KUALA LUMPUR: Proton has acquired all engine technologies and knowledge developed by Petronas since 1997 through its technology commercialisation arm, Petronas Technology Ventures Sdn Bhd, for RM63mil.

Proton chairman Datuk Seri Khamil Jamil said the national car maker will have immediate ownership of a more powerful yet fuel efficient family of naturally aspirated and turbocharged 2.0L engines, as well as a 2.2L turbocharged version to complement its existing Campro engine line-up.

"Proton and Petronas initiated the engine technology exploration in 1996. So, it is time now to take over from Petronas, since the company decided in 2010, to exit completely from all engine development activities.

"Proton Holdings, through Perusahaan Otomobil Nasional Sdn Bhd, is taking over seven engine technologies with 117 technology patents from Petronas," he told reporters after the Assets and Technologies Acquisition Agreement signing here today.

The exchange of documents was witnessed by the advisor to Petronas and Proton, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
 -Bernama
Labels:

Proton has recently announced the introduction of the Satria Neo R3 in Malaysia, where the cheapest version is now available from RM61,250.

According to the Malaysian based carmaker, the Proton Satria Neo R3 is getting a front splitter, titanium-colored side protector mouldings, a rear spoiler, R3 badging across the exterior design and a fresh set of R3 Design six-spoke 16-inch alloy wheels, finished in gunmetal shade and wrapped in 195/50 Continental MC5 tires. The cabin of the Proton Satria Neo R3 has been updated with leather upholstery for the seats, with a double-DIN multimedia player with navigation system and with R3 floormats, amongst others.


Three colors are available for the Proton Satria Neo R3, the GTi Silver, the Fire Red and the Tranquility Black and the cheapest version of the model, the Satria Neo R3 Executive Line manual is now available for its future customers from RM61,250, while the Satria Neo R3 Executive Line automatic can be bought from RM64,250. The Satria Neo R3 is getting an ECU upgrade and a full exhaust system, but these changes will cost you RM2,841, while the R3 lowering spring set will set you back for RM541.

BANGKOK, Thailand – Malaysian automotive manufacturer PROTON today unveiled and launched two new models for the Thai market, the Prevé and Exora Prime.

The models were unveiled by PROTON Holdings Berhad Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Dato’ Lukman Ibrahim at the 2012 Thailand International Motor Expo in Bangkok. Also present was Phranakorn Auto Sales Managing Director Mr. Thawatchai Jungsanguanpornsuk. Phranakorn Auto Sales is the sole distributor of Proton cars in Thailand.

With the unveiling, the Prevé - a stylish midsized sedan and the luxurious and spacious six-seater MPV, Exora Prime are now officially open for booking in Thailand.

“Both the Prevé, as well as the Exora Prime has raised and set the bar for PROTON cars in all aspects encompassing key aspects such as safety, performance, comfort, build quality, technology, overall design and convenience,” said Dato’ Lukman at the unveiling.

“We’ve only recently charted a new milestone for PROTON in October by introducing the Prevé and Exora to our customers in Australia. Hence, the introduction of the Prevé today in Thailand within the span of just over a month clearly reiterates our commitment and determination to strengthen ourselves as a reputable, trusted and preferred car brand, especially in strategic markets such as Thailand. Our ultimate goal is to emerge stronger as a global car company and redefine PROTON as both a product and brand in the realm of a rapidly evolving and highly competitive global automotive industry.”

Thailand by itself is a very special market for PROTON. After only four years from when PROTON first launched in the local market, and with the encouragement and support from Thai customers, Malaysia’s national automotive manufacturer has consistently been in the country’s top 10 passenger car brand.


Proton Prevé
“Prevé (prev-ay) is derived from the English word Preve, which means to prove or offering proof, and is the seventh Proton model to enter Thailand. Like all previously launched Proton cars here, the Prevé represents our aspiration to produce the right car, at the right time and at the right price for our Thai customers,” said Dato’ Lukman.

The Prevé is offered in three variants; the Standard and Executive variants are equipped with the CAMPRO IAFM+ 1.6-litre engines and are available with Manual Transmission as well as 6-speed Continuous Variable Transmission (CVT) to provide smoother gear change and responsiveness. The Premium variant is powered by PROTON’s new generation 1.6-litre turbo engine, which delivers power and torque equivalent to that of larger 2.0-litre normally-aspirated engines - and is mated with a 7-speed ProTronic CVT transmission, also renowned for its fuel economical attributes.

PROTON’s latest family sedan is also its most technologically-advanced, as it utilises a method defined as Hot Press Forming (HPF) that provides better protection and higher body as well as structural rigidity without compromising the overall car bodyweight.

The Premium variant will also include features like steering mounted paddle shifters, as well as satellite navigation, auto headlights, rain sensing wipers, cruise control, reverse sensors, Bluetooth and iPod connectivity, and an engine push start button. Safety features of the Prevé includes dual front airbags, side and curtain airbags, ABS (Anti-lock Braking System), EBD (Electronic Brakeforce Distribution), and Brake Assist, Traction Control and ESC (Electronic Stability Control) in the Premium variant.

Additionally, the Premium variant is also equipped with a Smart Information Display system (SID) that displays vital information and status updates on the Prevé’s various functions such as average fuel consumption, distance to empty, battery health and faulty bulb indicator, gear shift lock indicator, home lamp indicator, vehicle intrusion warning and many more.

The Prevé is priced on-the-road (with insurance) at THB625,000 (MT) and THB655,000 (CVT) for the Standard variant, THB665,000 (MT) and THB695,00 (CVT) for the Executive variant and THB759,000 for the Premium variant. Four color choices are available for the Prevé: Blue Lagoon, Tranquility Black, Solid White and Genetic Silver. PROTON is also offering a five-year or 150,000km (whichever is earlier) warranty, access to PROTON’s 24 Hour We Care Roadside Assistance, Medical assistance and Concierge Service for the Prevé.


Proton Exora Prime
The Exora, a firm favourite of Thai customers, was first launched in 2009 and is now PROTON’s most popular model in Thailand. Its popularity is expected to continue further with the introduction of the most luxurious edition of the Exora to-date, the Exora Prime.

The Exora Prime is an exclusive, six-seater MPV fitted with PROTON’s new 1.6-litre generation turbo engine, which offers owners performance that is comparable to a 2.0-litre engine. Mated with a 7-speed CVT transmission, the Exora Prime is smooth, powerful and yet, extremely fuel efficient.

The MPV comes equipped with a number of enhancements. The exterior upgrades include an all-new front and rear bumper design; electric folding door mirrors; rear disc brakes; blacked-out headlamps; smoked rear combi lights; 16” inch gold-finished alloys; a rear garnish finishing. Key safety features include ABS (Anti-lock Braking System), EBD (Electronic Brakeforce Distribution), and Brake Assist.

An all-new leather interior is complemented by the walnut centre panel finishing, gear panel bezel, air-conditioning vent outlets and metallic beige door switch covers and inner door handles. The Exora Prime is also equipped with 6.2” DVD LCD monitors at the headrest for the enjoyment of back passengers, and an audio system incorporating navigation and a reverse camera.

