Proton plans big push in Australia
The Proton Suprima S sunroof is a novelty on the world stage.
Malaysian car manufacturer Proton has been very quiet in Australia lately but plans to bring more buzz to the market in the next few months. The company has made some bizarre pricing decisions in years past, charging a lot of money for some models, resulting in sales that were sometimes virtually non-existent.
The lesson seems to have been learned and now Proton is proud to tell us that its cars are among the cheapest on the market.
Proton released the Preve in a four-door sedan format in early 2013. and will expand the range with the sporty Preve GXR. It will be powered by a turbocharged version of the 1.6-liter Campro engine with 103kW and 205Nm of torque. Which should make it more dynamic than the 80kW non-turbo sedan. The Preve CVT transmission features paddle shifters allowing the driver to select between seven preset gears.
Proton is proud that the driving dynamics of the Proton Preve GXR were designed by Lotus. This is what impressed us about previous Proton models that had great ride and handling. The Preve has a five-star crash test rating and will go on sale in Australia on November 1, 2013.
An interesting model seven-seat passenger transport Proton Exora. Two models descend; even the entry-level Proton Exora GX is well-equipped, with alloy wheels, a rooftop DVD player; CD audio system with Bluetooth, USB and Aux inputs, alloy rear parking sensors and alarm.
To this list, the Proton Exora GXR adds a leather interior, cruise control, a rearview camera and a rear spoiler. The Proton Exora GX will cost between $25,990 and $27,990. The top Exora GXR line starts at $XNUMX.
Both versions of the van are equipped with a 1.6-liter low-pressure petrol turbo engine with a power of 103 kW and a torque of 205 Nm. They will have a six-ratio CVT automatic transmission for when the driver feels the computer hasn't selected the correct gear ratio for the conditions.
The main safety features are ABS, ESC and four airbags. However, the Proton Exora only received a four-star ANCAP safety rating at a time when many cars receive the maximum five stars. Date of sale Proton Exor range: October 1, 2013
Proton's newest model, the Suprima S hatchback, is further down the road, with a December 1, 2013 sale date currently scheduled. Prices will be announced later.
Just unveiled in Malaysia, the all-new Proton Suprima S will be sold in two trims, both with the same Campro 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine and CVT transmission as the Exora and Preve models. However, a six-speed manual version will be available from the first quarter of 2014. Suprima S has also received a 5-star ANCAP safety rating.
All new Protons come with a five-year limited service, a five-year warranty, and five years of free roadside assistance; they all have a distance limit of up to 150,000 kilometers. We'll be interested to see how the new Proton line performs. We were impressed with previous models for their smooth ride and handling, but we were clearly unimpressed by engines that had poor performance.
Build quality has been variable in years past, but hopefully it's been updated. Our visit to the then-new Proton plant in Malaysia about five years ago showed that the team there is determined to produce world-class cars.
