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114-568: Proton Holdings Berhad , commonly known as Proton (stylised PROTON ), is a Malaysian multinational automotive company . Proton was established on May 7, 1983, as Malaysia's sole national budget car company until the advent of Perodua in 1993. The company is headquartered in Shah Alam, Selangor , and operates additional facilities in Proton City, Perak . Proton began manufacturing rebadged versions of Mitsubishi Motors (MMC) products in

228-568: A 16.8% share with 105,151 units sold. Proton's decline in market share stabilised in 2013. In the first half of that year, Proton sold 64,782 cars, representing 20.7% of the market share, a decline of 1.8% over its full-year 2012 share. However, by the end of 2013, Proton had managed to raise its market share to 21.2% with a total of 138,753 units sold. Nonetheless, Proton's market share has still declined by an overall 1.3% between 2012 and 2013. In July 2013, Proton sold around 16,600 cars, which accounted for 25% in market share during that specific month,

342-419: A 2.0L naturally aspirated engine , while achieving better fuel efficiency and reduced greenhouse emissions . In January 2012, Proton was acquired by DRB-HICOM , a Malaysian conglomerate in a transaction between Khazanah Nasional and DRB-HICOM which totalled RM 1.2 billion. The Proton Prevé , the company's latest saloon car was unveiled on 16 April 2012. It became the first Proton car, and to an extent,

456-430: A car, and prefer other modes of transport. Other potentially powerful automotive markets are Iran and Indonesia . Emerging automobile markets already buy more cars than established markets. According to a J.D. Power study, emerging markets accounted for 51 percent of the global light-vehicle sales in 2010. The study, performed in 2010 expected this trend to accelerate. However, more recent reports (2012) confirmed

570-455: A collaboration which was later abandoned after the death of Proton's then CEO, Tan Sri Yahaya Ahmad in 1997. On 30 October 1996, Proton acquired an 80% stake in the British company, Lotus Group International Limited , valued at £51 million. The controlling interest was purchased from A.C.B.N. Holdings S.A. of Luxembourg, a company controlled by Italian businessman Romano Artioli , then also

684-717: A cost of between £8,999 and £10,799. Proton managed to launch the Saga in Ireland before the United Kingdom as only minimal changes and modifications were necessary to pass Irish automotive and safety regulations. Additionally, the Irish automotive market was small at around 50,000 units a year at that period, as opposed to the much larger U.K. market at 2 million units. Proton launched the Saga in several small Commonwealth countries while they prepared for their large scale launch in

798-479: A first in the Saga lineage. The car came with the same 1.3L 4G13 engine, offering 83 bhp (62 kW) at 6,000rpm and 109Nm of torque at 4,000rpm. The 3-speed automatic was discontinued, and only the 5-speed manual transmission was offered. The Saga LMST was sold in two trim lines, one with power steering and one without, as well as an option for the 14-inch alloy rims from the Iswara S.E. The brakes were discs at

912-424: A fuel gauge and a temperature gauge. The steering wheel, gear stick and two-tone, red-on-black interior panels were also new. On the exterior, the car received a new front grille, head lights with integrated fog lights, tail lights, front & rear bumpers, side skirts and a rear spoiler. The rear number plate bracket was also repositioned to the boot, and the rear bumper on later variants featured parking sensors ,

1026-641: A global, modern automotive brand. Starting with the Proton X70 , and excluding the 2019 Exora , the rear badge was replaced by lettering spelling out 'Proton'. The first Proton, the Saga saloon launched in July 1985 amid positive reception, but poor sales due to Proton's inability to meet the high demand. However, Proton later captured a 47% Malaysian market share in the following year, with 24,148 cars sold. The company's market share later grew to 65% in 1987; 85% in

1140-583: A gradual reduction of import duties in stages to zero by 2016. Proton however responded positively to the announcement, citing their recent positive developments such as the 5-star ANCAP safety recognition of the Proton Prevé as part of its commitment to progress. Proton relies primarily on its domestic market for the majority of its sales and revenues. Nonetheless, small volumes of Proton cars are also exported to various other countries in Asia, in addition to

