75] at DRB-HICOM. On the same day, Dr Li Chunrong joins PONSB as CEO.[76][77] Dr Li is the third foreigner to head Proton. Between 1993 and 1997, the early years of Proton, two different Japanese nominees of their partners, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, led the carmaker.

Products and technologies edit

Further information: List of Proton vehicles

Current models edit

Current model line up, with calendar year of introduction or most recent facelift:[78]

Former models edit

Former model line up, with calendar year of introduction or most recent facelift:

Logo and branding edit

 
1992–2000 Malaysian Market logo.
 
2008–2016 logo.

The Proton logo in 1983 was a dark blue shield which encompassed a yellow crescent positioned below a yellow fourteen-pointed star, in reference to the Malaysian flag and coat of arms.[79] However, this emblem was only used for Proton cars which were sold domestically. Proton cars exported to other markets received different badge designs.[80] In 2000, the new Proton logo was used on the Proton Waja which launched in that year.[79] It featured a stylised yellow tiger head on a green roundel embossed upon a dark blue shield, with the Proton name in yellow capital letters in Frutiger font. The standard text representation of the Proton name was also changed from the lowercase italic text "proton" to the uppercase "PROTON".[citation needed]

All Proton cars manufactured after 2000 carried the new badge, both in the domestic and export markets. Then its colour was changed into two-tone, silver and black, which was in use since 2008 with the introduction of the second generation Proton Saga.[79]

In 2010, Proton unveiled the Proton Lekir concept which came with a separate logo. The logo would later be adopted in 2017.

In June 2016, a new Proton logo was introduced during the launch of 2016 Proton Perdana, which is only a Malayan tiger head with a circle surrounding in three-dimensional style. The new logo is now used on all Proton latest models, including the 2017 Proton Iriz facelift and 2017 Proton Exora Enhanced.[citation needed]

Two years after (i.e., September 2019) Proton's global strategic partnership with Zhejiang Geely Holding Group in 2017, Proton Holdings unveiled a brand new logo and ‘Inspiring Connections’ tagline to outline its ambition to be a global, modern automotive brand. Starting with the Proton X70, and excluding the 2019 Exora, the rear badge was replaced by lettering spelling out 'Proton'.[81]

Domestic sales edit

 
Proton's sales grew at a stable rate in the first decade, but plunged in 1998 due to the 1997 Asian financial crisis. Nonetheless, Proton bounced back and recorded its highest sales volume in 2002 at 214,373 units. Sales gradually decreased in the following five years due to cheaper and more competitive offerings from Perodua. Proton's sales have recovered slightly since 2008, but their market share is in a current state of decline. Proton has sold over 3,500,000 cars in Malaysia between 1985 and 2013.

The first Proton, the Saga saloon launched in July 1985 amid positive reception, but poor sales due to Proton's inability to meet the high demand.[12] However, Proton later captured a 47% Malaysian market share in the following year, with 24,148 cars sold. The company's market share later grew to 65% in 1987; 85% in the Under 1,600cc segment.[82] Proton maintained a majority market share in the following years, which peaked in 1993 at 74% with over 94,100 units sold.[83] Car sales in Malaysia plunged from 404,000 units in 1997 to 163,851 in 1998 due to the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis.[84] Proton's revenue and profits were severely affected, but a majority market share was still maintained into the early 2000s.[85]

In the mid-2000s, Proton's revenues and sales declined sharply. In 2006, Proton's market share was 32%, down from 40% in 2005.[86] Proton lost its majority domestic market share for the first time in 20 years to Perodua, the second Malaysian car manufacturer. Factors which contributed to the fall of Proton included the revision of the National Automotive Policy (NAP), Proton's newer indigenously designed models (i.e., the Proton Waja, Gen-2 and Savvy) which were poorly designed and manufactured compared to the former Mitsubishi-based models and stronger competitors, specifically Perodua with their best-selling Myvi which launched in 2005.[87] Proton's total sales volume and its market share failed to recover to its pre-2002 figures and Perodua remained the domestic market leader from 2006 onwards.[citation needed]

 
A comparison of Proton & Perodua sales in the domestic market. Perodua, which started out in 1994 as a complement and not a competitor to Proton has overtaken the latter to become Malaysia's best selling car manufacturer. Perodua cars manage to sell in greater numbers due to their cheaper pricing range, in which there are few competitors, as well as their inheritance of generally better designs from their parent company, Toyota.

[citation needed]

Sales of Proton cars grew at a stable rate in the latter half of the 2000s and in the early 2010s. The company briefly regained the top-spot from Perodua in June 2009, after the introduction of the Proton Exora MPV.[88] Proton also matched Perodua's market share in the first quarter of 2011.[89] Factors which contributed to the rise of Proton were well-designed cars which catered to the needs of the domestic market (i.e., the Proton Persona, second generation Saga and Exora) in addition to better management of the company under the then managing director, Syed Zainal Abidin. However, despite the improvements made between 2007 and 2012 in addition to improved overall sales, Proton's Malaysian market share continued to decrease. In 2011, the company had a 26.4% (158,657 units) share which plummeted further to 22.5% (141,121 units) in 2012.[90] In comparison, Perodua retained a majority market share of 30.1% (189,137 units) in 2012, with Toyota maintaining its third place at a 16.8% share with 105,151 units sold.[citation needed]

Proton's decline in market share stabilised in 2013. In the first half of that year, Proton sold 64,782 cars, representing 20.7% of the market share, a decline of 1.8% over its full-year 2012 share.[91] However, by the end of 2013, Proton had managed to raise its market share to 21.2% with a total of 138,753 units sold.[92] Nonetheless, Proton's market share has still declined by an overall 1.3% between 2012 and 2013. In July 2013, Proton sold around 16,600 cars, which accounted for 25% in market share during that specific month, the company's highest ever in 2013.[93] Perodua on the other hand sold around 19,200 or 2,600 more cars than Proton in July 2013. The rise in Proton's sales were attributed to the launch of the Proton Saga SV, a cheaper variant of the second best-selling car in Malaysia.[citation needed]

Another factor which continues to play a significant role in the sales of Proton cars is the National Automotive Policy (NAP), enforced by the Malaysian government in the interests of Proton, Perodua, Naza and foreign brands with manufacturing plants in Malaysia.[94] Under the NAP, imported vehicles are subjected to varying degrees of import and excise duties depending on the vehicle's origin of manufacture and engine displacement, with excise duty imposed at 60 to 105 percent being the highest component in the duty structure. Vehicles imported from members of the Association of South East Asian Nations, such as Thailand and Indonesia, are subject to the least import duties, whereas those from Europe suffer the worst.[94] However, imported hybrid vehicles and cars purchased in duty-free Langkawi are exempted from the import and excise duties. The NAP ensures the survival of Proton and other Malaysian-made vehicles under a biased playing field in the Malaysian market. Nonetheless, the import duties of the NAP have been progressively revised and reduced in line with the eventual liberation of the market, but excise duties, the larger component of tariffs, continues to be high and opaquely applied, with non-tariff barriers effectively reducing the rate for Malaysian made vehicles.[95]

In March 2013, the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (Malaysia) announced that vehicles manufactured in Australia and Japan will face a gradual reduction of import duties in stages to zero by 2016.[96] Proton however responded positively to the announcement, citing their recent positive developments such as the 5-star ANCAP safety recognition of the Proton Prevé as part of its commitment to progress.[97]

Export markets edit

 
Proton automobile export markets
  Malaysia
  Current (BUX)
  Current (KDX)
  Former (BUX)
  Former (KDX)
  Joint venture with local company

Proton relies primarily on its domestic market for the majority of its sales and revenues. Nonetheless, small volumes of Proton cars are also exported to various other countries in Asia, in addition to the United Kingdom and Australia. The company held a far larger global sales network in the 1990s, spanning all six continents and over 70 countries, but intends to regain a global foothold with 500,000 annual sales by 2018.[98][99]

On 24 January 2020, Proton announced that their goal is to export 4,000 vehicles by the end of the year or export 6,000 vehicles if they were offered government incentives.[100]

History edit

Proton cumulative sales volume in selected markets[needs update]
Country Cars sold Time frame References
  Malaysia ≈ 3,760,000 07 / 1985–present [101][102][103]
  United Kingdom 141,209 03 / 1989–2016 [104][105][106]
  Australia 34,985 05 / 1995–2016 [106][107][108][109]
  Singapore 23,951 10 / 1989–2002
2003 – 2012 		[107][110]
  Thailand 19,188 12 / 2007–2016 [107][111]
  Germany 15,479 03 / 1995–09 / 1999 [112][113]
  Syria around 15,000 2001–present [114]
  Egypt around 13,000

2000–12 / 2015 and 2018–present

[115]
  South Africa around 5,000 2004–2015
2022–present 		[116]
  Chile around 3,500 1994–1998 and 2016–2018
  Indonesia around 580

2002–2018

  Pakistan N/A 2019–present

Proton first ventured into export markets in December 1986, a year and a half after the launch of the company's first car, the Saga.[117] It was only sold in right-hand drive markets like New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Singapore because left-hand drive variants were not produced. Proton attempted to enter the American market in November 1988, but failed to meet strict US automotive regulations.[118] However, the Proton Wira, which launched in 1993 became the company's first car to be produced in both left and right-hand drive configurations, paving the way for Proton's entry into Continental Europe in October 1994 and other markets in the Middle East and Latin America.[17][119][112] The company's global sales network peaked between 1994 and the early 2000s, but has since dwindled to around 25 countries as of the 2010s. Proton has commissioned CKD plants in Iran, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and China.

Proton began importing cars to the right-hand drive UK market from March 1989, and reached its 12-month sales target of 5,000 cars after just six months.[120] The Proton brand was initially a huge success in the UK, but sales were declining sharply by 2010 and the brand was withdrawn in 2014.[citation needed]

 
The Proton Saga 1.5GL Aeroback. Over 30,000 Protons were sold in the United Kingdom within its first 3 years. At its peak in 1992, one Proton was sold in Britain for every five sold in Malaysia.
 
A Proton Wira taxi in Pyongyang, North Korea. Proton cars have also been exported as diplomatic gifts to several countries and governments.
 
The Proton Jumbuck ute. It is the only Proton model of which export demand exceeded domestic demand.