The Exora Prime is priced at THB899,000 on the road (with insurance), and is offered in Solid White and Tranquility Black colour options. Owners will also enjoy three-year or 100,000km (whichever is earlier) warranty, access to PROTON’s 24 Hour We Care Roadside Assistance, Medical assistance and Concierge Service.

Both the Prevé and Exora Prime are now available for bookings, and will be on sale through all authorised PROTON dealers nationally.
Syed Zainal
PETALING JAYA: Corporate figure Datuk Seri Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir is making a comeback of sorts but this time it's surprisingly in the field of education.

The former head honcho of Proton Holdings Bhd is venturing into childhood school education based on Islamic principles. Syed Zainal was recently appointed as the executive chairman of Brainy Bunch Islamic Montessori (BBIM) after being low-profile for close to half a year since his departure from the national carmaker.

In an advertorial by the company on Wednesday, BBIM said Syed Zainal's appointment was expected to help the company in growing its business locally and internationally.

BBIM was recently awarded the licence to franchise its education programme which provides Islamic Montessori Environment system for children aged between two and six. The company planned to have 40 campuses by January, which can enrol about 4,000 students.

When contacted by StarBiz, Syed Zainal said he hoped to leverage on his corporate and business acumen as well as contacts to help the company grow the business.

Education, he said was something close to his heart and among some of the interests that he was unable to pursue while in the corporate sector.

“Education is an exciting industry to be in as it is an important part of the society. Children's lives can be shaped and guided through early childhood education programme.”

Syed Zainal, who is a shareholder of BBIM, declined to reveal his stake in the company.

When asked about the possibility of making a comeback to the corporate scene, Syed Zainal said, “Wait and see.”

Syed Zainal also have interest in the oil and gas industry; halal food industry as well as management and leadership training.

In the advertorial, Syed Zainal said his venture into early childhood education was drawn from his own personal experience as a father. “Early teachings of Islam are very important and combined with the Montessori system and English, they make BBIM a very attractive organisation to be associated with,” he said in the advertorial.

BBIM is founded by two individuals Mohd Fadzil Hashim and Efizah Mohtar Rasali. Mohd Fadzil is involved in the Malaysian ICT industry and has had stints in companies such as Formis, NEC, Pernas and Dell.
Mohd Khamil
PETALING JAYA: DRB-Hicom Bhd has completed the internal reorganisation exercise in Edaran Otomobil Nasional Bhd (EON) and Proton Edar Sdn Bhd (PESB) for a total cash consideration of RM400.8mil.

The exercise was to rationalise and align its businesses and investments in marketing, sales and servicing of Proton vehicles in EON and PESB.

In a statement, DRB-Hicom group managing director Datuk Seri Mohd Khamil Jamil said: “Besides being one of the group's strategy to achieve greater operational efficiency, establish cost savings and enhance the group's future earnings, the internal reorganisation will also ensure the seamless implementation of strategic measures to achieve performance excellence in distribution, logistics and after sales service.

“The group will also be able to leverage on specialised expertise with the consolidation of the workforce, allowing the group to augment its service offerings for the automotive industry.”

It has completed the acquisition of 100% equity interest in Proton on June 26.

Barely four months after the acquisition, DRB-Hicom was now mobilising improvement measures in Proton.

The internal reorganisation among others involved the sale, transfer and assignment of the rights, title and interest in all the assets used in the Proton business, all liabilities relating to the Proton business and employees employed by EON for the Proton Business to PESB by EON, the acquisition of 100% equity interest in EON Properties Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of EON involved in property management by PESB; and the acquisition of 100% equity interest in Automotive Conversion Engineering Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of EON involved in the conversion and modification of motor vehicles and distribution of car accessories business, by PESB.
KUALA LUMPUR: Proton and Honda have signed an agreement to explore collaboration opportunities in the areas of technology enhancement, new product line-up, and sharing of platforms and facilities.

DRB-Hicom, in a statement to Bursa Malaysia, said Proton Holdings Berhad, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the company entered into a collaboration agreement Monday with Honda Motor Co, one of the leading global manufacturers and distributors of motor vehicles, to explore collaboration opportunities in these areas.

It said the agreement signified the potential of a long-term strategic collaboration with Honda.

"Having a strong and renowned global automotive player like Honda as the foreign strategic partner to Proton will provide Proton and the DRB-Hicom group with the opportunity to grow as an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) as the opportunities are endless.

"This collaboration will provide positive impact to Proton and the DRB-Hicom group in the long run," it added.


SYDNEY: The latest Proton model has revved its way into the overseas market Down Under.

High hopes are on the Proton Preve to boost sales for its maker Proton Holdings Berhad, which made its debut in the Australian market in 1995.

Australia will be the first foreign market to receive the Preve, with the first consignment scheduled to arrive here early next year.

“The model is projected to help Proton achieve its aim of selling 4,000 cars per year in Australia in the near future,” said Proton Holdings executive chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Khamil Jamil.

“I have been informed by our dealers that Proton has always been within the lower rungs of the automotive market in Australia on par with some of the Chinese brands but it is my wish to move forward, to place Proton to what it deserves to be,” he said.

“The quality of Proton cars, especially the Preve, is heads and shoulders over the Chinese cars.

“So, what we are going to do now is to reposition Proton so that people will buy Proton because it is Proton not because it is cheap,” Khamil told Malaysian journalists at the Australian International Motor Show here on Friday.

The show runs from Oct 19-28.

Earlier, Khamil unveiled the Preve and the Proton Exora before international pressmen and industry players, with some celebrity glitz lent by current Miss Universe Australia Renae Ayris.

The seven-seater Exora will make its entrance into the Australian market mid-next year.

The two models will join other Proton cars already being sold here, including the Satria GTi, Waja, Gen-2, Savvy and the Satria Neo.

“The S16, which is the name for the new Proton Saga here, is the car manufacturer's best selling model in Australia,” said Proton Cars Australia Pte Ltd chief operating officer Kaye Amies.

“We chose Australia as the first international market for the Preve because we think Australia has a demand for mid-size sedan cars which are considered very popular.

“With the headway made and advanced technology that we have done with the Preve, we believe that it can give other car makers a run for their money,” Khamil said.
KUALA LUMPUR: Proton is expected to roll out its electric cars by 2014.

International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed told Parliament that Proton, like many other car makers, is focused on moving towards producing environment-friendly cars.

Proton is working with UK-based Frazer-Nash Research (FNR) firm to develop the models.

In October last year, Proton had said the first EV rollout would be in 2013 but the DRB-Hicom takeover and re-organisation of the company has since pushed it back to 2014.

Mustapa said in a reply to Azmin Ali (PKR-Gombak) that Proton had allocated RM500mil for research and development (R&D) in green technology and is expected to gain profits after commercialising it in 2014.

Mustapa said that Proton's investment in green technology R&D compared to other multinational car manufacturers was much smaller.

For instance, General Motors spends about US$1.2bil to develop its green car Chevrolet Volt while Nissan-Renault had allocated US$5.6bil for the same purpose, he said.
SHAH ALAM: DRB-Hicom Bhd plans to introduce a foreign partner to Proton Holdings Bhd.

“Frankly, we have identified a few foreign strategic partners (FSPs) for Proton, and we have commenced initial discussion with them on the benefit they could provide to Proton and DRB-Hicom,” group managing director Datuk Seri Mohd Khamil Jamil told reporters after the group's AGM.