1254-551: A group of major car manufacturers including GM , Ford , Volvo , BYD Auto , Jaguar Land Rover and Mercedes-Benz committed to "work towards all sales of new cars and vans being zero emission globally by 2040, and by no later than 2035 in leading markets". Major car manufacturing nations like the United States, Germany, China, Japan and South Korea, as well as Volkswagen , Toyota , Peugeot , Honda , Nissan and Hyundai , did not pledge. The global automotive industry

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1368-565: A hatchback model, was launched in late 2004. It was the first Proton vehicle equipped with the new CamPro engine . The RM1.8 billion (US$ 580 million) Proton Tanjung Malim manufacturing plant in the Malaysian state of Perak commenced operation in November 2003. The new plant had been projected to open in August 1998, but it was deferred due to the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis . However, it

1482-545: A large number of cosmetic enhancements, including a new front grille, headlights, ' Altezza lights ', body kit, rear lip spoilers and 14-inch alloy rims among others. It was only offered with the 1.3-litre engine paired to the 5-speed manual. The interior was left largely unchanged over the previous iteration. Nonetheless, the Iswara Aeroback S.E. is the first in its lineage to receive ride & handling input from Lotus . The modifications were later adopted for use in

1596-524: A lower-priced, lower quality clone of one of their own vehicles as a competitor in what was then considered the world's most important car market. Mitsubishi subsequently fired all of Proton's management and replaced them with Japanese executives who clamped down on Proton's export initiatives. In January 1987, the Proton Saga 1.5-litre saloon was introduced. It was powered by the 1.5-litre 4G15 engine, but remained largely unchanged exterior-wise to

1710-542: A new CEO and Deputy CEO in April. The government had also granted Proton a RM 1.5 billion soft loan in mid 2016. The loan came with a number of conditions, including a mandatory tie-up with a foreign automobile company in the near future. Several companies have expressed interest, including Suzuki , Škoda , Groupe PSA , Renault and Geely . This culminated with the entry of China's Zhejiang Geely Holding Group in June 2017, after

1824-661: A new board of directors put in place in Proton Holdings, Proton Edar (the local distribution arm) and Perusahaan Otomobil Nasional Sdn Bhd (PONSB). Three nominees from Geely Holding joined the boards; Daniel Donghui Li, the Executive VP and CFO of Geely Holding; Dr Nathan Yuning, the Executive VP of International Business of Geely Holding, and Feng Qing Feng, the Group VP and CTO at HK-listed Geely Auto. DRB-HICOM are represented by Dato' Sri Syed Faisal Albar, who chairs

1938-462: A symbol of the beginning of the Malaysian automotive industry. The Saga quickly became a national symbol of Malaysia, and Mahathir drove a prototype Proton Saga fitted with a 2.0-litre Mitsubishi Sirius 4G63 engine and a Jalur Gemilang across the Penang Bridge during its opening ceremony on 14 September 1985. Initially, Saga supplies were low, with just 700 vehicles produced in time for

2052-436: A top producer 1950s : United Kingdom, Germany, and France restarted production. 1960s : Japan started production and increased volume through the 1980s. United States, Japan, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom produced about 80% of motor vehicles through the 1980s. 1990s : South Korea became a volume producer. In 2004, Korea became No. 5 passing France. 2000s : China increased its production drastically, and became

2166-515: A year and a half after the launch of the company's first car, the Saga . It was only sold in right-hand drive markets like New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Singapore because left-hand drive variants were not produced. Proton attempted to enter the American market in November 1988, but failed to meet strict US automotive regulations. However, the Proton Wira, which launched in 1993 became

2280-572: Is a Malay backronym for P e r usahaan Oto mobil N asional (National Automobile Enterprise). The concept of a national car was conceived in 1979 by then- Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia , Dato' Seri Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad, now Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad , with the goal of enhancing the Malaysian automotive industry. The National Car Project was approved by the Cabinet in 1982, leading to

2394-643: Is a major consumer of water. Some estimates surpass 180,000 L (39,000 imp gal) of water per car manufactured, depending on whether tyre production is included. Production processes that use a significant volume of water include surface treatment, painting, coating, washing, cooling, air-conditioning, and boilers, not counting component manufacturing. Paintshop operations consume especially large amounts of water because equipment running on water-based products must also be cleaned with water. In 2022, Tesla's Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg ran into legal challenges due to droughts and falling groundwater levels in