Proton's presence in Singapore was handled by Cycle & Carriage from 1989 to September 2002 due to failures to make a turn around.[121] It made a comeback in 2003 with Proton establishing a direct branch.[121]

In the Philippines, Proton was formerly represented by Proton Pilipinas Corp from 1992 with an assembly plant in Alaminos, Pangasinan[122] that manufactured the Proton Wira.[123]

Proton exported 164,153 cars between December 1986 and December 1997.[124] The United Kingdom is by far the company's most successful export market in terms of cumulative sales volume, and at one point Proton set the record for Fastest Selling Make of New Car Ever to Enter the United Kingdom.[13] In 1992, the Saga was ranked among the Top 20 best-selling cars in the UK, outselling its primary competitors from Hyundai and SEAT.[125][126] 100,000 Protons were sold in the UK by 1997.[127]

Additionally, a 1999 survey by the United Kingdom Consumers' Association ranked Proton as among the most reliable and recommended in Britain.[128] The response from 27,000 members of the association revealed that Proton was ranked third in terms of fewer breakdowns, faults and other mechanical problems, placing Proton behind Honda and Mazda, and ahead of Toyota and Ford.[128] Furthermore, 80% of the surveyed Consumers' Association members said they would recommend Proton cars to friends and family, compared to 90% for Subaru, 79% for Toyota, 78% for Honda and Mitsubishi, 63% for Hyundai and 47% for Rover respectively.[128] The 1999 award is Proton's second consecutive, having received similar appraisal in 1998.[128]

However, sales in the UK have since collapsed, with just 208 Protons sold in 2012.[129] Proton cars were once popular in Singapore, at one time the company's second-largest export destination despite its relatively small market size.[130] Sales were also modest in Germany and Belgium during the late 90s, prior to Proton's withdrawal from Continental Europe.[131] Kuwait was once a top Middle Eastern export destination for Proton cars in the late 90s and early 2000s, with an average market share of 8% or 1,000 units sold each year, ten times greater than any other Gulf Cooperation Council state.[132] The Kuwaiti dealer, Bahrah Trading Company had focused on the niche fleet market, selling Proton Wiras to fast food delivery services and taxi operators.[132]

By the first half of the 2010s, the Chinese market had become the largest contributor to Proton's export revenues. Although Proton cars sold in China carried different names and badges under the local Youngman EuropeStar brand, Proton nonetheless received royalties for the use of their platforms and Campro engines.[133] Proton's six-year contract with Youngman expired in 2012, but the Zhejiang-based company continued to unofficially produce Proton's cars and engines up until early 2015.[134] In February 2015, Proton announced that they would revive their joint venture with Fujian-based Goldstar, and would not renew their contract with Youngman.[135][136]

 
Proton cars were first exported to the United Kingdom in 1989, and later Australia in 1995. British Proton sales peaked at 14,957 units in 1992, above rivals such as Hyundai (9,337), Kia (3,519), Škoda (9,365), SEAT (8,198), Lada (11,907) and even Mitsubishi (11,077).[137] Proton's best performance in Australia was in 1998, with 3,182 units sold. Since the late 90s, sales in the U.K have decreased significantly.

Proton cars were also exported to several countries in Latin America, most notably Chile. Exports to Chile commenced in 1994, and almost 3,000 Protons were sold prior to the company's departure in 1998.[138] However, Proton later expressed intentions of returning to Chile following the ratification of the Malaysia-Chile Free Trade Agreement in 2012.[138] In July 2015, Proton signed a distributor agreement with Andes Motor, and the first official shipment of 50 left-hand drive Prevé units commenced on 1 March 2016.[138] The Chilean launch of the Proton Prevé took place in May 2016, and formally marked Proton's return to Chile after an 18-year absence.[139][140]

Proton announced that they closed Proton Motor Pars, established in August 2011, since it was dormant and no longer in the company's interest to revive it in any way.[141]

On July 12, 2018, Proton resumes exports to the Middle East beginning with 440 units of Proton Gen•2 and 15 units of first-generation Proton Persona in Jordan to be distributed to Iraq as well as neighboring countries.[142][143]

On 21 March 2019, Proton has announced that a plant will be built in Pakistan in collaboration with Alhaj Automotive.[144] Proton has already booked CBU versions of Proton X70 in Pakistan. The orders for CKD versions of X70 are also being booked by Proton in Pakistan which are expected to be delivered in Q3 of 2021 after the completion of the local assembly plant there.[145] The Proton Saga is also expected to be launched in Pakistan in January 2021.

On 21 August 2020, it was announced that the Proton Saga will be exported to Kenya, most built under CKDs shipped to Simba Corp.[146]

It was announced on 13 November 2020 that Proton vehicles will be sold in Nepal by Jagadamba Motors.[147][148] The company will formally launch retail operations by January 2021.[149]

On 28 April 2022, an agreement was signed for Proton to re-enter the South African auto market.[150] On 31 May 2022, Proton announced shipments of Proton X50s, X70s and Sagas in an effort to resume a presence in South Africa with CMH Group as the official distributor.[151] In 2015, Proton left South Africa due to bad market conditions.[116]

Proton announced in May 2023 that they have entered Mozambique in partnership with local automobile distributor Entreposto.[152]

Future edit

 
The Proton Iriz may receive a new 1.3-litre turbo, 6MT option in the near future.[153] A fully electric Iriz EV was also studied.[154]

The United Kingdom has been a key export market for Proton since the late 1980s. However, by the late 2000s, British Proton sales had declined considerably as a result of ageing models and depleting stock.[155] In 2013, Proton Cars UK had attempted to relaunch the brand with four all-new models.[155] However, the relaunch was instead postponed indefinitely in view of more stringent European Union emissions and safety regulations.

Proton is currently developing a range of all-new petrol engines in collaboration with Ricardo and Lotus Engineering.[57] The engines will feature more advanced technology such as direct injection, cylinder deactivation and stop-start idling, and will meet the highest Euro 6c emissions regulations.[57] On 18 January 2016, Proton fired up a prototype in a live broadcast from Ricardo's facility in Shoreham, England.[57] Mass production of the all-new Proton engines will commence in late 2017.[57]

Additionally, Proton has announced their partnership with LG Electronics in the development of autonomous safety technology.[156] In September 2014, Proton previewed an Iriz prototype with LG's Advanced Drive Assistance System (ADAS).[156] With the LG ADAS implementation, new autonomous safety features like Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Cross Traffic Assist (CTA), Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Traffic Sign Recognition (TSR) and High Beam Assist (HBA) can be incorporated into Proton's future offerings.[156] The inclusion of autonomous safety features has become a necessary prerequisite for a full 5-Star Euro NCAP and ANCAP rating.

On 3 December 2014, Proton announced plans to construct a new car factory in Bangladesh.[157] A deal was made public on 6 February 2015 between Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta to help the latter develop the way for their own national car.[158][159] There are allegations that President Jokowi Widodo is appointing Abdullah Mahmud Hendropriyono as the representative of PT Adiperkasa Citra Lestari, who was known to be associated with ex-President Megawati Soekarnoputri.[160]

According to Steven Xu of Proton's International Sales, the company is still in the process of establishing more distributors to increase its presence in Indonesia as of 10 April 2019.[161]

On 24 April 2019, Proton announced that they'll relaunch again in Australia since sales have declined in 2015[162] after the company established its presence in 1995.[163]

According to Li Churong, the company will expand its presence in the ASEAN countries, such as Brunei, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand.[164] The company announced on 16 June 2021 that its Indonesian and Thai operations will resume in the near future with plans to be the third biggest automobile manufacturer in the ASEAN region.[165] It was reported that Proton's Thai operations could resume by 2022.[165] But in February 2023, it's reported that Indonesian and Thai operations have yet to resume, including Fiji.[7]

The presence of a Proton X50 being driven in India for road tests indicate the possible presence of a future Proton branch in India.[166]

Partnerships edit

Mitsubishi edit

 
The Proton Inspira, the last of the Mitsubishi-based Protons.

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) and Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) were instrumental in the foundation of Proton. The large majority of vehicle platforms, engines, parts and technical expertise were once sourced from Mitsubishi Motors. Additionally, the managing director of Proton between 1988 and 1993 was Kenji Iwabuchi, a former Mitsubishi Motors executive.[15] Proton's staff were also trained by Mitsubishi in Japan as part of a bilateral agreement. Management of Proton was gradually assumed by Malaysians in the 1990s.[14] All Proton cars launched between 1985 and 2000 with the exception of the Proton Tiara were based on Mitsubishi vehicles. Proton began producing indigenously designed models after 2000, but resumed product collaboration with MMC in 2008.[44] The result of the renewed collaboration is the Proton Inspira, a rebadged 2007 Mitsubishi Lancer for sale exclusively in the Malaysian market. It marked a return to closer ties between Proton and MMC.[45]

MMC and MC held a minority 30% joint stake in Proton, while a majority 70% stake was held by the Heavy Industries Corporation of Malaysia (HICOM).[167] The Mitsubishi joint stake was later reduced to 15.86%, or 7.93% each for MMC and MC respectively until it was fully sold to Khazanah Nasional in January 2005.[168] Mitsubishi Motors, Japan's sole unprofitable carmaker of that period sold its 7.93% Proton stake earlier in March 2004 in an effort to reduce its ¥1.14 trillion (US$11 billion) debt.[168] The sale of Mitsubishi's joint stake in Proton marked the end of its 22-year investment in Proton.

Citroën edit

 
The Proton Tiara.

In 1994, French car manufacturer Citroën announced plans for the production of diesel-powered cars in Malaysia under a joint venture with Proton.[169] Proton's then CEO, Tan Sri Yahaya Ahmad also advocated an alliance with PSA Peugeot Citroën for the purpose of technology transfer. Negotiations continued until 1995, but materialised in 1996 with the launch of the Proton Tiara.[170] It was based on the Citroën AX and powered by a 1.1L Citroën l4 petrol engine, in contrast to the plans for a diesel option. The joint venture between Proton and Citroën stagnated after the death of Yahaya Ahmad in a helicopter crash the following year. The Proton Tiara failed to compete against its rivals from Perodua and production ended in 2000, four years after its launch.