However, he said the foreign partnership proposal was still in a premiminary stage .

“We are keeping the house in order first before we are ready to bring in any foreign original equipment manufacturer (OEMs). This issue or particular business model is not something alien to us and we have considered it before,” he said.

With the new management changes in Proton, he said the national carmaker's target was to achieve 200,000 units in sales this year.

The group had completed the operational audit for Proton. “I'm not at liberty to divulge the details of the audit yet, but there's still a lot of potential in Proton, and one of it is to cap the operational cost to the minimum,” he said.

On the sales target set for Proton, Mohd Khamil Jamil said it has the ability to overtake the current leader, Perodua.

Mohd Khamil said prior to the takeover, Proton had an initial target of 167,000 units for the current fiscal year.

"To date, we have done about 100,000 cars. I am pretty sure about the target. Proton has a lot of unlocked potential.

"The main challenge to meet the target will be the revised lending guidelines by Bank Negara Malaysia. But we believe in the current models that we have," he said, according to Bernama.
 -Bernama
PROTON R3 Motorsports celebrated podium finishes across three countries in an epic motorsports weekend which saw the Proton Satria Neo participate in the World Rally Championship (SWRC) in Great Britain, the Asia-Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) in Hokkaido, Japan, and Malaysian Super Series (MSS) at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia.

Rally Great Britain (SWRC)
Young Welshman, Tom Cave clinched the second-place spot for Proton R3 Motorsports Rally Team in the Super 2000 World Rally Championship round of Great Britain, driving a Proton Satria Neo S2000 rally car. He drove a well-measured drive in what is only his second outing this year for the PROTON team. It was a far tougher weekend for Super World Rally Championship leader PG Andersson after retiring from the first leg of the rally. Despite this, he managed to put in some impressive stage times after restarting and taking two-stage wins to finish sixth. This result meant PG Andersson extended his lead in the SWRC Championship by eight points with Hayden Paddon from New Zealand sharing joint second-place with Irishman, Craig Breen. The rally was won by Ford Fiesta S2000 driver, Craig Breen with Yazeed Al-Rajhi finishing third in another Ford.

Asia-Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) Rally Hokkaido
It was a great outing for the Proton R3 CUSCO Rally Team in the Asia-Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) round of Rally Hokkaido 2012 as the team finished first, second and third in the 2WD category.  Malaysian Rally legend and three-time previous overall winner of the APRC, Karamjit Singh continued his dominance in the 2WD category by winning it outright despite a puncture which lost him almost one and a half minutes. Pushing hard in his 2WD Proton Satria Neo Group N rally car, Karamjit clawed his way back into the lead to take victory and maximum points to extend his 2WD Championship lead. 

Karamjit’s Japanese teammate Akira Bamba had much to celebrate also, clinching his second consecutive APRC Junior Championship title after finishing first in the APRC Junior Category and second in 2WD after his closest rival Michael Young from New Zealand crashed out in Leg 1.  Malaysian Junior driver Kenneth Koh rounded of the perfect weekend for the team by finishing second in the Junior category and 3rd 2WD competitor.  Overall, it turned out to be a fantastic weekend for PROTON despite the retirement of both Proton Satria Neo S2000 cars driven by Alister McRae and Juha Salo.

Malaysia Super Series (MSS)
Closer to home, the Proton R3 Race Team pair of Syafiq Ali and James Veerapen clinched the Malaysian Super Series (MSS) at the Sepang International Circuit with one round to go in their Proton R3 Satria race cars.  The team started out strong and was aiming for its fourth successive Malaysian Touring Car Class 2 category win.  By lap 12 of the one-hour race and leading the MTC 2 class, James Veerapen was knocked off the track into the gravel by another competitor at turn 12 but got underway again thanks to the quick action of the track marshals. Despite having lost plenty of time in that incident, the team made a strong comeback to finish in fourth and clinching the Championship with an unassailable 70 point lead.

About PROTON

PROTON, established in 1983, is a subsidiary of DRB-HICOM Berhad and is Malaysia's largest manufacturer of automobiles, and the only full-fledged OEM car manufacturer in South-East Asia. With operations in key markets from UK to the Middle East, and across South-East Asia and Australasia, especially in countries like China and Iran, PROTON produces cars to suit a range of consumer demands and preferences.

Its offerings include versatile and reliable four-door family vehicles, two-door hatchbacks for the young-at-heart, luxurious and stylish executive sedans, spacious and affordable multi-purpose vehicles, as well as the world-renowned sports cars from Lotus. Most importantly, PROTON models are now developed with Lotus Engineering, offering customers superior ride and handling experience in every drive.

PROTON’s inception as a key driver of national development has seen the brand accelerate its learning curve through technology transfer with strategic partnerships and technical collaborations. By listening to the needs of customers, PROTON cars are now steadily on track to achieve the mission for the future, with PROTON set to become a marque which builds cars with passion and soul; cars that are a delight to drive - and a pleasure to own.
JYVÄSKYLÄ, 2 August 2012 - This weekend marks the first time rally fans in Finland will have the opportunity to see PROTON’s rally-winning Satria Neo S2000 in action when it competes in the Neste Oils Rally Finland for round five of the FIA Super 2000 World Rally Championship.

And for an event which has been dominated by locals (Rally Finland has only been won by a non-Nordic driver four times in the WRC history), PROTON has entrusted Swedish driver PG Andersson and Finnish driver Juha Salo to spearhead its challenge on what is reputed to be one of the fastest and most specialized rallies on the World Rally Championship calendar.

PROTON has tested extensively ahead of Rally Finland, having worked on new specifications for the Satria Neo S2000 – that clocked an impressive win at the Malaysian Rally round of the Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) earlier this month. Most recently, Andersson and Salo also drove the car for two days in Estonia and are due to shake down their rally cars at an official test close to rally headquarters in Jyvaskyla prior to the start on Thursday.

“After driving on such slow and twisty roads (on the last APRC round) in Malaysia, coming to Finland is completely the opposite – the roads here are incredibly fast. Like all drivers, I love to fly and this is one of my favourite rallies of the year. It’s a fantastic feeling to take off in the car when you are absolutely flat out in sixth gear,” said Andersson.
“I need to win this SWRC round and I feel we have the speed to do that – and that was evident at the last SWRC event in New Zealand. In Malaysia during the APRC, we saw that the new homologation of the Satria Neo S2000 was working well and it’s clear after the test that it’s already really helping us through the high-speed roads as well.”

The Neste Oils Rally Finland consists of 18 special stages run on gravel over a competitive distance of 303.52km. Leg 1 starts with three special stages on Thursday and continues on Friday with another nine special stages. The third and final day on Saturday features six special stages.
For Salo, the objective will be to finish the rally in his Satria Neo S2000, in what will be his first time out not only for PROTON, but in an S2000 rally car after making the switch from Group N (production class) cars.

“This is definitely the biggest opportunity of my life. I already did several tests in Wales and Estonia and with so much time in the car, it has helped me to adapt my driving style. Winning SWRC here in Finland – and in the Satria Neo S2000, would be a dream result,” said Salo.
SUBANG JAYA: Just two months after being launched, the Proton Preve has locked in some of 11,310 units, making it the most popular 1.6-litre sedan in the market.

