Proton is preparing to restart in Australia

Proton is poised for a resurgence in the Australian market now that the Malaysian automaker is co-owned by Chinese car conglomerate Geely, which also includes Volvo, Lotus, Polestar and Lynk & Co.

Local sales of Proton models, including the Exora, Preve and Suprima S, have all but come to a standstill of late, with just one new car registered last year after dropping from 421 units in 2015.

However, as Geely controls Proton and buys up 49 percent of the automaker, plans are underway to rename Chinese-made vehicles as well as develop new models for consumption in the Australian market.

“I would take a close look at what Proton is up to,” Ash Sutcliffe, head of international public relations for Geely, told reporters at the Shanghai Auto Show last week. "Proton may be planning a return to Commonwealth countries in the near future."

Mr. Sutcliffe emphasized that Proton's expertise in right-hand drive vehicles will complement Geely's extensive manufacturing resources.

“Proton has a lot of experience in developing right-hand drive vehicles and developing their chassis and platform is very helpful for Geely,” he said.

“For example, we do a lot of testing in Malaysia that we can’t do in China – testing in hot weather when it’s cold here, we can go there and they have fantastic opportunities and they have a lot of talent. in the development of right-hand drive vehicles. So it's a good match together."

Geely's first vehicle launched internationally last year was the Proton X70 mid-size SUV, renamed Bo Yue, which Mr. Sutcliffe said gave the Malaysian brand a boost.

However, the X70 is only a temporary fix, as Sutcliffe said future Proton models are expected to be co-developed with Geely, though no timeline has been set yet.

As for the newly minted electric vehicle (EV) brand Geely Geometry, the Australian and Southeast Asian markets are currently under review and will be completed in the next two years.