Youngman edit

 
2014 Youngman Lotus L3 GT 5-door, a rebadged Proton Gen-2.

Proton entered the People's Republic of China in 2007 under a strategic joint venture with China Youngman Automobile Group Co., Ltd. The agreement involved a minimum of 30,000 Proton Gen-2 CBU units which were rebadged in China under Youngman's Europestar marque.[171][172] In 2008, the Proton Persona became the second model to be sold under the Europestar brand.[173] The Gen-2 and Persona were known as the RCR (short for RaCeR or Racing) and Jing Yue between 2007 and late 2009, but both cars were facelifted and renamed as the L3 5-door and L3 4-door (or L3 Sedan) for the 2010 model year respectively. Both models received unique parts and facelifts from Youngman between 2007 and 2013. The most recent facelifts of the Europestar L3 GT 5-door (Proton Gen-2) and Europestar L3 GT 4-door (Proton Persona) offer new front bumpers, unique grilles and mirror-mounted turn signals on the exterior, in addition to a redesigned climate control cluster and leather upholstery on the interior.[174][175][176] Youngman has also introduced less expensive variants of their L3 hatchback and saloon models, powered by the 1.5-litre Mitsubishi 4G15M engine.[177][178]

Youngman unveiled the Europestar L5 hatchback and saloon models at the 2011 Shanghai Motorshow. The exterior design and interior equipment are indigenous to Youngman, but both cars are based on an extended Proton GEN-2 platform (2,670mm, 70mm longer than the original) and powered by Proton's CamPro CPS 1.6-litre engine.[179] The Europestar T5 was previewed on 23 April 2012, a SUV designed by Lotus and Youngman and based on the Proton Gen-2 platform.[180] It was scheduled for a late 2012 launch but it was never put into production.[134]

Between mid-2009 and February 2015, Youngman Lotus had reported total production figures of 196,234 rebadged CKD GEN-2 and Persona units, of which 189,872 were reportedly sold.[181][N 1] However, by mid-2015, the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) stopped reporting Youngman Lotus sales numbers because they were "way off" from registration numbers.[134] Youngman Lotus had ceased production and sales altogether by mid-2015.[134] In February 2015, Proton announced that they would revive their joint venture with Fujian-based Goldstar, and would not renew their contract with Youngman.[135][136]

Honda edit

 
The Proton Perdana (CP), based on the eighth generation Honda Accord.
Further information: Proton Perdana

On 29 October 2012, Proton entered a collaboration with Honda Motor Company, Ltd.[182] Both companies have agreed to explore collaboration opportunities in the areas of technology enhancement, new product line up and the sharing of vehicle platforms and facilities.[183]

In November 2013, it was revealed that the PRM would be based on the North American eighth generation Honda Accord.[184] The PRM will launch in two phases, the first in mid-December for sale exclusively to the Malaysian government and the second within the next two years for the Malaysian domestic market.[185] Around 3,000 units of the PRM will be produced initially to replace the ageing Proton Perdana V6 fleet in use by the federal government.[99] The result of the collaboration, the second generation Proton Perdana, was unveiled on 11 December 2013 at an official ceremony in Putrajaya.[55]

Suzuki edit

 
The Proton Ertiga.

Proton partnered with Suzuki and rebadged the Suzuki Ertiga.[186] Under the June 2015 agreement, 25 of its 3S and 4S Suzuki dealership outlets have been converted into Proton Edar outlets and bearing both Proton and Suzuki logos.[citation needed]

Geely edit

PROTON Holdings parent company DRB-HICOM announced sold 49.9% stake in Proton to Zhejiang Geely Automobile Holdings.[187][188] Following the entry of China's Geely as a shareholder of PROTON, PROTON Holdings secured the intellectual properties to the design, development, manufacture, sale, marketing and distribution of the Geely Boyue, Geely Binyue and Geely Haoyue for Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.[189]

Proton announced the launch of the Proton's first sport utility vehicle which is based on Geely Boyue, with touches of local design elements introduced for the Malaysian market. The first batch of the locally named Proton X70 will be imported from China, with localisation plans afoot with the expansion of their Tanjong Malim plant.[190]

With the incoming sales and tax exemption plans for EVs coming in by 2022, Proton announced a roadmap of hybrid, PHEV and BEV products for the future.[191] While no specific electric model was mentioned, there is a possibility of the tech to be led by Geely's new powertrain brand, Leishen Hi-X.[citation needed]

Motorsport edit

1980s and 1990s edit

Proton has a significant historical presence in motorsports. In the late 1980s, an alliance consisting of Proton, Malaysian oil and gas company Petronas, Mitsubishi Motors of Japan and distributor of Proton cars, Edaran Otomobil Nasional (EON) led to the formation of the Petronas EON Racing Team (PERT).[192] The team focused primarily on rallying and has been in motorsports as early as 1987.[193] PERT won the 1989 Shell Malaysia Rally with Proton Saga rally cars which were prepared by Mitsubishi's Ralliart division, featuring powerful 150 bhp engines as part of its rally specifications.[194] PERT won several other international rallies including the 1991 Rally of Thailand, 1993 Dubai International Rally and the Rallye Ng Philipinas in 1995, 1996 and 1997 respectively.[192][195]

2000s edit

 
Proton PERT with veteran Malaysian rally driver Karamjit Singh.

Proton's presence in international motorsports peaked when the Petronas EON Racing Team won the 2002 Production World Rally Championship with veteran Malaysian rally driver Karamjit Singh in a Proton PERT, a rebadged Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution.[192][196] The Proton-Karamjit duo also won the 2001, 2002 and 2004 Asia-Pacific Rally Championship titles.[197][198][199]

In 2003, the Proton Motorsports Division, also known as "Race.Rally.Research., R3", was established.[192] R3 assumed the responsibility of Proton's motorsports endeavours, which had been held by Ralliart of Mitsubishi Motors. The first model to benefit from R3 engineering was the Proton Satria R3 which launched in late 2004 with a limited run of 150 units.[citation needed]

2010s edit

Asia-Pacific Rally Championship edit

 
Alister McRae in his Proton Satria Neo S2000 at Rally Hokkaido during the 2010 APRC season.

Proton re-entered the Asia-Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) in 2010, an international rally championship organised by the FIA encompassing rounds in Asia and Oceania. Proton had previously participated in the APRC, but withdrew in 2005 due to financial problems. The company competes under the official team name of Proton Motorsports with former WRC drivers Chris Atkinson and Alister McRae from Australia and Scotland respectively in a pair of Proton Satria Neo S2000 rally cars. The new Satria Neo S2000 replaced the Proton PERT as Proton's premier rally car, and was prepared by British-based Mellors Elliot Motorsport (MEM) in accordance to FIA Super 2000 specifications.[200] The cars cost over RM1 million each and are equipped with 280 bhp (271Nm) 2.0 litre engines paired to 4WD drivetrains.[201] Despite facing technical problems and stiff competition from the superior Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution and Subaru Impreza rally cars, Proton drivers McRae and Atkinson placed 3rd and 5th respectively in the 2010 APRC season.[citation needed]

 
2011 Proton Satria Neo CUSCO Edition in Japan.

The following year, Malaysian rally veteran Karamjit Singh rejoined the APRC after a 6-year absence under the Proton R3 Cusco Rally Team in a Group N 2WD CUSCO Japan-tuned 1.6L CamPro 145 hp (170Nm) version of the Satria Neo.[202] Japanese rally driver Akira Bamba also contested in the 2011 APRC season in another Satria Neo CUSCO. The 2011 season concluded with a one-two Proton Motorsports victory with drivers McRae and Atkinson in their Satria Neo S2000s. Karamjit placed 1st in the 2WD category and 7th overall in the championship, ahead of Bamba who placed 9th overall.[203]

In the 2012 APRC season, Chris Atkinson left Proton Motorsports after two years of racing history with the team. Atkinson joined Indian Team MRF instead where he piloted a Škoda Fabia S2000 alongside Indian rally veteran Gaurav Gill. The vacant slot in Proton Motorsports was filled by Swedish racer Per-Gunnar Andersson who also raced for Proton in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge. Additionally, Proton R3 Cusco added a third driver, Malaysian Kenneth Koh, whereas Dreams India driver Sanjay Takle participated in another 2WD Satria Neo. The 2012 season ended with a Team MRF victory, with Atkinson and Gaurav placing first and fourth respectively in their S2000 Škodas.[204] Proton Motorsports driver McRae clinched second, but Andersson placed a lowly seventh overall with the S2000 Satria Neos.[204] Proton R3 Cusco racers Karamjit, Bamba and Kenneth placed fifth, sixth and eight respectively and Dreams India's Sanjay placed ninth overall.[204]

Intercontinental Rally Challenge edit

Proton entered into the Intercontinental Rally Challenge 2009 with the Proton Satria Neo Super 2000. Their best result in IRC is Alister McRae finish 2nd place at 2009 Rally Scotland. Drivers in 2009 were Karamjit Singh, Guy Wilks, Bryan Bouffier and Alister McRae scoring 13 points. In 2010 Proton team had many retirements and did not score a single point. Drivers for 2010 were Alister McRae, Chris Atkinson, Niall McShea, Keith Cronin, Gilles Panizzi and privateer with factory support, Tom Cave. Best result of 2010 season was 22nd place of Gilles Panizzi at 2010 Rallye Sanremo, although it was the only finish of Proton Satria Neo S2000 in this season.

British Touring Car Championship edit

 
The BTC-T Proton Impian of Team Petronas Syntium Proton at Knockhill Circuit, Scotland.

The British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) is a touring car racing series held each year in the United Kingdom. Proton participated in the BTCC between 2002 and 2004 as the Petronas Syntium Proton (Team PSP). The team in the 2002 and 2003 BTCC seasons was headed by Scottish and English drivers David Leslie and Phil Bennett respectively in two heavily modified BTC-T Proton Impian touring cars.[205] They were succeeded by South African Shaun Watson-Smith and Malaysian Fariqe Hairuman in the 2004 season.[206]

 
Daniel Welch's NGTC Proton Persona at the 2013 BTCC Snetterton GP, England.