Offered in three variants of the Premium with 1.6-litre Charged Fuel Efficiency or CFE (turbocharged) engine mated to a seven-speed ProTronic continuously variable transmission (CVT), and two Executive variants featuring a 1.6-litre CamPro IAFM+ engine with a six-speed CVT or a five-speed manual, the Preve (pronounced as pray-vay) is a compelling value for money package.

“With more than 10,000 Preve booked to date, and with the numbers increasing every day, it has quickly established itself as the consumer’s preferred choice of compact sedan.

“This is a very positive sign for us and further proof that Proton can engineer and manufacture world class products,” said Proton Holdings Bhd executive chairman, Datuk Seri Mohd Khamil Jamil.

He added that a total of almost 1,000 units were booked by eager customers as early as March, a month before the launch while another 4,893 units were booked in the month of April.

“It was a vehicle that was eagerly anticipated by the market and continues to be well received, not only because it is affordable and offers owners a low cost of ownership, but excels in the terms of styling, performance, safety and equipment level,” said Khamil.

Priced from RM72,990 on-the-road (peninsular Malaysia) for the Premium variant, RM62,990 for the Executive CVT and RM59,990 for the Executive with manual transmission, the Prevé comes with a five-year or 150,000km warranty (whichever comes first) making it an affordable as well as attractive family and executive sedan.

The Preve Premium variant also offers the performance equivalent to that of higher 2.0-litre engine capacity vehicle, with its 1.6-litre power plant producing 138bhp and maximum torque of 205Nm.

Besides offering the best acceleration for a vehicle in its class, the Perve Premium also promises a commendable fuel consumption of 6.6 litres per 100km.

All Preve variants are equipped with anti-lock braking system with electronic brakeforce distribution, dual front airbags, active headrests, anti-trap driver power window and LED daytime running lights.

The Preve Premium variant gets additional equipment such as front side airbags, push start button, electronic stability control, traction control, cruise control and rear spoiler.

Another unique feature of the car is that it is 4G enabled, courtesy of Proton’s collaboration with YES 4G.

With a service interval of every 10,000km for a lower cost of ownership, the Preve is available in six colour choices of Blue Lagoon, Fire Red, Tranquility Black, Solid White, Genetic Silver and Elegant Brown.

-Star motoring
Tengku Mahaleel
KUALA LUMPUR: Proton Holdings Bhd has everything to become profitable and successful if DRB-Hicom Bhd takes the right business decisions, former chief of the national car maker, Tengku Mahaleel Tengku Ariff, said.

He said placing the right person to lead the company will be very important to drive Proton back to glory.

Any business can be transformed in a positive or negative manner, depending on decisions taken by the management, Tengku Mahaleel, who spent eight years as Proton’s CEO, told Bernama in an interview.

“In any business it is very fundamental that you put the right guy in the right place.

“Look at Tony Fernandes, how he brought AirAsia to glory and Celcom. It is all about people. Companies never compete against each other.

“It is only human beings who compete. In that case, we need good and suitable brains to face the competition out there,” he said.

Tengku Mahaleel said it is now up to DRB-Hicom to decide on the most suitable person to run the company.

In January, state asset manager Khazanah Nasional Bhd announced the sale of its 42.74% stake in Proton to DRB-Hicom for RM1.291 billion.

The sale was concluded in March and DRB-Hicom appointed its managing director Mohd Khamil Jamil as Proton executive chairman and executive director, replacing Nadzmi Salleh, who tendered his resignation days after the completion of the deal.

Late last month, the national auto maker announced that Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir and Azhar Othman have opted to resign as group CEO, and chief financial officer, respectively, in July this year.

It is widely believed that DRB-Hicom chief operating officer Lukman Ibrahim is poised to take over from Syed Zainal.

Asked on the capability of DRB-Hicom to drive Proton to future glory, Tengku Mahaleel said: “I cannot comment on DRB-Hicom or the decisions that they have taken because I have never worked with them. I am not sure what their business style is.”

In a related development, he said the global car industry is very fluid with many drivers of change, adding the industry is playing in the upper segment, comprising people who can buy cars.

“But that market is only 600 million people globally. On the flip side, people without cars is about two billion people.

“That is why Tata Motors in India came out with Tata Nano cars. It is affordable. Proton can also look into this area,” he said.

Tengku Mahaleel joined Proton in 1996 as vice-president of strategy and operations, and was later promoted to CEO of Proton Holdings in April 1997.

He held the position until September 2005.

- Bernama
In the six odd years that Datuk Seri Syed Zainal Abidin has been at the helm of the national car company Proton, he’s definitely gained quite a number of fans, who not only admire his work in having led Proton to produce better and better models with each launch, but his inspiring public speeches as well. Just for nostalgia sake, we’ve dug up our archive video of the Proton Exora launch.


We’ve also got a hold of an email that he’s sent out to all Proton staff, announcing that yesterday was his physical last day at Proton, after you exclude leave days from his last day, which is July 4, 2012.

The original Bahasa Malaysia version will of course hold the original message that Syed Zainal intended to deliver, but if you want an English translation, Proton Edar Dealers Association president Armin Baniaz Pahamin has a translation on his blog.

Assalamualaikum, Salam Sejahtera dan Salam 1 Malaysia pada seluruh warga PROTON yang saya kasihi.

Semoga warkah saya ini bertemu saudara saudari dalam keadaan sihat sejahtera, ceria dan bersemangat tinggi dalam menjalankan tugas-tugas harian.
Seperti yang semua sedia maklum, saya telah pun melepaskan jawatan saya sebagai Pengarah Urusan Kumpulan PROTON berkuatkuasa 4hb Julai, 2012. Dengan mengambil kira cuti yang saya perlu habiskan, hari ini yakni Khamis 31hb Mei, 2012 adalah merupakan hari terakhir saya berada di PROTON secara fizikal.

Saudara saudari yang saya kasihi,

Terlalu berat untuk saya menulis surat ini sebagai penutup tirai kepada lebih enam (6) tahun perkhidmatan saya di PROTON.  Berhari-hari saya mengadap skrin komputer yang kosong kerana ternyata tidak ada perkataan yang dapat menterjemahkan apa yang ada di lubuk hati saya.  Bagaimana mungkin dapat saya melepas perginya sesuatu yang telah memberi impak yang dalam dan bermakna kepada kehidupan saya?  Bagaimana mungkin dapat saya berjabat tangan dan mengucapkan selamat tinggal pada rakan-rakan yang sudah saya anggap sebagai ahli keluarga sendiri? Tiada ucapan yang dapat saya ungkapkan untuk mengucapkan ribuan terima kasih saya kepada setiap individu yang telah berusaha bersungguh-sungguh dalam membantu saya menjalankan tugas saya sekian lama. Tiada mampu dalam diri saya yang kerdil ini untuk membalas pengorbanan, kegigihan dan masa yang telah di curahkan oleh semua pihak dalam usaha  merealisasikan impian PROTON tanpa mengenal lelah dan jemu.