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2508-463: Is a primary mode of transportation for many developed economies. The Detroit branch of Boston Consulting Group predicted that, by 2014, one-third of world demand would be in the four BRIC markets (Brazil, Russia, India, and China). Meanwhile, in developed countries, the automotive industry has slowed. It is also expected that this trend will continue, especially as the younger generations of people (in highly urbanized countries) no longer want to own

2622-728: Is for exclusive sale to Malaysian civil servants and government officials. The Proton Iriz was unveiled on 25 September 2014 as the company's first B-segment 5-door hatchback. The new Iriz competes directly against the Perodua Myvi in its domestic market. On 18 January 2016, Proton unveiled their all-new four-cylinder GDI/TGDI and three-cylinder VVT engines. The new engines, of which there are six in total, are being developed in collaboration with Ricardo and Lotus Engineering , and are slated to enter production by late 2017. Proton unveiled their new logo in February 2016, and appointed

2736-488: The Association of South East Asian Nations , such as Thailand and Indonesia, are subject to the least import duties, whereas those from Europe suffer the worst. However, imported hybrid vehicles and cars purchased in duty-free Langkawi are exempted from the import and excise duties. The NAP ensures the survival of Proton and other Malaysian-made vehicles under a biased playing field in the Malaysian market. Nonetheless,

2850-647: The Malaysian flag and coat of arms . However, this emblem was only used for Proton cars which were sold domestically. Proton cars exported to other markets received different badge designs. In 2000, the new Proton logo was used on the Proton Waja which launched in that year. It featured a stylised yellow tiger head on a green roundel embossed upon a dark blue shield, with the Proton name in yellow capital letters in Frutiger font. The standard text representation of

2964-467: The PSA Group had been in the top 8 1999 to 2012, and 2007 to 2012 one of the eight largest along with the seven largest as of 2017) and the five largest in the top 5 positions since 2007, according to OICA, which, however, stopped publishing statistics of motor vehicle production by manufacturer after 2017. All ten remained as the ten largest automakers by sales until the merger between Fiat-Chrysler and

3078-575: The Perodua Myvi in overall vehicle sales. Proton further widened its model base when it introduced the Exora , Malaysia's first indigenous 7-seater MPV in April 2009. The Exora was based on Proton's next generation P2 platform and helped satisfy the growing demand for a budget 7-seater in the domestic market, which had been monopolised by the Nissan Grand Livina and the smaller Toyota Avanza . For several years, it consistently positioned in

3192-522: The Philippines , Vietnam, and China. Automotive industry The word automotive comes from the Greek autos (self), and Latin motivus (of motion ), referring to any form of self-powered vehicle. This term, as proposed by Elmer Sperry (1860–1930), first came into use to describe automobiles in 1898. The automotive industry began in the 1860s with hundreds of manufacturers pioneering

3306-613: The Proton Saga Megavalve was launched in Malaysia. The Megavalve nameplate represents the third engine update after the Orion (1985–1987) and Magma (1987–1990). The Megavalve engines feature 12-valves or three valves per cylinder, which is an upgrade over the older 8-valve engines. The four additional valves made the new Megavalve engines between 11% and 15% more powerful than the previous Magma plants. The Megavalve engine

3420-508: The Suprima S , the hatchback complement to the Prevé saloon. It became the second 5-star ANCAP rated Proton and the first to offer extensive standard safety features in its domestic market. On 11 December 2013, the second generation Proton Perdana was finally unveiled after a three-year gap in the nameplate's production. The new Perdana is a badge engineered eighth generation Honda Accord and

3534-541: The Under 1,600cc segment . Proton maintained a majority market share in the following years, which peaked in 1993 at 74% with over 94,100 units sold. Car sales in Malaysia plunged from 404,000 units in 1997 to 163,851 in 1998 due to the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis . Proton's revenue and profits were severely affected, but a majority market share was still maintained into the early 2000s. In the mid-2000s, Proton's revenues and sales declined sharply. In 2006, Proton's market share

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3648-470: The United Kingdom car market with the Saga saloon and hatchback duo, where the Malaysian company set the record for the "Fastest Selling Make of New Car Ever to Enter the United Kingdom." Proton's sales declined during the late 1980s as a result of the worldwide economic recession , and the lack of technical expertise in Proton's management. Kenji Iwabuchi, a former Mitsubishi Motors executive,