In 2011, UK-based Welch Motorsport contested the BTCC in a Proton Persona NGTC, driven by Daniel Welch.[207] Welch Motorsport competes independently and is not tied to Proton, but indirectly supported by Proton UK[208] The team made its debut in the second half of the 2011 BTCC season and scored a point in the final race at the Silverstone Circuit, placing 22nd overall in the tournament. In comparison, 2011 Drivers' Champion Matt Neal of Honda Racing Team scored 257 points.[citation needed]

Welch Motorsport's performance improved significantly in the 2012 BTCC season. Daniel Welch had his best race at Oulton Park, where he finished sixth in race one, and held off defending champion Matt Neal to claim fourth position in race two. Welch Motorsport placed 15th overall with 79 points in the 2012 season, with 2012 Drivers' Champion Gordon Shedden scoring 408 points in comparison.[citation needed]

Welch Motorsport expanded to a two-car team in the 2013 BTCC season. The Proton Persona NGTC returns in the hands of Daniel Welch, whereas the second car is a Super 2000 Mk 2 Ford Focus driven by David Nye.[citation needed]

Football edit

Proton and Norwich City F.C signed a 3-year sponsorship deal in 2003, becoming the Canaries main sponsor for their home kit, whilst Proton-owned Lotus Cars would feature on the away kit. The deal, reportedly valued at a "seven-figure sum",[209] was the largest sponsorship deal in the club's history. Proton's chief executive officer Tengku Mahaleel Ariff said the sponsorship deal would bring more awareness and recognition to the Proton brand, which it currently lacked.[210]

In 2005, Proton opened a showroom at Norwich City's Carrow Road stadium, featuring products from Proton and Proton-owned brands. It was incorporated into the stadium's Jarrold Stand.[211]

Awards and accolades edit

  • People's Choice, Automotive Category (Silver) – Putra Brands Awards 2017[212]
  • People's Choice, Automotive Category (Silver) – Putra Brands Awards 2018[212]

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ Does not include sales of rebadged CBU GEN-2/Persona units, or Youngman Lotus' indigenously designed models.

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External links edit

  •   Media related to Proton vehicles at Wikimedia Commons
  • Official website  
  • Company Overview of Proton Holdings Bhd., bloomberg.com
  • Proton Holdings Berhad (MYX: 5304), bursamalaysia.com
  • A History of the Proton car company