Saudara saudari yang saya kasihi,

Apabila saya imbas kembali detik-detik perjalanan saya di PROTON, saya menganggap sayalah yang sebenarnya beruntung.  Saya beruntung kerana dapat menerajui sekumpulan tenaga pekerja yang saya anggap permata-permata yang amat bernilai. Saya bersyukur kerana dipertemukan dengan sekumpulan warga Malaysia yang kental semangatnya. Tatkala masyarakat umum memberi persepsi negatif pada PROTON, saudara saudari masih bangun dinihari untuk ke kilang dengan penuh rasa bangga. Tatkala kita ditertawakan atas kesilapan lalu, saudara saudari menerima kritikan dengan sikap terbuka. Tatkala kita berada di bawah, saudara saudari bangkit dan menyahut cabaran perubahan.  Semangat saudara saudari lah yang membakar semangat saya untuk terus berjuang memulihkan PROTON.  Kematangan saudara saudari jualah yang telah mematangkan diri saya untuk berani mengambil pendekatan baru demi melonjakkan nama PROTON.  Saya yakin berdiri di atas pentas kerana saya berdiri di atas keyakinan saudara saudari.  Ternyata hari ini, saya lah yang kehilangan sesuatu yang besar nilainya.  Bukan saudara saudari.

Saudara saudari yang saya kasihi,

Saya yakin saudara saudari akan meneruskan perjuangan ini dan mampu membawa nama PROTON ke tahap yang lebih tinggi.  Saya percaya saudara saudari akan terus memberikan sokongan yang mampan walau dalam apa jua keadaan sekali pun.  Segalanya tidak mustahil jika kita tanam keyakinan yang tinggi pada setiap sesuatu.  Di mana ada kemahuan, disitu pasti ada jalan,  Saya telah melihat kehebatan saudara saudari, jadi saya menyeru agar di teruskan kegigihan ini. Percayalah pada diri sendiri, kejayaan pasti memihak kepada saudara saudari dengan izinNya. Saya yakin dengan suntikan dan anjakan paradigma pengurusan baru, di bawah pimpinan YBhg Dato Sri Hj Mohd Khamil Jamil, PROTON akan terus meraih namanya di persada automotif, insyaallah.

Saudara saudari yang saya kasihi,

Sebagai manusia yang dhaif dan lemah dalam pelbagai aspek, saya menyusun sepuluh jari memohon kemaafan dari setiap warga PROTON atas segala keterlanjuran bahasa, tingkahlaku, makan minum, hak-hak saudara saudari yang tidak dapat saya sempurnakan sepanjang perkhidmatan saya di PROTON.  Saya pasti terdapat banyak kekhilafan dan serba kekurangan dalam pentadbiran dan pengurusan saya,  Yang baik itu datang dariNya, yang buruk itu adalah kelemahan saya sendiri.  Saya mohon juga disampaikan kemaafan dan salam saya pada keluarga saudara saudari sekelian. Walaupun saya mungkin tidak berkesempatan bertemu dengan mereka, doa saya akan sentiasa mengiringi mereka.

Hukum alam menetapkan, setiap yang bermula pasti akan berakhir.  Setiap pertemuan, pasti ada perpisahan. Walapun jauh dimata, PROTON akan tetap di hati saya.  Saya akan sematkan ingatan dan pengalaman berharga ini jauh di lubuk hati saya.  Semuga takdir mempertemukan kita semula dilain tempat, dilain masa, insyaallah.

Akhir kata, saya memetik lirik dari nyanyian Faith Hill dari lakun layar Pearl Harbour  dan kata-kata ini saya tujukan khas kepada semua warga kerja PROTON.

“There You’ll Be”
When I think back
On these times
And the dreams
We left behind
I’ll be glad ’cause
I was blessed to get
To have you in my life
When I look back
On these days
I’ll look and see your face
You were right there for me
In my dreams
I’ll always see you soar
Above the sky
In my heart
There will always be a place
For you for all my life
I’ll keep a part
Of you with me
And everywhere I am
There you’ll be
And everywhere I am
There you’ll be
Well you showed me
How it feels
To feel the sky
Within my reach
And I always
Will remember all
The strength you
Gave to me
Your love made me
Make it through
Oh, I owe so much to you
You were right there for me
‘Cause I always saw in you
My light, my strength
And I want to thank you
Now for all the ways
You were right there for me
You were right there for me
For always

Salam hormat dari saya,
Syed Zainal
SHAH ALAM: Proton has announced the resignation of Datuk Sri Haji Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir as the group managing director.

The resignation takes effect from July 4 and came a day after the national car company said DRB-Hicom  would keep Proton subsidiary Lotus and confirmed its CEO had been suspended.

Proton said in a statement that Syed Zainal had decided to step down on his own accord.

Proton's chief financial officer, Azhar Othman, is also leaving, effective July 6.

The statement did not name a successor to Syed Zainal but said "Proton executive chairman Datuk Sri Haji Mohd Khamil Jamil will continue his leadership role in steering the Company forward."

Syed Zainal has served Proton for over six years.

Since even before the DRB-Hicom takeover, rumours have been rife that Syed Zainal would leave the company.  As recently as last month, Proton had denied that he would do so.

On March 16, Proton had announced that Datuk Seri Mohd Nadzmi Mohd Salleh had resigned as its chairman and director.

The national auto maker said his resignation was part of a term stipulated in the sales and purchase agreement between Khazanah Nasional Bhd and DRB-Hicom.
Shah Alam, 24 May 2012 - The final recipient of the “My PROTON Makeover” program, Madam Lee Koon Gaik, had her newly refurbished Proton Saga Aeroback returned to her by PROTON’s Director of Group Marketing, Branding & Motorsports, John D. Chacko, at a jovial gathering at PROTON’s Centre of Excellence today.
As part of PROTON’s “Committed to Be Better” promise, the car makeover program was developed to reward loyal and long standing customers of PROTON. Speaking on behalf of the national automotive manufacturer, Chacko was extremely pleased in witnessing the return of the sixth and final car to its owner.

“PROTON has worked unceasingly through the years in providing the best for our customers. We are really happy and encouraged by the many loyal customers that we have gained over the years” said Chacko. “Madam Lee’s love and trust in her Proton Saga is truly heartening, and this makeover is truly a gift and tribute to her for her devotion to the PROTON brand” Chacko added.

Madam Lee, 54 - from Seri Kembangan Selangor, was understandably very emotional when she handed over her Proton Saga Aeroback to PROTON for the makeover, as she had been driving it for almost 20 years. A gift from her husband way back in 1991, her car had been a trustworthy workhorse and companion, assisting her in caring for her ailing father, as well as seeing her sons to school, college and their early working life. A one-car owner, Madam Lee believes that her Saga Aeroback is a car for a lifetime, and her devotion was obvious when she decided not to participate in the government’s voluntary scrapping incentive in return for a new Proton car back in 2009.

Speaking on behalf of R3, PROTON’s motorsports arm that undertook the refurbishment work of the car, Head of Engineering, Tengku Djan Ley expressed the team’s honour to be able to be part of the programme that recognizes loyal PROTON owners, saying that the R3 team was also heartened by Madam Lee’s belief and trust in them.

“Understanding her driving patterns as she uses her car for her daily errands, we worked to give the car a more pleasurable drive. The engine and gearbox were rebuilt without adding any performance enhancements or modifications, with the exhaust system being tweaked to improve the car’s torque without making it loud and noisy,” said Tengku Djan.