3762-566: The United States led the world in total automobile production, with the U.S. Big Three General Motors , Ford Motor Company , and Chrysler being the world's three largest auto manufacturers for a time, and G.M. and Ford remaining the two largest until the mid-2000s. In 1929, before the Great Depression , the world had 32,028,500 automobiles in use, of which the U.S. automobile enterprises produced more than 90%. At that time,

3876-425: The equity investment of Proton on May 7, 1983, with Mitsubishi Corporation for the future of the company. At its creation, it was wholly owned by the government of Malaysia through Khazanah Nasional . It was headed by its founder, Dr. Mahathir. Proton approached Mitsubishi Motors between 1983 and 1984 and brokered a joint venture between both companies for the production of the first Malaysian car. The result of

3990-417: The horseless carriage . Early car manufacturing involved manual assembly by a human worker. The process evolved from engineers working on a stationary car, to a conveyor belt system where the car passed through multiple stations of more specialized engineers. Starting in the 1960s, robotic equipment was introduced to the process, and most cars are now mainly assembled by automated machinery. For many decades,

4104-485: The value chain are made to avoid these product recalls by ensuring end-user security and safety and compliance with the automotive industry requirements. However, the automotive industry is still particularly concerned about product recalls, which cause considerable financial consequences. In 2007, there were about 806 million cars and light trucks on the road, consuming over 980 billion litres (980,000,000 m ) of gasoline and diesel fuel yearly. The automobile

4218-548: The 1980s and 1990s. Proton produced its first indigenously designed, non-badge-engineered car in 2000 with a Mitsubishi engine. It elevated Malaysia as the 11th country in the world with the capability to design cars from the ground up. Since the 2000s, Proton has produced a mix of locally engineered and badge-engineered vehicles. Proton was founded under majority ownership by HICOM , with a minority stake being held by Mitsubishi Group members. By 2005, Mitsubishi had divested its stake in Proton to Khazanah Nasional . In 2012, Proton

4332-541: The 1985 Saga. Later in October 1987, a hatchback variant called the Proton Saga Aeroback was launched. It shared the same 1.5 L engine found in the saloon variant, but featured a redesigned rear end which is unique to Proton. 1987 also witnessed the production of the 50,000th Saga. The Proton Saga Magma was introduced in mid-1987, offering mild mechanical and cosmetic upgrades. The Magma suffix denotes

4446-648: The 1990s and 2000s. Most were converted to NGVs for greater fuel efficiency. Many Saga Iswara taxis are still in use today, but they are being phased out in favour of newer Proton taxis. UK sales ended in 1996, 3 years after the launch of the Persona. A UK export variant of the Saga Iswara was also featured in an episode of the television show, Mr. Bean . In 2001, Proton introduced the Iswara Aeroback Special Edition . It features

4560-546: The 2010 Geneva Motor Show . They were designed by Italdesign Giugiaro and related to the Lotus Ethos , a similar concept car from Proton's British subsidiary. The turbocharged inline-four petrol engine from Proton was revealed at the 2010 Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show. Officially known as the 1.6L CamPro CFE , it is capable of producing power and torque figures of 138 bhp (103 kW) at 5,000 rpm and 205 N·m at 2,000–4,000 rpm respectively, comparable to

4674-598: The British International Motorshow for the second time. The Saga was also launched in Malawi in December 1991. By then Proton had managed to export 40,151 units, of which 33,291 were to the United Kingdom, with 3,699, 1,160 and 847 to Singapore, Ireland and New Zealand respectively. The 300,000th Saga was also produced in 1991, and locally manufactured Saga parts rose to 69% after the opening of

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4788-463: The Chinese carmaker acquired 49.9% equity in Proton from DRB-HICOM. Proton introduced four new models in 2016. The new Perdana launched on 14 June, followed by the new Persona on 23 August, the new Saga on 28 September, and the new Ertiga on 24 November. The launch of four new Proton models within the span of six months was unprecedented in the company's history. Masazumi Ogawa was recruited as