December 18, 2023
proton, holdings, this, article, about, malaysian, automobile, company, industrial, town, proton, city, other, uses, proton, disambiguation, this, article, multiple, issues, please, help, improve, discuss, these, issues, talk, page, learn, when, remove, these,. This article is about a Malaysian automobile company For the industrial town see Proton City For other uses see Proton disambiguation This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This article contains content that is written like an advertisement Please help improve it by removing promotional content and inappropriate external links and by adding encyclopedic content written from a neutral point of view September 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message A major contributor to this article appears to have a close connection with its subject It may require cleanup to comply with Wikipedia s content policies particularly neutral point of view Please discuss further on the talk page September 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Proton Holdings news newspapers books scholar JSTOR September 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message Learn how and when to remove this template message Proton Holdings Berhad commonly known as Proton stylised PROTON is a Malaysian automotive company Proton was established on 7 May 1983 as Malaysia s sole national badged car company until the advent of Perodua in 1993 The company is headquartered in Shah Alam Selangor and operates additional facilities in Proton City Perak Proton Holdings BerhadTypeJoint ventureIndustryAutomotiveFounded7 May 1983 40 years ago 7 May 1983 FounderTun Dr MahathirHeadquartersShah Alam Selangor MalaysiaArea servedWorldwide mainly MalaysiaKey peopleTan Sri Syed Faisal Albar Chairman Dr Li Chunrong CEO En Roslan bin Abdullah Deputy CEO ProductsAutomobilesRevenueRM8 0 billion 1 2020 Number of employees12 000ParentDRB HICOM 50 1 Geely 49 9 DivisionsPONSB Sdn Bhd Proton EdarSubsidiariesProton R3Websiteproton wbr comProton began manufacturing of rebadged versions of Mitsubishi Motors MMC products in the 1980s and 1990s Proton produced its first indigenously designed non badge engineered car in 2000 with a Mitsubishi engine It elevated Malaysia as the 11th country in the world with the capability to design cars from the ground up 2 Since the 2000s Proton has produced a mix of locally engineered and badge engineered vehicles Proton was founded under majority ownership by HICOM with a minority stake being held by Mitsubishi Group members By 2005 Mitsubishi had divested its stake in Proton to Khazanah Nasional In 2012 Proton was fully acquired by DRB HICOM Proton was the owner of Lotus Cars from 1996 to 2017 In May 2017 DRB HICOM announced plans to sell a 49 9 stake in Proton and a 51 stake in Lotus to Geely Automobile Holdings 3 The deal was signed in June 2017 and Lotus has ceased to be a unit of Proton 4 5 As of 2023 Proton has an overseas presence in Bangladesh Bermuda Brunei Egypt Iraq Jordan Kenya Mauritius Mozambique 6 Nepal Pakistan Papua New Guinea Sri Lanka South Africa and Zimbabwe 7 CKD plants are located in Pakistan Kenya Nepal and Sri Lanka 7 Contents 1 Etymology 2 History 2 1 1980s 2 2 1990s 2 3 2000s 2 4 2010s 3 Products and technologies 3 1 Current models 3 2 Former models 4 Logo and branding 5 Domestic sales 6 Export markets 6 1 History 6 2 Future 7 Partnerships 7 1 Mitsubishi 7 2 Citroen 7 3 Youngman 7 4 Honda 7 5 Suzuki 7 6 Geely 8 Motorsport 8 1 1980s and 1990s 8 2 2000s 8 3 2010s 8 4 Asia Pacific Rally Championship 8 5 Intercontinental Rally Challenge 8 6 British Touring Car Championship 9 Football 10 Awards and accolades 11 See also 12 Notes 13 References 14 External linksEtymology editProton is a Malay backronym for Perusahaan Otomobil Nasional National Automobile Enterprise 8 History edit1980s edit nbsp The first generation Proton Saga More than 1 2 million units were sold between 1985 and 2008 9 The concept of a National Car was conceived in 1979 by then Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia Dato Seri Dr Mahathir bin Mohamad now Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad with the goal of enhancing the Malaysian automotive industry 10 The National Car Project was approved by the Cabinet in 1982 leading to the equity investment of Proton on 7 May 1983 with Mitsubishi Corporation for the future of company founding It was wholly owned by the government of Malaysia through Khazanah Nasional at its creation It was headed by its founder Dr Mahathir Proton approached Mitsubishi Motors between 1983 and 1984 and brokered a joint venture between both companies for the production of the first Malaysian car The result of the collaboration was the Proton Saga which launched in 9 July 1985 11 The Proton Saga was based on the second generation 1983 Mitsubishi Lancer Fiore 4 door saloon and powered by a 1 3 litre Mitsubishi Orion 4G13 engine The first Proton Saga to roll off the production line in Shah Alam is preserved in the National Museum Malay Muzium Negara as a symbol of the beginning of the Malaysian automotive industry Sales of the new Saga outstripped supply and Proton struggled to meet the growing demand but by mid 1986 it had captured a 64 majority domestic market share in the Below 1600cc segment 12 Later in October 1987 a hatchback variant called the Proton Saga Aeroback was launched and had a more powerful 1 5L Mitsubishi 4G15 engine and a redesigned rear end Exports to Ireland began in 1988 and by March 1989 Proton entered the United Kingdom car market with the Saga saloon and hatchback duo where the Malaysian company set the record for the Fastest Selling Make of New Car Ever to Enter the United Kingdom 13 Proton s sales declined during the late 1980s as a result of the worldwide economic recession and the lack of technical expertise in Proton s management 14 Kenji Iwabuchi a former Mitsubishi Motors executive was appointed as the managing director of Proton in 1988 15 1990s edit nbsp The Proton Saga Iswara saloon widely used as Malaysian taxis in the 1990s and early 2000s On 15 August 1992 the Proton Saga Iswara was launched It shares the older Mitsubishi platform used in the original Proton Saga but its exterior and interior styling are unique to Proton The Saga Iswara was widely used as taxicabs in Malaysia during the 1990s and 2000s and many continue in service citation needed nbsp The Proton Wira saloon Over 952 216 units were sold in around 65 countries worldwide 16 On 21 May 1993 the Proton Wira was introduced It is based on the fourth generation 1991 Mitsubishi Lancer and was sold in a four door saloon guise at launch The Proton Wira Aeroback a five door hatchback variant featuring a Proton designed rear end joined the range in 1993 By 1996 the Wira saloon and hatchback shared six different engines all of which were sourced from Mitsubishi Motors The engines included the 4G13 1 3L and 4G15 1 5L carried over from the Proton Saga the newer 4G92 1 6L 4G93 SOHC and DOHC 1 8L and the 4D68 2 0L diesel The Wira was the first Proton car to be produced in right hand drive RHD and left hand drive LHD configurations and remains the only Proton car to have been available with a diesel engine 17 nbsp The Proton Satria GTi widely regarded as the best Proton car ever produced Proton launched the three door Proton Satria hatchback in 1994 and the two door Proton Putra coupe in 1996 both of which are based on the Wira platform and powered by the same range of Mitsubishi engines offered in the Wira except for the 2 0L diesel The Proton Wira Proton Satria and Proton Putra were exported and marketed across the European Union and Middle East during the 1990s The Proton Perdana a premium D segment saloon was launched in 1995 It is based on the seventh generation Mitsubishi Eterna introduced in 1992 and was fitted with Mitsubishi s 4G63 2 0 litre straight four engine It was also offered with the superior 6A12 DOHC 2 0 liter V6 engine after 1999 The Perdana remains the only D segment V6 powered car to be commercially produced by Proton A Citroen AX based 1 1 litre five door supermini called the Proton Tiara debuted in 1996 It was the result of a joint venture between Proton and PSA Peugeot Citroen a collaboration which was later abandoned after the death of Proton s then CEO Tan Sri Yahaya Ahmad in 1997 nbsp The first generation Proton Perdana then the company s most premium offering On 30 October 1996 Proton acquired an 80 stake in the British company Lotus Group International Limited valued at 51 million 18 The controlling interest was purchased from A C B N Holdings S A of Luxembourg a company controlled by Italian businessman Romano Artioli then also the owner of Bugatti By 2003 Proton s stake in Lotus was increased to 100 19 Lotus has been involved in the development of suspension and handling elements of all Proton cars launched since 1996 The Proton Satria GTi widely regarded as the best Malaysian car ever produced owes much of its success to Lotus contributions 20 2000s edit nbsp The Proton Waja the first indigenously designed Proton car nbsp The Proton GEN 2 the first model to be offered with Proton s CamPro engine The Proton Waja the company s first indigenously designed model was launched in August 2000 However it still had a Mitsubishi 4G18 engine at launch as Proton s first in house CamPro engine was unavailable The Waja marked the end of Proton s extensive reliance on other car manufacturers for vehicle platforms and components 21 However the model was only a moderate seller being significantly outsold by Proton s own much older and slightly smaller Proton Wira 22 The Waja also marked the start of a decline in the local market leading Proton marque which led to Perodua the second Malaysian vehicle manufacturer eventually capturing Proton s sales crown in 2006 23 In 2002 Proton introduced the Arena a ute based on the Proton Wira platform and thus far the only Proton model to enjoy significantly more popularity in its export markets specifically Australia than domestically The Proton Gen 2 a hatchback model was launched in late 2004 It was the first Proton vehicle equipped with the new CamPro engine 24 The RM1 8 billion US 580 million Proton Tanjung Malim manufacturing plant in the Malaysian state of Perak commenced operation in November 2003 25 The new plant had been projected to open in August 1998 but it was deferred due to the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis 26 However it was revived in 2001 and completed in late 2003 instead 27 28 The new 1 280 acre plant was also developed as part of the Proton City project which would span 4 000 acres of land in Tanjung Malim and consist of residential commercial institutional industrial and recreational areas 29 The plant has an annual production capacity of 150 000 vehicles but could be expanded to 1 million units in the future The Proton Tanjung Malim plant complements the original Proton plant in operation since 1985 located in Shah Alam Selangor 30 Despite a combined production capacity of around 350 000 units both plants are underutilised with just 52 235 and 114 645 units produced at the Tanjung Malim and Shah Alam plants in 2011 respectively 29 On 7 July 2004 Proton purchased a 57 57 stake in MV Agusta S p A of Italy valued at 70 million Proton failed to reverse the misfortunes of MV Agusta and sold the marque to Gevi S p A in December 2005 for 1 with Gevi assuming the 139 44 million debt carried over from MV Agusta 31 nbsp The second generation Proton Persona the successor to the Proton Wira saloon The latter half of the 2000s marked Proton s comeback in the domestic market with its vehicle sales growing a total of about 37 percent from 2006 to 2011 significantly above total passenger car sales growth of about 10 percent 32 33 The comeback was spearheaded by the Proton Persona saloon launched in August 2007 the long overdue replacement for the best selling but ageing Proton Wira saloon The Persona was based on an extended version of the 2004 Proton GEN 2 hatchback platform and shared most of its components and external appearance 34 The Persona successfully sold 19 840 units in the first three months following its launch 35 nbsp The Proton Satria Neo The second generation Proton Saga was launched on 18 January 2008 36 Previously the first generation Proton Saga had been Proton s first and most successful model having had a long 23 year lifespan the longest of all Proton models to date The new Saga proved to be a successful model Proton with over 23 000 bookings two weeks into its launch 37 It has consistently ranked as Proton s best selling vehicle domestically while placing 3rd overall in 2008 and 2nd between 2009 and 2012 beaten only by its archrival the Perodua Myvi in overall vehicle sales 38 39 40 Proton further widened its model base when it introduced the Exora Malaysia s first indigenous 7 seater MPV in April 2009 41 The Exora was based on Proton s next generation P2 platform and helped satisfy the growing demand for a budget 7 seater in the domestic market which had been monopolised by the Nissan Grand Livina and the smaller Toyota Avanza For several years it consistently positioned in the Top 10 best selling vehicles in Malaysia 38 39 40 2010s edit nbsp The Proton Exora the company s first 7 seat MPV On August 6 2008 the Proton Saga and Proton Persona were seen doing road tests at the Greater Noida Expressway hinting at the potential to export Proton automobiles to India 42 However negotiations for Proton to establish an Indian branch did not materialize 43 In December 2008 Proton resumed product collaboration with Mitsubishi Motors 44 Under the agreement Proton gained the rights to rebadge the 2007 Mitsubishi Lancer to be sold exclusively in the Malaysian market The result of the collaboration was the Proton Inspira which launched on 10 November 2010 It also marked a return to closer ties between Proton and Mitsubishi the Japanese company which was instrumental in Proton s foundation in the 1980s 45 Proton