Proton Gen.2 2005 Review: Snapshot

The fact that Lotus's parent company is based in Malaysia also draws a lot of attention, primarily with disbelief.

But such is life in the British automotive industry, where virtually every major brand has given way to offshore ownership.

Lotus owner Proton doesn't stop at the story, but rather celebrates its UK division's significant engineering excellence and incorporates it into its latest Gen.2 five-door hatchback.

Yes, that's his name. Though for traffic tracking it says CamPro Gen.2 on the trunk lid, proving that the erratic English of the 1960s Japanese auto industry is not dead.

For God's sake . . . CamPro sounds like the nickname of a Southeast Asian prostitute, while Gen.2 sounds like her daughter. Wombat would be better.

But what's in a name? The car is well-engineered, has a fresh style, with a blunt nose like a Mazda and a wide tail that looks a bit like a Volvo S60.

It's not a big car, although it has enough room for four adults, and the trunk is spacious and expandable thanks to split folding rear seats.

The Proton designers have carefully trimmed the cockpit in soft beige hues so it looks quiet, pastel, airy and welcoming in a warm and fuzzy style.

The dashboard gets top marks, with easy-to-read gauges, a Blaupunkt radio/CD that looks like it came from a Citroen, and a fancy Lotus Elise-like vertical mount to control the ventilation and air conditioning.

But it doesn't have a glove box - a tray under the dash holds your belongings - and only one cup holder.

The seats are remarkable in that they have virtually no lateral support - but more on that later.

It fell off a little, but I put it back, indicating that quality control is the next priority.

The best thing about the Gen.2 is its smooth ride. It's rated as one of the best cars in its class, and its handling will put cars that cost three times as much to shame.

Steering feel is excellent, as are the gear ratios; traction is sharp, and the landing is smooth; and the engine - while underpowered - is an eager player for fast driving.

Even the brakes on all wheels are discs, so the stretched chassis was something of a big but pleasant surprise.

But while you are enjoying this conversion, your body is not. The seats are well-finished, but lack lateral support and shallow cushion, which does not provide much comfort. Basically, the handling of a car far exceeds your ability to sit and operate it.

The engine seems to have all the powers, although at 82kW it falls short of its competitors. However, it manages without fuss and accelerates faster than you'd expect.

The manual shift lever is a bit jagged, though the gear ratios are well suited to the small engine.

This is a pretty good car at an exceptional price that beats the Koreans.

A final comment is that using a Proton tire to save space is unforgivable and, like any other automaker that wants to save money on the Australian public, should be declared illegal for safety reasons.