“Considering that she does a considerable amount of town driving, the car’s suspension was upgraded, with the new parts and components installed to improve the ride comfort of the car. To improve the car’s stability, we went with 16-inch wheels which will enhance the car’s overall road holding ability” he added.

The R3 team maintained the Saga Aeroback’s classic look and feel, giving the exterior of the car a coat of metallic silver paint with gun metal highlights. Adding to that, pinstripes with R3’s signature red colour was added to give the car a fresh look. The car’s interior was redone as well to match the car’s exterior, being refreshed and upholstered in leather with red highlights.

Madam Lee was visibly moved when she received the keys to her refurbished car. “I have always maintained that this car would be sufficient to serve me a lifetime. Thank you PROTON for your commitment towards simple customers like me, going the extra mile to help me keep this car going. Your efforts and generosity will always be remembered!” she said.

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

For more information about “My PROTON Makeover” and the cars that were worked on, visit www.protonvip.com or follow PROTON ONLINE SALES on www.facebook.com/Proton Online Sales
Labels:
SUBANG JAYA: Amirul Azim, the fifth winner of the “My PROTON Makeover” program, recently received his newly refurbished 11-year old Proton Satria, which was handed over by PROTON’s Director of Group Marketing, Branding & Motorsports, John D. Chacko, and Head of Engineering at R3 unit, PROTON Motorsports Division, Tengku Djan Ley bin Tengku Mahaleel at PROTON’s Centre of Excellence.
As part of PROTON’s “Committed to Be Better” initiative, the programme’s aim was to reward the national automotive manufacturer’s faithful customers with a unique car makeover.

“I am sure many Malaysians have witnessed the prowess of PROTON’s Motorsports Division at the recent POWER OF ONE event. Our commitment to being better does not end there and we want to continue to let our long standing customers know that our strength as a brand comes as a result of their loyalty. For that, we want to reward them and show our appreciation for their support,” said Chacko. “Amirul’s love for his Satria and faith in the PROTON brand is clear to us, and I am very happy that we are giving his car more years on the road,” he added.

Having owned the one car throughout his life, Petaling Jaya-born Amirul, who works for an IT management company, described his relationship with the Satria as one that has matured over the years. From his bachelor days, subsequently into marriage and now as a father of two, Amirul’s Satria has seen many miles with his daily commute to Cyberjaya and regular trips to Kuantan to visit his parents. He attests to being a very proud Proton owner and an avid car collector, albeit on a smaller scale, with a fondness for Hot Wheels die-cast toy cars.

In relating the work on the Proton Satria, Tengku Djan Ley of the R3 unit was very pleased with the results achieved by the team.

“When he handed his car over to us, Amirul expressed his admiration for PROTON and the work done by the R3 team. He mentioned his appreciation towards the Proton Satria Neo R3, so we decided to give his car a Fire Red body colour, along with a Satria GTI body kit and a limited edition R3 race splitter,” said Tengku Djan.

Elaborating further, Tengku Djan said that Amirul expressed his joy for fast driving, as well as his long-distance commuting. As such, in overhauling the car’s engine, tweaks were made to adjust to Amirul’s driving habits to enhance overall performance of his well-loved Satria. To ensure that the car is able to handle the added power, a coil-over system was installed to improve its handling, with the rear brakes being upgraded from drums to discs, giving the Satria better stopping power.

“With regards to the aesthetics, we gave the car’s interior a matching red theme, similar to that of the Satria Neo R3. Topping it off, we opted to give Amirul a set of 15-inch wheels, so that the acceleration of his 1.3 litre car will not be compromised. This is definitely an impressive package presented by the R3 team, not just with regards to performance and drivability, but also in its styling,” said Tengku Djan.

The car handover was a moment to remember for Amirul, who profusely thanked the R3 team during the ceremony. “This unforgettable gift from PROTON will forever be etched in my heart. The generosity, time and effort that PROTON has given to my car and to me are just immeasurable.”

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

For more information and updates on the progress of the cars, visit www.protonvip.com or follow PROTON ONLINE SALES on www.facebook.com/Proton Online Sales
Labels:
Round 2 of the 2012 FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) has ended, and the New Caledonia rally was won by Team MRF’s Gaurav Gill. The Indian driver’s teammate Chris Atkinson made it a 1-2 for the Skoda Fabia S2000 powered team. In third spot was Kiwi Brian Green in his Mitsubishi Lancer.

Team Proton headed to the Pacific island with high hopes but failed to convert strong pace into strong results. APRC debutant PG Andersson led the rally from the start and set fastest times in three of the four special stages, but the second day saw the Swede’s car experience an abrupt loss of power as a result of a water crossing, a predicament that would later cost him to lose more than 14 minutes.

After a new head gasket at final service. Andersson’s final day fightback lasted only 6km before the engine stopped once again, this time for good.

Things didn’t go well in the other Proton, too. APRC defending champ Alister McRae retired in SS2 but continued on the final day under Super Rally format, winning three of the day’s six special stages to secure seven championship points. But he wasn’t eligible for a podium finish.

“We had hoped for a repeat of last year’s double podium results in New Caledonia but the reality of rallying is such that all the hardwork and preparation is never a guarantee of a strong finish,” said Datuk Abdul Razak Dawood, Head of Proton Motorsports.

The next APRC round is the Rally of Queensland in late May. The Aussie rally will be the third of six rounds this season, and it’s vital for Proton to get back to winning ways Down Under if they are to prevent Team MRF from running away with their title. Still early days, though.

-Paultan
The second round of this year’s FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) will happen in New Caledonia this weekend. Defending champions Proton return to the Pacific island in search of their first win of the year, after finishing second and fourth in the opening rally in New Zealand.

The drivers in action are APRC reigning champion Alister McRae and Swedish driver PG Andersson – the latter is in his first full APRC season and will be competing in New Caledonia for the first time. Proton’s main rivals will once again be the Skoda Fabia S2000s of Team MRF.

As defending champion, McRae will again be in the unenviable position of having to start the rally first, clearing the road for the other drivers behind him.

“Winning the championship last year means I am first on the road on all the rounds this year and that was quite a disadvantage on the first round in New Zealand, but I don’t think it will be so much in New Caledonia. The rain is likely to have washed away much of the loose gravel from the surface before we got there and it’s possible that running at the front might even give us a small advantage,” said the optimistic Scot.

Teammate PG is ready to bounce back from the Kiwi bad luck which cost him an outright victory in the opening round. Comfortably setting fastest times en route to winning 11 of the 16 special stages in New Zealand, Andersson caught a puncture to surrender the lead. “One thing for sure is that I’m starting this event as I start every event – to win. I have never been to this rally before, so it’s always exciting to try some new roads,” he said.

Based in Noumea on Grande Terre, the largest island in New Caledonia, Rally New Caledonia moves through beautiful lush vegetation and farming plains, and will be contested over a competitive distance of 252.82 km covering 19 special stages.

-Paultan
Proton launches another Proton Platinum Showroom, this time it is in Jalan Ampang in KL. The Showroom was officiated by Proton Group Managing Director Datuk Seri Haji Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir. The construction of the showroom began in June 2011 and was completed before the end of September last year.

Its architecture design is similar to that of Proton’s Platinum Showroom in Mutiara Damansara, PJ. Among the exterior features are the slanting façade and frameless glass walls. It also boasts a huge glass entrance, a spacious and comfortable customer lounge, dedicated discussion rooms, a pantry, restrooms and Surau.