showcased the EMAS concept hybrid city cars at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show 46 They were designed by Italdesign Giugiaro and related to the Lotus Ethos a similar concept car from Proton s British subsidiary nbsp The Proton Preve the first 5 star ANCAP safety rated car from Malaysia The turbocharged inline four petrol engine from Proton was revealed at the 2010 Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show 47 Officially known as the 1 6L CamPro CFE it is capable of producing power and torque figures of 138 bhp 103 kW at 5 000 rpm and 205 N m at 2 000 4 000 rpm respectively comparable to a 2 0L naturally aspirated engine while achieving better fuel efficiency and reduced greenhouse emissions 48 In January 2012 Proton was acquired by DRB HICOM a Malaysian conglomerate in a transaction between Khazanah Nasional and DRB HICOM which totalled RM1 2 billion 49 The Proton Preve the company s latest saloon car was unveiled on 16 April 2012 50 51 It became the first Proton car and to an extent the first Malaysian car to be awarded the full 5 star safety rating in the Australasian New Car Assessment Program ANCAP of Australia and New Zealand 52 In December 2012 Proton acquired all of Petronas E01 engine technologies in addition to associated technology patents at a cost of RM 63 million 53 The deal encompassed a family of naturally aspirated and turbocharged 1 8 2 0 and 2 2 litre engines to complement Proton s own CamPro 1 3L N A 1 6L N A and 1 6L turbo engines nbsp The Proton Suprima S On 17 August 2013 Proton launched the Suprima S the hatchback complement to the Preve saloon 54 It became the second 5 star ANCAP rated Proton and the first to offer extensive standard safety features in its domestic market On 11 December 2013 the second generation Proton Perdana was finally unveiled after a three year gap in the nameplate s production 55 The new Perdana is a badge engineered eighth generation Honda Accord and is for exclusive sale to Malaysian civil servants and government officials 55 nbsp The Proton Iriz The Proton Iriz was unveiled on 25 September 2014 as the company s first B segment 5 door hatchback 56 The new Iriz competes directly against the Perodua Myvi in its domestic market On 18 January 2016 Proton unveiled their all new four cylinder GDI TGDI and three cylinder VVT engines 57 The new engines of which there are six in total are being developed in collaboration with Ricardo and Lotus Engineering and are slated to enter production by late 2017 57 Proton unveiled their new logo in February 2016 and appointed a new CEO and Deputy CEO in April 58 59 The government had also granted Proton a RM 1 5 billion soft loan in mid 2016 60 The loan came with a number of conditions including a mandatory tie up with a foreign automobile company in the near future Several companies have expressed interest including Suzuki Skoda Groupe PSA Renault and Geely 61 This culminated with the entry of China s Zhejiang Geely Holding Group in June 2017 after the Chinese carmaker acquired 49 9 equity in Proton from DRB HICOM citation needed nbsp The third generation Proton Persona Proton introduced four new models in 2016 The new Perdana launched on 14 June 62 followed by the new Persona on 23 August 63 the new Saga on 28 September 64 and the new Ertiga on 24 November 65 The launch of four new Proton models within the span of six months was unprecedented in the company s history Masazumi Ogawa was recruited as the director of quality control in Proton 66 On 24 May 2017 parent company DRB HICOM announced plans to sell a 49 9 stake in Proton to Zhejiang Geely Automobile Holdings 3 67 Eventually DRB HICOM also sold 51 controlling stake in Lotus to Geely and the remaining 49 stake to Etika Automotive 68 The definitive agreement was in July 2017 69 Proton had owned Lotus since 1996 and largely struggled to turn the fortunes of the sports car maker around Nonetheless in late 2016 Lotus announced their first operating profit in over 40 years 70 Their presence in Proton is said to not affect Japanese auto manufacturers due to being in the market for a very long time 71 Still many of Proton s cars benefitted from the Lotus relationship with the Satria GTi specifically mentioned by car reviewers as possessing good handling traits Subsequent Proton some models received Lotus Tuned input citation needed Proton recruited Yoshiya Inamori as the vice president of manufacturing who had previously been involved with Proton back in the 80s when it was founded during his time in Mitsubishi from April 1982 until July 2017 72 On 29 September 2017 DRB HICOM announced changes to the board of Proton Holdings Berhad 73 Following the signing of a Definitive Agreement with China s Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Limited on 23 June 2017 74 the Chinese carmaker acquired 49 9 equity in Proton The announcement on 29 September saw a new board of directors put in place in Proton Holdings Proton Edar the local distribution arm and Perusahaan Otomobil Nasional Sdn Bhd PONSB Three nominees from Geely Holding joined the boards Daniel Donghui Li the Executive VP and CFO of Geely Holding Dr Nathan Yuning the Executive VP of International Business of Geely Holding and Feng Qing Feng the Group VP and CTO at HK listed Geely Auto DRB HICOM are represented by Dato Sri Syed Faisal Albar who chairs the boards and Amalanathan Thomas and Shaharul Farez Hassan Both are part of the senior management team 75 at DRB HICOM On the same day Dr Li Chunrong joins PONSB as CEO 76 77 Dr Li is the third foreigner to head Proton Between 1993 and 1997 the early years of Proton two different Japanese nominees of their partners Mitsubishi Motors Corporation led the carmaker Products and technologies editFurther information List of Proton vehicles Current models edit Current model line up with calendar year of introduction or most recent facelift 78 Proton Saga 1985 present A segment sedan Proton Persona 1993 present B segment sedan Proton Iriz 2014 present B segment hatchback Proton X70 2018 present C segment SUV Proton X50 2020 present B segment SUV Proton X90 2023 present D segment SUV Proton S70 2023 present C segment sedan Former models edit Former model line up with calendar year of introduction or most recent facelift Proton Wira 1993 2009 C segment sedan Proton Satria 1994 2005 C segment hatchback Proton Perdana first generation 1995 2010 D segment sedan Proton Tiara 1996 2000 A segment hatchback Proton Putra 1996 2001 C segment coupe Proton Waja 2000 2011 C segment sedan Proton Juara 2001 2004 A segment microvan MPV Proton Arena 2002 2009 C segment coupe utility Proton GEN 2 2004 2012 C segment hatchback Proton Savvy 2005 2011 A segment hatchback Proton Satria Neo 2006 2015 B segment hatchback Proton Exora 2009 2023 C segment MPV Proton Inspira 2010 2015 C segment sedan Proton Preve 2012 2018 C Segment sedan Proton Suprima S 2013 2019 C segment hatchback Proton Perdana second generation 2013 2020 D segment sedan Proton Ertiga 2016 2019 B segment mini MPV Logo and branding edit nbsp 1992 2000 Malaysian Market logo nbsp 2008 2016 logo The Proton logo in 1983 was a dark blue shield which encompassed a yellow crescent positioned below a yellow fourteen pointed star in reference to the Malaysian flag and coat of arms 79 However this emblem was only used for Proton cars which were sold domestically Proton cars exported to other markets received different badge designs 80 In 2000 the new Proton logo was used on the Proton Waja which launched in that year 79 It featured a stylised yellow tiger head on a green roundel embossed upon a dark blue shield with the Proton name in yellow capital letters in Frutiger font The standard text representation of the Proton name was also changed from the lowercase italic text proton to the uppercase PROTON citation needed All Proton cars manufactured after 2000 carried the new badge both in the domestic and export markets Then its colour was changed into two tone silver and black which was in use since 2008 with the introduction of the second generation Proton Saga 79 In 2010 Proton unveiled the Proton Lekir concept which came with a separate logo The logo would later be adopted in 2017 In June 2016 a new Proton logo was introduced during the launch of 2016 Proton Perdana which is only a Malayan tiger head with a circle surrounding in three dimensional style The new logo is now used on all Proton latest models including the 2017 Proton Iriz facelift and 2017 Proton Exora Enhanced citation needed Two years after i e September 2019 Proton s global strategic partnership with Zhejiang Geely Holding Group in 2017 Proton Holdings unveiled a brand new logo and Inspiring Connections tagline to outline its ambition to be a global modern automotive brand Starting with the Proton X70 and excluding the 2019 Exora the rear badge was replaced by lettering spelling out Proton 81 Domestic sales edit nbsp Proton s sales grew at a stable rate in the first decade but plunged in 1998 due to the 1997 Asian financial crisis Nonetheless Proton bounced back and recorded its highest sales volume in 2002 at 214 373 units Sales gradually decreased in the following five years due to cheaper and more competitive offerings from Perodua Proton s sales have recovered slightly since 2008 but their market share is in a current state of decline Proton has sold over 3 500 000 cars in Malaysia between 1985 and 2013 The first Proton the Saga saloon launched in July 1985 amid positive reception but poor sales due to Proton s inability to meet the high demand 12 However Proton later captured a 47 Malaysian market share in the following year with 24 148 cars sold The company s market share later grew to 65 in 1987 85 in the Under 1 600cc segment 82 Proton maintained a majority market share in the following years which peaked in 1993 at 74 with over 94 100 units sold 83 Car sales in Malaysia plunged from 404 000 units in 1997 to 163 851 in 1998 due to the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis 84 Proton s revenue and profits were severely affected but a majority market share was still maintained into the early 2000s 85 In the mid 2000s Proton s revenues and sales declined sharply In 2006 Proton s market share was 32 down from 40 in 2005 86 Proton lost its majority domestic market share for the first time in 20 years to Perodua the second Malaysian car manufacturer Factors which contributed to the fall of Proton included the revision of the National Automotive Policy NAP Proton s newer indigenously designed models i e the Proton Waja Gen 2 and Savvy which were poorly designed and manufactured compared to the former Mitsubishi based models and stronger competitors specifically Perodua with their best selling Myvi which launched in 2005 87 Proton s total sales volume and its market share failed to recover to its pre 2002 figures and Perodua remained the domestic market leader from 2006 onwards citation needed nbsp A comparison of Proton amp Perodua sales in the domestic market Perodua which started out in 1994 as a complement and not a competitor to Proton has overtaken the latter to become Malaysia s best selling car manufacturer Perodua cars manage to sell in greater numbers due to their cheaper pricing range in which there are few competitors as well as their inheritance of generally better designs from their parent company Toyota citation needed Sales of Proton cars grew at a stable rate in the latter half of the 2000s and in the early 2010s The company briefly regained the top spot from Perodua in June 2009 after the introduction of the Proton Exora MPV 88 Proton also matched Perodua s market share in the first quarter of 2011 89 Factors which contributed to the rise of Proton were well designed cars which catered to the needs of the domestic market i e the Proton Persona second generation Saga and Exora in addition to better management of the company under the then managing director Syed Zainal Abidin However despite the improvements made between 2007 and 2012 in addition to improved overall sales Proton s Malaysian market share continued to decrease In 2011 the company had a 26 4 158 657 units share which plummeted further to 22 5 141 121 units in 2012 90 In comparison Perodua retained a majority market share of 30 1 189 137 units in 2012 with Toyota maintaining its third place at a 16 8 share with 105 151 units sold citation needed Proton s decline in market share stabilised in 2013 In the first half of that year Proton sold 64 782 cars representing 20 7 of the market share a decline of 1 8 over its full year 2012 share 91 However by the end of 2013 Proton had managed to raise its market share to 21 2 with a total of 138 753 units sold 92 Nonetheless Proton s market share has still declined by an overall 1 3 between 2012 and 2013 In July 2013 Proton sold around 16 600 cars which accounted for 25 in market share during that specific month the company s highest ever in 2013 93 Perodua on the other hand sold around 19 200 or 2 600 more cars than Proton in July 2013 The rise in Proton s sales were attributed to the launch of the Proton Saga SV a cheaper variant of the second best selling car in Malaysia citation needed Another factor which continues to play a significant role in the sales of Proton cars is the National Automotive Policy NAP enforced by the Malaysian government in the interests of Proton Perodua Naza and foreign brands with manufacturing plants in Malaysia 94 Under the NAP imported vehicles are subjected to varying degrees of import and excise duties depending on the vehicle s origin of manufacture and engine displacement with excise duty imposed at 60 to 105 percent being the highest component in the duty structure Vehicles imported from members of the Association of South East Asian Nations such as Thailand and Indonesia are subject to the least import duties whereas those from Europe suffer the worst 94 However imported hybrid vehicles and cars purchased in duty free Langkawi are exempted from the import and excise duties The NAP