4902-684: The Engine and Transmission Factory in Shah Alam. Additionally, Fortune magazine ranked Proton as the 29th largest automobile company in the world in 1991 and 1992, a feat which was single-handedly achieved with the Saga, Proton's sole offering up to 1993. The Proton Saga Iswara (known as the Proton Mpi in the United Kingdom) was launched on 15 August 1992. It is named after the great Helen butterfly ( Papilio iswara ) of Sarawak . It

5016-474: The Malaysian government in the interests of Proton, Perodua, Naza and foreign brands with manufacturing plants in Malaysia. Under the NAP, imported vehicles are subjected to varying degrees of import and excise duties depending on the vehicle's origin of manufacture and engine displacement, with excise duty imposed at 60 to 105 percent being the highest component in the duty structure. Vehicles imported from members of

5130-520: The Malaysian market, an exclusive performance variant known as Proton Knight was introduced on 8 March 1989. It was only available in one shade of color called majorca black with the Aeroback body style, featuring a 1.5L 8V Magma engine and a 5-speed manual transmission. This sporty Saga variant was only produced for a single year, which made it one of the rarest Saga models ever made. A similar performance variant known as Proton Saga Black Knight Edition

5244-657: The PSA Group in early 2021 ; only Renault was degraded to 11th place, in 2022, when being surpassed by both BMW (which became the 10th largest in 2021) and Chang'an . These were the twenty largest manufacturers by production volume in 2012 and 2013, or the 21 largest in 2011 (before the Fiat-Chrysler merger ), of which the fourteen largest as of 2011 were in the top 14 in 2010, 2008 and 2007 (but not 2009, when Changan and Mazda temporarily degraded Chrysler to 16th place). The eighteen largest as of 2013 have remained in

5358-598: The Proton Saga LMST. The Proton Saga Lotus Meter Saga Trim (LMST) , hatchback was introduced in 2003 as the successor to the Proton Saga Iswara. Despite sharing the same, ageing platform with the original Proton Saga from 1985, the Saga LMST featured a completely redesigned interior, with a new dashboard, instrument panel and meter cluster which offered a digital display consisting of an odometer,

5472-438: The Proton Saga, the newer 4G92 1.6L, 4G93 SOHC and DOHC 1.8L and the 4D68 2.0L diesel . The Wira was the first Proton car to be produced in right-hand drive (RHD) and left-hand drive (LHD) configurations, and remains the only Proton car to have been available with a diesel engine. Proton launched the three-door Proton Satria hatchback in 1994 and the two-door Proton Putra coupé in 1996, both of which are based on

5586-414: The Proton name was also changed from the lowercase italic text " proton " to the uppercase "PROTON". All Proton cars manufactured after 2000 carried the new badge, both in the domestic and export markets. Then its colour was changed into two-tone, silver and black, which was in use since 2008 with the introduction of the second generation Proton Saga . In June 2016, a new Proton logo was introduced during

5700-463: The Saga Aeroback 1.5I model due to popular demand. Safety standards were also raised with the inclusion of rear seat belts and a third brake light as standard equipment. The Proton Saga Megavalve ranged from RM28,000 to RM36,000, or an increment of RM2,000 over the previous Proton Saga Magma range. A unique limousine version of the Proton Saga was also produced. It is 25 percent longer than

5814-401: The Saga in the United States with the help of American automotive entrepreneur Malcolm Bricklin . Mahathir had been impressed by Bricklin, who was advised to work with Proton on orders from the former U.S. Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger , who had previously taught Mahathir at Harvard University . Sales were expected to begin in October 1988 Soon after the first Sagas were imported into

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5928-551: The Top 10 best-selling vehicles in Malaysia. On August 6, 2008, the Proton Saga and Proton Persona were seen doing road tests at the Greater Noida Expressway, hinting at the potential to export Proton automobiles to India. However, negotiations for Proton to establish an Indian branch did not materialize. In December 2008, Proton resumed product collaboration with Mitsubishi Motors. Under the agreement, Proton gained

6042-471: The U.K. with over 100 dealers. In October 1988, the Proton Saga made its English debut at the 1988 British International Motorshow , where it won three Prestigious Awards (two gold medals and one silver) for quality coachwork and ergonomics. The Saga was also voted among the Top 10 best cars at the show. 1988 witnessed Proton's entry into the Jamaican market, along with the 100,000th Saga produced. In