This latest Platinum Showroom occupies 619 square metres and has an ample floor area to display six Proton models. The Showroom also features a dedicated covered car delivery area that fits two more cars.

The opening ceremony also saw the presentation of keys to the five early bird customers of the Prevé. Feroza Ghulam Sarwar, Ng Chee Thong, Ahamad Shahril Zainuddin and Zainal Abidin Sulaiman took delivery of a Prevé CVT Premium model while Nurhafizah Hamrun drove home her Metallic Blue Lagoon Prevé CVT Executive model.

The showroom’s opening also marks the conclusion of the five-day Proton Prevé Motorcade, which toured the country to share the excitement of the car company’s first global car.

-Paultan
PETALING JAYA: The Proton Edar Dealers Association Malaysia (Peda) will meet local banks in an attempt to iron out issues relating to Bank Negara's responsible lending guidelines.

“To further improve the approval rate for the buyer, Peda plans to meet all banks individually and better understand the banks' limitations and perhaps extend our feedback and proposal on how to expedite the loan processes and increase our approval rate,” Peda president Armin Baniaz Pahamin told StarBiz.

Following Bank Negara's new lending guidelines that came into effect on Jan 1, loans are now approved based on net income compared with gross income previously.

The new guidelines are intended to help manage the household debt in Malaysia to reasonable levels.

Armin says the launch of the Prevé is timely because Proton must protect its market share in the ‘C-Segment.’

However, the new stringent rules have resulted in some potential car-buyers finding it more difficult to get their loans approved.

This, meanwhile, is having a direct impact on the sales of local automotive companies, especially those within the lower capacity passenger vehicle segment such as Proton and Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd (Perodua).

According to Armin, after the implementation of the new lending rules this year, Peda's dealership sales were immediately affected, with only 30% of applicants able to secure financing for new Proton cars in January.

However, he said that approval rates had since improved to 40% in March.

“But this is still far from the approval percentages before the lending rules were implemented. The duration taken for approval has improved from more than two weeks in January to one week currently,” Armin said.

He said Peda had already engaged with the central bank, the Malaysian Automotive Institute and the Ministry of International Trade and Industry on two occasions to iron out issues relating to the new hire purchase (HP) rules.

“We believe this (the meetings) may have contributed to the improvement in the overall HP loan-application approval percentage,” he said.

Last week, Perodua announced that its vehicle sales fell 11% in March to 16,000 vehicles versus 18,000 units in the previous corresponding period, mainly due to Bank Negara's responsible lending guidelines implemented this year.

It said sales eased 2.2% to 44,700 vehicles in the first quarter of this year from 45,700 vehicles registered in the previous corresponding quarter.

In a statement by the company last week, Perodua managing director Datuk Aminar Rashid Salleh was quoted as saying that the current loan approval rate by financial institutions was much lower than usual due to the new guidelines, adding that loan approvals were also delayed.

“Due to this delay, it takes an average of 20 days to know the outcome of a loan application instead of three days previously, and this is having a huge impact to not just the manufacturers but also to the entire automotive eco-system,” he said in the statement.

Aminar also said that the loan rejection, as well as delay in the loan approval process, had resulted in high inventory levels at Perodua's stockyards, which in turn had increased cost for the independent dealers.

On another note, Armin said the launch of Proton's newest model, the Prevé, could not have been more timely.

“Yes, it is timely because Proton must protect its market share in the “C-Segment” that is now being represented only by the (Proton) Persona when the Proton Waja was phased out.

He pointed out that marketing research and analysis firm Frost & Sullivan had forecast that the biggest growth in the automotive industry this year would be in the C-segment.

“(This is something) our dealer network will capitalise on with the new Proton Prevé. The C-Segment dominates more than 25% of the total industry volume,” Armin said.

The Prevé was launched last week.

“For April and especially with the launching of the Prevé, we trust the approval rate will further improve, given the buyers' demographic is not in the most affected segment by the lending guidelines.

“The lending guidelines affect new graduates, the lower and middle-income group as well as small business owners,” added Armin.

-Star motoring
KUALA LUMPUR: Proton, which has received 2,800 bookings for its newly unveiled first global car the Proton Prevé, will start to market the car in Indonesia and Thailand by the middle of this year, said its managing director Datuk Seri Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir.

"Since it was launched, we have recorded bookings for 2,800 units. We have been getting encouraging response."

The public feedback received to date indicated many people were satisfied with the design, he said at the launch of a new Proton showroom in Jalan Ampang here.

He said the Prevé will be exported to Australia by the end of this year.

Syed Zainal is optimistic that Proton could achieve its monthly target of 4,000 units for the Proton Preve.

-Bernama
SUBANG JAYA: The Proton Prevé hit the streets barely 24 hours after being launched on a nationwide tour to give Malaysians a first-hand look at its first global car.

The Prevé motorcade, which was flagged off from Sri Pentas in Bandar Utama, continues a Proton tradition in bringing its latest model to the people. The convoy includes eight Prevés, four Inspiras, and one unit each of the Persona and Exora.

Proton subsequently presented keys to the first Prevé owners at its showroom in Mutiara Damansara.
Syed Zainal (left) flagging off the convoy at Sri Pentas with Media Prima chief 
operations officer (TV network) Ahmad Izham Omar.
“The Prevé ... brings a new level of safety, performance, comfort, build quality, technology and styling to Proton cars," said Proton managing director Datuk Sri Haji Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir.

"The launch of this car marks a new and exciting era for Proton, and this is an achievement we wish to share with all Malaysians who have been a strong and instrumental driving force of Proton’s continued success.”

Two of the early birds to the showroom were pleased with the car.

“I am pleasantly surprised by how different this car is compared to previous models by Proton. Its features, like the 7-Speed ProTronic 7-speed CVT, with pedal shifters are impressive,” said R3 Satria Neo owner Mohd Shafik, 26.

Wira owner Mohd Sobri said: “The exterior looks unique and I’m satisfied with the interior. This is such a big change for Proton. I can’t wait to test drive this car because of its turbo-charged engine as I have experienced what it does to the Exora Bold. I’m considering a trade-in of my Wira for the Prevé.”

The convoy made a few stopovers in Kuala Lumpur before heading out of the Klang valley. It will also go to the east coast before ending the trip at Proton's new showroom in Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur, on Saturday.
SERI KEMBANGAN: While Malaysians are still learning to correctly pronounce Preve, the name of Proton’s latest family sedan, the national car maker has officially launched the car tonight with pricing that are a few thousand ringgit lower than the pre-launch indicative prices.

Sold in three variants, the Preve (pronounced “prae-vae”) is priced at RM59,990 for the 1.6-litre IAFM+ engine variant with five-speed manual transmission, RM62,990 for the 1.6-litre IAFM+ with six-speed continuously variable transmission (CVT) and RM72,990 for the premium 1.6-litre CFE turbocharged engine with seven-speed CVT.  The variant in solid colour is RM450 cheaper.

Launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak at the MINES Convention Centre in Seri Kembangan tonight, the Preve is touted as Proton’s global and best car to-date mainly due to improvements in performance, safety, comfort and styling.

Bernama reported Proton executive chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Khamil Jamil as saying that he plans to see a stronger Proton as it grows into a global company.