ensures the survival of Proton and other Malaysian made vehicles under a biased playing field in the Malaysian market Nonetheless the import duties of the NAP have been progressively revised and reduced in line with the eventual liberation of the market but excise duties the larger component of tariffs continues to be high and opaquely applied with non tariff barriers effectively reducing the rate for Malaysian made vehicles 95 In March 2013 the Ministry of International Trade and Industry Malaysia announced that vehicles manufactured in Australia and Japan will face a gradual reduction of import duties in stages to zero by 2016 96 Proton however responded positively to the announcement citing their recent positive developments such as the 5 star ANCAP safety recognition of the Proton Preve as part of its commitment to progress 97 Export markets edit nbsp Proton automobile export markets Malaysia Current BUX Current KDX Former BUX Former KDX Joint venture with local companyProton relies primarily on its domestic market for the majority of its sales and revenues Nonetheless small volumes of Proton cars are also exported to various other countries in Asia in addition to the United Kingdom and Australia The company held a far larger global sales network in the 1990s spanning all six continents and over 70 countries but intends to regain a global foothold with 500 000 annual sales by 2018 98 99 On 24 January 2020 Proton announced that their goal is to export 4 000 vehicles by the end of the year or export 6 000 vehicles if they were offered government incentives 100 History edit Proton cumulative sales volume in selected markets needs update Country Cars sold Time frame References nbsp Malaysia 3 760 000 07 1985 present 101 102 103 nbsp United Kingdom 141 209 03 1989 2016 104 105 106 nbsp Australia 34 985 05 1995 2016 106 107 108 109 nbsp Singapore 23 951 10 1989 20022003 2012 107 110 nbsp Thailand 19 188 12 2007 2016 107 111 nbsp Germany 15 479 03 1995 09 1999 112 113 nbsp Syria around 15 000 2001 present 114 nbsp Egypt around 13 000 2000 12 2015 and 2018 present 115 nbsp South Africa around 5 000 2004 20152022 present 116 nbsp Chile around 3 500 1994 1998 and 2016 2018 nbsp Indonesia around 580 2002 2018 nbsp Pakistan N A 2019 presentProton first ventured into export markets in December 1986 a year and a half after the launch of the company s first car the Saga 117 It was only sold in right hand drive markets like New Zealand the United Kingdom and Singapore because left hand drive variants were not produced Proton attempted to enter the American market in November 1988 but failed to meet strict US automotive regulations 118 However the Proton Wira which launched in 1993 became the company s first car to be produced in both left and right hand drive configurations paving the way for Proton s entry into Continental Europe in October 1994 and other markets in the Middle East and Latin America 17 119 112 The company s global sales network peaked between 1994 and the early 2000s but has since dwindled to around 25 countries as of the 2010s Proton has commissioned CKD plants in Iran Indonesia the Philippines Vietnam and China Proton began importing cars to the right hand drive UK market from March 1989 and reached its 12 month sales target of 5 000 cars after just six months 120 The Proton brand was initially a huge success in the UK but sales were declining sharply by 2010 and the brand was withdrawn in 2014 citation needed nbsp The Proton Saga 1 5GL Aeroback Over 30 000 Protons were sold in the United Kingdom within its first 3 years At its peak in 1992 one Proton was sold in Britain for every five sold in Malaysia nbsp A Proton Wira taxi in Pyongyang North Korea Proton cars have also been exported as diplomatic gifts to several countries and governments nbsp The Proton Jumbuck ute It is the only Proton model of which export demand exceeded domestic demand Proton s presence in Singapore was handled by Cycle amp Carriage from 1989 to September 2002 due to failures to make a turn around 121 It made a comeback in 2003 with Proton establishing a direct branch 121 In the Philippines Proton was formerly represented by Proton Pilipinas Corp from 1992 with an assembly plant in Alaminos Pangasinan 122 that manufactured the Proton Wira 123 Proton exported 164 153 cars between December 1986 and December 1997 124 The United Kingdom is by far the company s most successful export market in terms of cumulative sales volume and at one point Proton set the record for Fastest Selling Make of New Car Ever to Enter the United Kingdom 13 In 1992 the Saga was ranked among the Top 20 best selling cars in the UK outselling its primary competitors from Hyundai and SEAT 125 126 100 000 Protons were sold in the UK by 1997 127 Additionally a 1999 survey by the United Kingdom Consumers Association ranked Proton as among the most reliable and recommended in Britain 128 The response from 27 000 members of the association revealed that Proton was ranked third in terms of fewer breakdowns faults and other mechanical problems placing Proton behind Honda and Mazda and ahead of Toyota and Ford 128 Furthermore 80 of the surveyed Consumers Association members said they would recommend Proton cars to friends and family compared to 90 for Subaru 79 for Toyota 78 for Honda and Mitsubishi 63 for Hyundai and 47 for Rover respectively 128 The 1999 award is Proton s second consecutive having received similar appraisal in 1998 128 However sales in the UK have since collapsed with just 208 Protons sold in 2012 129 Proton cars were once popular in Singapore at one time the company s second largest export destination despite its relatively small market size 130 Sales were also modest in Germany and Belgium during the late 90s prior to Proton s withdrawal from Continental Europe 131 Kuwait was once a top Middle Eastern export destination for Proton cars in the late 90s and early 2000s with an average market share of 8 or 1 000 units sold each year ten times greater than any other Gulf Cooperation Council state 132 The Kuwaiti dealer Bahrah Trading Company had focused on the niche fleet market selling Proton Wiras to fast food delivery services and taxi operators 132 By the first half of the 2010s the Chinese market had become the largest contributor to Proton s export revenues Although Proton cars sold in China carried different names and badges under the local Youngman EuropeStar brand Proton nonetheless received royalties for the use of their platforms and Campro engines 133 Proton s six year contract with Youngman expired in 2012 but the Zhejiang based company continued to unofficially produce Proton s cars and engines up until early 2015 134 In February 2015 Proton announced that they would revive their joint venture with Fujian based Goldstar and would not renew their contract with Youngman 135 136 nbsp Proton cars were first exported to the United Kingdom in 1989 and later Australia in 1995 British Proton sales peaked at 14 957 units in 1992 above rivals such as Hyundai 9 337 Kia 3 519 Skoda 9 365 SEAT 8 198 Lada 11 907 and even Mitsubishi 11 077 137 Proton s best performance in Australia was in 1998 with 3 182 units sold Since the late 90s sales in the U K have decreased significantly Proton cars were also exported to several countries in Latin America most notably Chile Exports to Chile commenced in 1994 and almost 3 000 Protons were sold prior to the company s departure in 1998 138 However Proton later expressed intentions of returning to Chile following the ratification of the Malaysia Chile Free Trade Agreement in 2012 138 In July 2015 Proton signed a distributor agreement with Andes Motor and the first official shipment of 50 left hand drive Preve units commenced on 1 March 2016 138 The Chilean launch of the Proton Preve took place in May 2016 and formally marked Proton s return to Chile after an 18 year absence 139 140 Proton announced that they closed Proton Motor Pars established in August 2011 since it was dormant and no longer in the company s interest to revive it in any way 141 On July 12 2018 Proton resumes exports to the Middle East beginning with 440 units of Proton Gen 2 and 15 units of first generation Proton Persona in Jordan to be distributed to Iraq as well as neighboring countries 142 143 On 21 March 2019 Proton has announced that a plant will be built in Pakistan in collaboration with Alhaj Automotive 144 Proton has already booked CBU versions of Proton X70 in Pakistan The orders for CKD versions of X70 are also being booked by Proton in Pakistan which are expected to be delivered in Q3 of 2021 after the completion of the local assembly plant there 145 The Proton Saga is also expected to be launched in Pakistan in January 2021 On 21 August 2020 it was announced that the Proton Saga will be exported to Kenya most built under CKDs shipped to Simba Corp 146 It was announced on 13 November 2020 that Proton vehicles will be sold in Nepal by Jagadamba Motors 147 148 The company will formally launch retail operations by January 2021 149 On 28 April 2022 an agreement was signed for Proton to re enter the South African auto market 150 On 31 May 2022 Proton announced shipments of Proton X50s X70s and Sagas in an effort to resume a presence in South Africa with CMH Group as the official distributor 151 In 2015 Proton left South Africa due to bad market conditions 116 Proton announced in May 2023 that they have entered Mozambique in partnership with local automobile distributor Entreposto 152 Future edit nbsp The Proton Iriz may receive a new 1 3 litre turbo 6MT option in the near future 153 A fully electric Iriz EV was also studied 154 The United Kingdom has been a key export market for Proton since the late 1980s However by the late 2000s British Proton sales had declined considerably as a result of ageing models and depleting stock 155 In 2013 Proton Cars UK had attempted to relaunch the brand with four all new models 155 However the relaunch was instead postponed indefinitely in view of more stringent European Union emissions and safety regulations Proton is currently developing a range of all new petrol engines in collaboration with Ricardo and Lotus Engineering 57 The engines will feature more advanced technology such as direct injection cylinder deactivation and stop start idling and will meet the highest Euro 6c emissions regulations 57 On 18 January 2016 Proton fired up a prototype in a live broadcast from Ricardo s facility in Shoreham England 57 Mass production of the all new Proton engines will commence in late 2017 57 Additionally Proton has announced their partnership with LG Electronics in the development of autonomous safety technology 156 In September 2014 Proton previewed an Iriz prototype with LG s Advanced Drive Assistance System ADAS 156 With the LG ADAS implementation new autonomous safety features like Autonomous Emergency Braking AEB Forward Collision Warning FCW Adaptive Cruise Control ACC Cross Traffic Assist CTA Lane Departure Warning LDW Traffic Sign Recognition TSR and High Beam Assist HBA can be incorporated into Proton s future offerings 156 The inclusion of autonomous safety features has become a necessary prerequisite for a full 5 Star Euro NCAP and ANCAP rating On 3 December 2014 Proton announced plans to construct a new car factory in Bangladesh 157 A deal was made public on 6 February 2015 between Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta to help the latter develop the way for their own national car 158 159 There are allegations that President Jokowi Widodo is appointing Abdullah Mahmud Hendropriyono as the representative of PT Adiperkasa Citra Lestari who was known to be associated with ex President Megawati Soekarnoputri 160 According to Steven Xu of Proton s International Sales the company is still in the process of establishing more distributors to increase its presence in Indonesia as of 10 April 2019 161 On 24 April 2019 Proton announced that they ll relaunch again in Australia since sales have declined in 2015 162 after the company established its presence in 1995 163 According to Li Churong the company will expand its presence in the ASEAN countries such as Brunei Indonesia Singapore and Thailand 164 The company announced on 16 June 2021 that its Indonesian and Thai operations will resume in the near future with plans to be the third biggest automobile manufacturer in the ASEAN region 165 It was reported that Proton s Thai operations could resume by 2022 165 But in February 2023 it s reported that Indonesian and Thai operations have yet to resume including Fiji 7 The presence of a Proton X50 being driven in India for road tests indicate the possible presence of a future Proton branch in India 166 Partnerships editMitsubishi edit nbsp The Proton Inspira the last of the Mitsubishi based Protons Mitsubishi Motors Corporation MMC and Mitsubishi Corporation MC were instrumental in the foundation of Proton The large majority of vehicle platforms engines parts and technical expertise were once sourced from Mitsubishi Motors Additionally the managing director of Proton between 1988 and 1993 was Kenji Iwabuchi a former Mitsubishi Motors executive 15 Proton s staff were also trained by Mitsubishi in Japan as part of a bilateral agreement Management of Proton was gradually assumed by Malaysians in the 1990s 14 All Proton cars launched between 1985 and 2000 with the exception of the Proton Tiara were based on Mitsubishi vehicles Proton began producing indigenously designed models after 2000 but resumed product collaboration with MMC in 2008 44 The result of the renewed collaboration is the Proton Inspira a rebadged 2007 Mitsubishi Lancer for sale exclusively in the Malaysian market It marked a return to closer ties between Proton and MMC 45 MMC and MC held a minority 30 joint stake in Proton while a majority 70 stake was held by the Heavy Industries Corporation of Malaysia HICOM 167 The Mitsubishi joint stake was later reduced to 15 86 or 7 93 each for MMC and MC respectively until it was fully sold to Khazanah