KUALA LUMPUR - National automotive manufacturer PROTON yesterday delivered the all-new Proton Suprima S to its first buyer, The car was presented to Tan Sri Syed Hamid by the PROTON Chief Operating Officer - Commercial, En Hisham Othman.

Officially launched on 17 August 2013, the Proton Suprima is available in two variants: The Executive variant is priced from RM76,338.00, while the Premium variant is priced from 79,638.00 on-the-road for Peninsular Malaysia respectively. The model is powered by PROTON's 1.6L Turbo engine and mated with PROTON’s 7-speed ProTronic CVT, it delivers power and torque equivalent to a 2.0-litre naturally aspirated engine. The 1.6L power plant produces 140PS at 5000rpm, and with a maximum torque of 205Nm from 2000 to 4000rpm. And as with all Proton models, its driving dynamics is enhanced with LOTUS Ride and Handling.

Malaysia's latest hatchback is "fully loaded with built-in value", with the Premium variant offering a host of features never before seen in a Proton model, such as PROTON Infotainment with Android-based Operating System, rear LED light guides, DRL (Daytime Running Lights), Hill-Hold Assist, and Park Assist with front parking sensors.

It is PROTON's most well-equipped product to date, and comes with the highest safety standards PROTON has to offer, including a 5-Star ANCAP safety rating. The Premium variant also offers a host of features never before seen in a Proton model, such as PROTON Infotainment with Android-based Operating System, rear LED light guides, DRL (Daytime Running Lights), Hill-Hold Assist, and Park Assist with front parking sensors.

According to En Hisham, the Proton Suprima S is a car that had been eagerly anticipated by the market this year, not only because of its dynamic and sporty shape, premium interior and superior engine performance, but because it is affordable and yet excels in the terms of styling, performance, safety and equipment level.

"To have support from Tan Sri Syed Hamid is an honour for PROTON, and this serves to motivate us here at PROTON to keep producing cars that our customers can enjoy - safe cars that are high in quality and value for money," he added.

With safety being a high priority for PROTON, the Proton Suprima S - which had received a 5-Star ANCAP safety rating, comes with an array of high-end safety features - six airbags, anti-trap power windows, ABS (Anti-lock Braking System), and ESC (Electronic Stability Control) with Traction Control. The Premium variant is also equipped with Park Assist with rear parking sensors, and reverse camera, making the Proton Suprima S one of the most well-equipped in its class.

"When I saw the Proton Suprima S at the official launch, I was impressed with not only the car's shape and design, but also with the list of features it offers. And most importantly, on top of it all, it was the emphasis on safety that PROTON had placed on the Suprima S, which made me decide to make the purchase on the spot. I also had the opportunity to test drive the Proton Suprima S after the launch, and was amazed by its LOTUS Ride and Handling feature, and the overall feel of the car, which I felt was on-par with other Continental cars that I had driven before," said Tan Sri Syed Hamid.

"With customers now being more discerning than ever, so it is my hope that PROTON will take this as a challenge and continue to work hard to produce even more competitive products in the future," he added.

The Proton Suprima S comes with PROTON's 5 Star Program, which consists of a 5-year or 150,000km warranty (whichever comes first), PROTON's 5-Year Free Road Assist and a 5-Star ANCAP (Australasian New Car Assessment Program) safety rating.

The Proton Suprima S can now be test driven at all PROTON authorized showrooms nationwide. Five colour choices are available: Fire Red, Tranquility Black, Solid White, Genetic Silver and a brand new colour, Atlantic Blue.

Just a week after the launch of the national carmaker’s C segment hatch, members of the media were invited to participate in the drive to Nusajaya, Johor, in nothing less than the Premium variant of the sporty new model.

There are only two variants to be found here, the other being the slightly cheaper Executive variant.
The major difference between the two though, is that the Premium has all the bells and whistles.

As it should.

The Executive comes standard with six airbags, electronic stability control, anti-lock braking system with electronic brakeforce distribution, traction control, GPS navigation, the Proton Infotainment System (Android based) which includes a 7-inch LCD screen, DVD player, Intergrated DSP, Bluetooth, USB and iPod connectivity.


There’s also steering wheel audio controls, front fog lamps, and rear parking sensors.

Meanwhile, the Premium variant ups the ante with 17-inch wheels, push-start ignition, paddle shifters, cruise control, reverse camera, auto wiper activation and headlamp, hill-hold assist, a front parking sensor, six speakers and leather seats.

The southbound journey began from the Proton Edar Sdn Bhd Centre of Excellence in Subang Jaya on a sunny Saturday morning and took us through a mix of straight stretches of highways and windy roads.

It was a colourful convoy as all the colour options for the Suprima S - Fire Red, Tranquility Black, Solid White, Genetic Silver and the brand new Atlantic Blue - were unleashed for the drive.

All the colours work well here as none of it could disguise its lines and good-looking sporty shape.

While one might argue that, looks-wise, it’s pretty similar to the earlier Preve model, there are differences such as the black honeycomb grille, the sleeker front and rear bumper design (the latter incorporates the angular and aerodynamic brake lamps) and extended roofline courtesy of the roof spoiler.

There’s an ease that comes with driving the car in terms of steering, handling and performance.

The 1.6-litre CamPro turbo engine, with 140PS and a maximum torque of 205Nm, is grunty and delivers enough performance to make our drive enjoyable.

The engine only starts to get rougher once it exceeds 5,000rpm.

Mated to a smooth seven-speed ProTronic CVT (continuously variable transmission), there’s no fuss bringing the Suprima S up to speed even when I was light-footed with the accelerator.

This is a car that just wants to go regardless.

While the exhaust notes of CVT-equipped cars are notorious for being flat and hollow, the Suprima S begs to differ and has the tunes that are raspy and satisfying.

It’s a really spirited driving experience with the precise steering, responsive braking and class-leading handling.

Even around corners, body roll is minimal.

It does after all come with the Lotus-approved suspension set up which is slightly firm yet not uncomfortable for long drives.

The cabin makes you feel secure and comfortable and well insulated from vibration and noise.

A long-haul drive such as this proved to be pleasurable and I was not plagued by fatigue, a big plus in my book.

The issue I found with the interior is the build quality especially the glove compartment; it’s flimsy.

The bottom half of the centre console which houses the three knobs for climate controls is just plain.

Proton, however, has gone to great lengths to make sure the Suprima S meets international safety standards and received a five-star ANCAP (Australasian New Car Assessment Program) safety rating.

Proton has ambitious plans for the Suprima S, among which is to “uplift the brand image of Proton,” said Proton general manager for product planning & strategy Hazrin Fazail Haroon during his presentation.

It’s the right attitude to take. Even more encouraging, is that the Proton management acknowledges the problems and negative connotations it face.

It says it is ready to deal with such perceptions head-on by emphasising the needs of the customers first.
It is a step in the right direction indeed.

The Suprima S Executive and Premium are priced at RM76,688 and RM79,988 respectively on-the-road in Peninsular Malaysia.