He said it would redefine its product and brand to stay competitive in a global setting.

"There is already an acceptance of Proton cars regionally and globally, but we must respond more aggressively in order to expand abroad by becoming more technology-advanced," he said.

Mohd Khamil said Proton would continue to offer customers desirable vehicles, while strengthening its sales and after sales networks internationally, with the intent of evolving into a reputable, preferred and competitive car maker.

Proton managing director Datuk Seri Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir said "the Preve reflected Proton's maturity, technical knowledge and capability to evolve into a global player."

The car, with its low front and high tail, looks handsome and creases on the sides add elegance to the proportions.

It features a profile that reminds one of the BMW E90 3 Series.

The car boasts a rigid structure, thanks to the usage of stronger steel components made using Hot Press Forming (HPF) technology.

Preve’s instrument meter cluster is also more advanced than previous Proton models and comes with a Smart Info Display to show useful details such as journey time, distance to empty tank, key fob and car battery low warning as well as bulb failure warning.
Other safety features include seatbelts with pre-tensioner helps to secure driver and passenger in position during the initial moments of a collision, two front airbags and anti-lock braking system with electronic brakeforce distribution while the Premium variant gets two more side airbags and electronic stability control.

The Premium variant also gets additional paddle shifters, wipers with rain sensor, start-stop button and a CD Player with Bluetooth connectivity and built-in satellite navigation system.

This is how the top of the line Preve looks, paddle shifters and all.
Other standard equipment across the range include 4G in-car WiFi system, 16-inch tyres, remote trunk opening, numerous cup and bottle holders.

The IAFM+ engine churns out 109bhp and 150Nm of torque which should translate into adequate perfromance for a regular 1.6-litre family car.

Meanwhile, the Premium variant’s turbocharged engine produces 138bhp and 205Nm of torque similar to that of a bigger 2.0-litre car.

Available colours are Blue Lagoon, Fire Red, Genetic Silver, Tranquility Black, Elegant Brown and Solid White.

The car will be available in Proton showrooms across Malaysia from tomorrow. Click

Syed Zainal
KUALA LUMPUR: Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today hinted that Proton managing director Datuk Seri Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir might not want to continue leading the national car maker under the ownership of DRB-Hicom Bhd.

Mahathir, who is also Proton adviser, said in Syed Zainal's case, there was no question of sacking but merely a question of an agreement between the latter and DRB-Hicom as to how best to deal with the problem of redundancy.

"DRB-Hicom is quite entitled to change the MD because they now own Proton but at the moment Syed Zainal is still the managing director and he is getting paid for the position.

"But of course he might not want to continue. It's his choice," Mahathir told reporters after chairing a Roundtable High Level Strategy Session organised by the National Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia.

He was commenting on news report that Syed Zainal would be removed as managing director of the company after the launch of the Proton Preve sedan model tonight.

-Bernama
SUBANG JAYA: Proton has denied a speculative report in a financial daily that its group managing director, Datuk Seri Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir, has resigned.

The national auto maker said it "was not aware of the source of this speculation."

"Syed Zainal is still holding the position of the group managing director of Proton, and his services are still required in the company," it said in a statement today.

"The post-acquisition exercise is still proceeding smoothly and upon the completion of the same, Proton is expected to have a strong synergy of current and new management team members that will provide Proton with the necessary impetus to lead the company in its aspiration to become a globally successful automotive player."

The newspaper had published today on its front page that Syed Zainal had resigned from the company.

On March 16, Proton had announced that Datuk Seri Mohd Nadzmi Mohd Salleh had resigned as its chairman and director with immediate effect.

In a filing to Bursa Malaysia that day, the national auto maker said his resignation was part of a term stipulated in the sales and purchase agreement between Khazanah Nasional Bhd and DRB-Hicom Bhd, Proton's new owner.
PUTRAJAYA: Proton kicked off a pre-launch programme here for the media today to sample the Prevé, its first global car previously known by the code name P3-21A.

The new C-segment sedan is targeted at the small family who prefers stylish design with excellent riding  comfort, safety and quality. It's also pitched at young professionals and executives leading an active lifestyle.

Indicative prices of the car, as announced at Proton's Power of 1 showcase last month, is from RM62,000 to RM75,000.

No photography was allowed, with Proton issuing only teaser shots of the car that you see here.

At today's product briefing, Proton group managing director Datuk Seri Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir finally confirmed the name of the P3-21A which had in recent days been leaked out as Prevé (pronounced Prae-vae). 

Three 1.6-litre model variants will be offered. 

Executive variants come with a 5-speed manual transmission and a '6-speed' CVT. Both uses the CamPro IAFM+ engines while the top of the line Premium variant is fitted with the turbocharged Charged Fuel Efficiency engine with a '7-speed' CVT.

The Premium model has torque output that mimics a 2.0-litre naturally aspirated powerplant but has combined fuel consumption of 8.2l/100km.

While Proton did not reveal performance details of the lower end models today, it did announce that the engine of the Premium model produces 138bhp and 205Nm. Its sprint from 0 to 100kph is achieved in 9.6s.

In addition, its transmission ensures smooth gear change while the ‘7-Speed ProTronic’ allows the driver to override the automatic mode by moving the shift lever into a second shift gate to ‘upshift’ and ‘downshift’. 

Other value-for money features in the car are active headrests, four cupholders and stowage spaces on all four doors. 

The Premium Prevé  gets extra goodies such as four airbags (two front and two side);  paddle shifters, auto rain sensor, stop-start button and a CD Player with Bluetooth & built-in GPS Navigator. 

ABS with EBD is standard while Electronic Stability Control is available in the Premium variant. Proton said the car has the best stopping distance in its class at 36.8m when compared with three foreign models.

It also boasts the best legroom in its class with front and rear spaces at 930mm and 815mm respectively.

Syed Zainal said the name was based on the English word 'preve' which means proof or  'to prove' (a point).

He said the car was a clean departure from the past and was not a replacement model for any existing cars. 

The Prevé was planned holistically from the start with Proton having a clear idea on what future variations of the car will be, said Syed Zainal, adding that the public could expect a sporty hatchback variant in coming months.

The Prevé  sedan, which will be launched this month in a choice of six colours, is available with water-repellent fabric seats and future plans include bodykit and leather seats to jazz it up.

Proton has received around 1,000 bookings for the car so far even before launch with 75% of bookings for the Premium variant.

As a global car, Proton has the world market in mind for the Preve with Indonesia and Thailand as the first  export markets to get it within three months of domestic launch  followed by gradual rollout to other countries such as China, Iran and Australia. Exported cars will retain the Prevé name.

Proton senior director of operations Dr Wolfgang Karl Epple said the body of the car was the most rigid Proton has ever produced, resulting in a vehicle that's surefooted in corners and stability at high speeds yet retaining an ideal weight for better fuel efficiency. 

The torsional body  rigidity also ensures cabin integrity during collision.

Members of the media were given the opportunity today to drive the Prevé from here to Setul, Seremban, and back covering a total distance of 157km. 

Overall impressions of the two CVT variants were positive (more details to follow in Star2 on Sunday). Click

VIDEO: The new Proton Prevé name 
-Proton Managing Director Datuk Seri Syed Zainal explains the name
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)