Nasional in January 2005 168 Mitsubishi Motors Japan s sole unprofitable carmaker of that period sold its 7 93 Proton stake earlier in March 2004 in an effort to reduce its 1 14 trillion US 11 billion debt 168 The sale of Mitsubishi s joint stake in Proton marked the end of its 22 year investment in Proton Citroen edit nbsp The Proton Tiara In 1994 French car manufacturer Citroen announced plans for the production of diesel powered cars in Malaysia under a joint venture with Proton 169 Proton s then CEO Tan Sri Yahaya Ahmad also advocated an alliance with PSA Peugeot Citroen for the purpose of technology transfer Negotiations continued until 1995 but materialised in 1996 with the launch of the Proton Tiara 170 It was based on the Citroen AX and powered by a 1 1L Citroen l4 petrol engine in contrast to the plans for a diesel option The joint venture between Proton and Citroen stagnated after the death of Yahaya Ahmad in a helicopter crash the following year The Proton Tiara failed to compete against its rivals from Perodua and production ended in 2000 four years after its launch Youngman edit nbsp 2014 Youngman Lotus L3 GT 5 door a rebadged Proton Gen 2 Proton entered the People s Republic of China in 2007 under a strategic joint venture with China Youngman Automobile Group Co Ltd The agreement involved a minimum of 30 000 Proton Gen 2 CBU units which were rebadged in China under Youngman s Europestar marque 171 172 In 2008 the Proton Persona became the second model to be sold under the Europestar brand 173 The Gen 2 and Persona were known as the RCR short for RaCeR or Racing and Jing Yue between 2007 and late 2009 but both cars were facelifted and renamed as the L3 5 door and L3 4 door or L3 Sedan for the 2010 model year respectively Both models received unique parts and facelifts from Youngman between 2007 and 2013 The most recent facelifts of the Europestar L3 GT 5 door Proton Gen 2 and Europestar L3 GT 4 door Proton Persona offer new front bumpers unique grilles and mirror mounted turn signals on the exterior in addition to a redesigned climate control cluster and leather upholstery on the interior 174 175 176 Youngman has also introduced less expensive variants of their L3 hatchback and saloon models powered by the 1 5 litre Mitsubishi 4G15M engine 177 178 Youngman unveiled the Europestar L5 hatchback and saloon models at the 2011 Shanghai Motorshow The exterior design and interior equipment are indigenous to Youngman but both cars are based on an extended Proton GEN 2 platform 2 670mm 70mm longer than the original and powered by Proton s CamPro CPS 1 6 litre engine 179 The Europestar T5 was previewed on 23 April 2012 a SUV designed by Lotus and Youngman and based on the Proton Gen 2 platform 180 It was scheduled for a late 2012 launch but it was never put into production 134 Between mid 2009 and February 2015 Youngman Lotus had reported total production figures of 196 234 rebadged CKD GEN 2 and Persona units of which 189 872 were reportedly sold 181 N 1 However by mid 2015 the China Passenger Car Association CPCA stopped reporting Youngman Lotus sales numbers because they were way off from registration numbers 134 Youngman Lotus had ceased production and sales altogether by mid 2015 134 In February 2015 Proton announced that they would revive their joint venture with Fujian based Goldstar and would not renew their contract with Youngman 135 136 Honda edit nbsp The Proton Perdana CP based on the eighth generation Honda Accord Further information Proton Perdana On 29 October 2012 Proton entered a collaboration with Honda Motor Company Ltd 182 Both companies have agreed to explore collaboration opportunities in the areas of technology enhancement new product line up and the sharing of vehicle platforms and facilities 183 In November 2013 it was revealed that the PRM would be based on the North American eighth generation Honda Accord 184 The PRM will launch in two phases the first in mid December for sale exclusively to the Malaysian government and the second within the next two years for the Malaysian domestic market 185 Around 3 000 units of the PRM will be produced initially to replace the ageing Proton Perdana V6 fleet in use by the federal government 99 The result of the collaboration the second generation Proton Perdana was unveiled on 11 December 2013 at an official ceremony in Putrajaya 55 Suzuki edit nbsp The Proton Ertiga Proton partnered with Suzuki and rebadged the Suzuki Ertiga 186 Under the June 2015 agreement 25 of its 3S and 4S Suzuki dealership outlets have been converted into Proton Edar outlets and bearing both Proton and Suzuki logos citation needed Geely edit PROTON Holdings parent company DRB HICOM announced sold 49 9 stake in Proton to Zhejiang Geely Automobile Holdings 187 188 Following the entry of China s Geely as a shareholder of PROTON PROTON Holdings secured the intellectual properties to the design development manufacture sale marketing and distribution of the Geely Boyue Geely Binyue and Geely Haoyue for Brunei Indonesia Malaysia Singapore and Thailand 189 Proton announced the launch of the Proton s first sport utility vehicle which is based on Geely Boyue with touches of local design elements introduced for the Malaysian market The first batch of the locally named Proton X70 will be imported from China with localisation plans afoot with the expansion of their Tanjong Malim plant 190 With the incoming sales and tax exemption plans for EVs coming in by 2022 Proton announced a roadmap of hybrid PHEV and BEV products for the future 191 While no specific electric model was mentioned there is a possibility of the tech to be led by Geely s new powertrain brand Leishen Hi X citation needed Motorsport edit1980s and 1990s edit Proton has a significant historical presence in motorsports In the late 1980s an alliance consisting of Proton Malaysian oil and gas company Petronas Mitsubishi Motors of Japan and distributor of Proton cars Edaran Otomobil Nasional EON led to the formation of the Petronas EON Racing Team PERT 192 The team focused primarily on rallying and has been in motorsports as early as 1987 193 PERT won the 1989 Shell Malaysia Rally with Proton Saga rally cars which were prepared by Mitsubishi s Ralliart division featuring powerful 150 bhp engines as part of its rally specifications 194 PERT won several other international rallies including the 1991 Rally of Thailand 1993 Dubai International Rally and the Rallye Ng Philipinas in 1995 1996 and 1997 respectively 192 195 2000s edit nbsp Proton PERT with veteran Malaysian rally driver Karamjit Singh Proton s presence in international motorsports peaked when the Petronas EON Racing Team won the 2002 Production World Rally Championship with veteran Malaysian rally driver Karamjit Singh in a Proton PERT a rebadged Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 192 196 The Proton Karamjit duo also won the 2001 2002 and 2004 Asia Pacific Rally Championship titles 197 198 199 In 2003 the Proton Motorsports Division also known as Race Rally Research R3 was established 192 R3 assumed the responsibility of Proton s motorsports endeavours which had been held by Ralliart of Mitsubishi Motors The first model to benefit from R3 engineering was the Proton Satria R3 which launched in late 2004 with a limited run of 150 units citation needed 2010s edit Asia Pacific Rally Championship edit nbsp Alister McRae in his Proton Satria Neo S2000 at Rally Hokkaido during the 2010 APRC season Proton re entered the Asia Pacific Rally Championship APRC in 2010 an international rally championship organised by the FIA encompassing rounds in Asia and Oceania Proton had previously participated in the APRC but withdrew in 2005 due to financial problems The company competes under the official team name of Proton Motorsports with former WRC drivers Chris Atkinson and Alister McRae from Australia and Scotland respectively in a pair of Proton Satria Neo S2000 rally cars The new Satria Neo S2000 replaced the Proton PERT as Proton s premier rally car and was prepared by British based Mellors Elliot Motorsport MEM in accordance to FIA Super 2000 specifications 200 The cars cost over RM1 million each and are equipped with 280 bhp 271Nm 2 0 litre engines paired to 4WD drivetrains 201 Despite facing technical problems and stiff competition from the superior Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution and Subaru Impreza rally cars Proton drivers McRae and Atkinson placed 3rd and 5th respectively in the 2010 APRC season citation needed nbsp 2011 Proton Satria Neo CUSCO Edition in Japan The following year Malaysian rally veteran Karamjit Singh rejoined the APRC after a 6 year absence under the Proton R3 Cusco Rally Team in a Group N 2WD CUSCO Japan tuned 1 6L CamPro 145 hp 170Nm version of the Satria Neo 202 Japanese rally driver Akira Bamba also contested in the 2011 APRC season in another Satria Neo CUSCO The 2011 season concluded with a one two Proton Motorsports victory with drivers McRae and Atkinson in their Satria Neo S2000s Karamjit placed 1st in the 2WD category and 7th overall in the championship ahead of Bamba who placed 9th overall 203 In the 2012 APRC season Chris Atkinson left Proton Motorsports after two years of racing history with the team Atkinson joined Indian Team MRF instead where he piloted a Skoda Fabia S2000 alongside Indian rally veteran Gaurav Gill The vacant slot in Proton Motorsports was filled by Swedish racer Per Gunnar Andersson who also raced for Proton in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge Additionally Proton R3 Cusco added a third driver Malaysian Kenneth Koh whereas Dreams India driver Sanjay Takle participated in another 2WD Satria Neo The 2012 season ended with a Team MRF victory with Atkinson and Gaurav placing first and fourth respectively in their S2000 Skodas 204 Proton Motorsports driver McRae clinched second but Andersson placed a lowly seventh overall with the S2000 Satria Neos 204 Proton R3 Cusco racers Karamjit Bamba and Kenneth placed fifth sixth and eight respectively and Dreams India s Sanjay placed ninth overall 204 Intercontinental Rally Challenge edit Proton entered into the Intercontinental Rally Challenge 2009 with the Proton Satria Neo Super 2000 Their best result in IRC is Alister McRae finish 2nd place at 2009 Rally Scotland Drivers in 2009 were Karamjit Singh Guy Wilks Bryan Bouffier and Alister McRae scoring 13 points In 2010 Proton team had many retirements and did not score a single point Drivers for 2010 were Alister McRae Chris Atkinson Niall McShea Keith Cronin Gilles Panizzi and privateer with factory support Tom Cave Best result of 2010 season was 22nd place of Gilles Panizzi at 2010 Rallye Sanremo although it was the only finish of Proton Satria Neo S2000 in this season British Touring Car Championship edit nbsp The BTC T Proton Impian of Team Petronas Syntium Proton at Knockhill Circuit Scotland The British Touring Car Championship BTCC is a touring car racing series held each year in the United Kingdom Proton participated in the BTCC between 2002 and 2004 as the Petronas Syntium Proton Team PSP The team in the 2002 and 2003 BTCC seasons was headed by Scottish and English drivers David Leslie and Phil Bennett respectively in two heavily modified BTC T Proton Impian touring cars 205 They were succeeded by South African Shaun Watson Smith and Malaysian Fariqe Hairuman in the 2004 season 206 nbsp Daniel Welch s NGTC Proton Persona at the 2013 BTCC Snetterton GP England In 2011 UK based Welch Motorsport contested the BTCC in a Proton Persona NGTC driven by Daniel Welch 207 Welch Motorsport competes independently and is not tied to Proton but indirectly supported by Proton UK 208 The team made its debut in the second half of the 2011 BTCC season and scored a point in the final race at the Silverstone Circuit placing 22nd overall in the tournament In comparison 2011 Drivers Champion Matt Neal of Honda Racing Team scored 257 points citation needed Welch Motorsport s performance improved significantly in the 2012 BTCC season Daniel Welch had his best race at Oulton Park where he finished sixth in race one and held off defending champion Matt Neal to claim fourth position in race two Welch Motorsport placed 15th overall with 79 points in the 2012 season with 2012 Drivers Champion Gordon Shedden scoring 408 points in comparison citation needed Welch Motorsport expanded to a two car team in the 2013 BTCC season The Proton Persona NGTC returns in the hands of Daniel Welch whereas the second car is a Super 2000 Mk 2 Ford Focus driven by David Nye citation needed Football editProton and Norwich City F C signed a 3 year sponsorship deal in 2003 becoming the Canaries main sponsor for their home kit whilst Proton owned Lotus Cars would feature on the away kit The deal reportedly valued at a seven figure sum 209 was the largest sponsorship deal in the club s history Proton s chief executive officer Tengku Mahaleel Ariff said the sponsorship deal would bring more awareness and recognition to the Proton brand which it currently lacked 210 In 2005 Proton opened a showroom at Norwich City s Carrow Road stadium featuring products from Proton and Proton owned brands It was incorporated into the stadium s Jarrold Stand 211 Awards and accolades editPeople s Choice Automotive Category Silver Putra Brands Awards 2017 212 People s Choice Automotive Category Silver Putra Brands Awards 2018 212 See also editAutomotive industry in MalaysiaNotes edit Does not include sales of rebadged CBU GEN 2 Persona units or Youngman Lotus indigenously designed models References edit DRB HICOM posts RM554 13mil net profit RM13 15bil revenue in 2020 New Straits Times 24 February 2021 Retrieved 6 January 2022 Astonishing facts proton com 5 August 2007 Archived from the original on 5 August 2007 Retrieved 20 May 2017 a b Lye Gerard 24 May 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Proton Holdings amp oldid 1190367069, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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