Engineer Wins Reward Of A Lifetime With PROTON’S Car Makeover

SUBANG JAYA: The R3 Unit of PROTON Motorsports Division today returned a completely made-over 1996 Proton Iswara Aeroback to the third recipient of the ‘My PROTON Makeover’ programme. Norzamzarini Mohd Bajuri, was given the keys to his newly refurbished car by PROTON’s Director of Group Marketing, Branding & Motorsports, John D. Chacko, and Head of Engineering of the R3 unit of PROTON Motorsports Division, Tengku Djan Ley bin Tengku Mahaleel.

“This new lease of life that PROTON has given to my car is a gift beyond words and is truly a blessing to me and my family. Thank you so much PROTON!” said Norzamzarini, 35, a software engineer from Muar. 

“In organising this contest, we received many submissions that were very personal and meaningful,” said John D. Chacko. “This overwhelming response is wonderful as it enables us to show our appreciation and reward our faithful customers in line with our “Committed to Be Better” promise that reflects PROTON’s efforts at improvement, particularly towards quality and customer care. Norzamzarini’s composition stood out to us as a very heartfelt piece, therefore we are honoured to reward him for such sincere customer loyalty,” he added.

The red, second-hand Proton Iswara Aeroback 1.3 that Norzamzarini purchased in 1998 received the full R3 treatment, from the powertrain aspect of the car to its overall appearance.

“As it was the primary mode of transport for Norzamzarini and his family, the car clocked high mileage with its daily use. Knowing that the consistency of its usage will continue, the work that was done to the car’s performance was not so much as to give it more power, but to improve its drivability and efficiency,” explained Tengku Djan Ley.

The ideas behind the reworking of the car as explained by Tengku Djan Ley, was to ensure its practicality without compromising its external looks. 

“Norzamzarini mentioned that he liked the colour orange. We then explored that option and decided to do the car up in Lotus orange,” said Tengku Djan. “There was a slight fear that this could potentially make his car look a little tacky. However, the decision to use a significant amount of Titanium-coloured detailing helped us avoid that and ultimately gave the car a uniquely classy and sporty look,” Tengku Djan noted with satisfaction. The car also sports a dark interior with strong hints of Lotus orange, fittingly complementing its exterior. 

The engine and the gearbox were given a full overhaul while the suspension system received special attention. Tengku Djan explained that it was adjusted to give Norzamzarini’s car a standard feel even whilst looking sporty, emphasising that the main outcome is to be a balanced performance for day-to-day driving. 

“We also opted to use 15 inch rims to improve and sustain the car’s balance, so that it will not result in high fuel consumption,” Tengku Djan added. 

“My PROTON Makeover”, rooted in PROTON’s overall “Committed to Be Better” campaign required submissions of personal and heart-warming stories involving contestants and their PROTON cars, with the best five stories winning a complete car makeover. 

For more information and updates on the progress of the cars, visit www.protonvip.com or follow PROTON on www.facebook.com/ProtonCars