6156-428: The U.S. had one car per 4.87 persons. After 1945, the U.S. produced around three-quarters of the world's auto production. In 1980, the U.S. was overtaken by Japan and then became a world leader again in 1994. Japan narrowly passed the U.S. in production during 2006 and 2007, and in 2008 also China , which in 2009 took the top spot (from Japan) with 13.8 million units, although the U.S. surpassed Japan in 2011, to become

6270-508: The United Kingdom and Australia. The company held a far larger global sales network in the 1990s, spanning all six continents and over 70 countries, but intends to regain a global foothold with 500,000 annual sales by 2018. On 24 January 2020, Proton announced that their goal is to export 4,000 vehicles by the end of the year or export 6,000 vehicles if they were offered government incentives. 2000–12 / 2015 and 2018–present 2002–2018 Proton first ventured into export markets in December 1986,

6384-488: The United States, Bricklin revealed that he had not gained importation approval from the authorities and that the Saga didn't pass emissions testing. This resulted in the termination of all investments between the involved parties and proved a major financial loss for Proton. The attempt to export the Saga to the United States angered Mitsubishi; it is believed that they intervened to sink the Bricklin deal as they didn't want

6498-524: The Wira platform and powered by the same range of Mitsubishi engines offered in the Wira, except for the 2.0L diesel. The Proton Wira, Proton Satria and Proton Putra were exported and marketed across the European Union and Middle East during the 1990s. The Proton Perdana , a premium D-segment saloon, was launched in 1995. It is based on the seventh generation Mitsubishi Eterna , introduced in 1992, and

6612-486: The automotive industry, safety means that users, operators, or manufacturers do not face any risk or danger coming from the motor vehicle or its spare parts. Safety for the automobiles themselves implies that there is no risk of damage. Safety in the automotive industry is particularly important and therefore highly regulated. Automobiles and other motor vehicles have to comply with a certain number of regulations, whether local or international, in order to be accepted on

6726-404: The boards, and Amalanathan Thomas and Shaharul Farez Hassan. Both are part of the senior management team at DRB-HICOM. On the same day, Dr Li Chunrong joins PONSB as CEO. Dr Li is the third foreigner to head Proton. Between 1993 and 1997, the early years of Proton, two different Japanese nominees of their partners, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, led the carmaker. On April 29, 2024, Proton announced

6840-565: The collaboration was the Proton Saga , which launched on July 9, 1985. The Proton Saga was based on the second-generation 1983 Mitsubishi Lancer Fiore 4-door saloon , powered by a 1.3-liter Mitsubishi Orion 4G13 engine. The first Proton Saga to roll off the production line in Shah Alam is preserved in the National Museum ( Malay : Muzium Negara ) as a symbol of the beginning of the Malaysian automotive industry . Sales of

6954-582: The company's first car to be produced in both left and right-hand drive configurations, paving the way for Proton's entry into Continental Europe in October 1994 and other markets in the Middle East and Latin America. The company's global sales network peaked between 1994 and the early 2000s, but has since dwindled to around 25 countries as of the 2010s. Proton has commissioned CKD plants in Iran, Indonesia,

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7068-553: The company's highest ever in 2013. Perodua on the other hand sold around 19,200 or 2,600 more cars than Proton in July 2013. The rise in Proton's sales were attributed to the launch of the Proton Saga SV , a cheaper variant of the second best-selling car in Malaysia. Another factor which continues to play a significant role in the sales of Proton cars is the National Automotive Policy (NAP), enforced by

7182-423: The course of the 1970s, with most if not all locally assembled CKD models generally costing more to produce than an equivalent CBU import. By the dawn of the 1980s, the Malaysian government concluded that direct involvement was necessary to reverse losses and spur future industrial growth. Mahathir Mohamad became the fourth Prime Minister of Malaysia in July 1981. The National Car Project was approved in 1982, with

7296-459: The director of quality control in Proton. On 24 May 2017, parent company DRB-HICOM announced plans to sell a 49.9% stake in Proton to Zhejiang Geely Automobile Holdings . Eventually, DRB-HICOM also sold 51% controlling-stake in Lotus to Geely, and the remaining 49% stake to Etika Automotive. The definitive agreement was in July 2017. Proton had owned Lotus since 1996, and largely struggled to turn

7410-623: The first Malaysian car to be awarded the full 5-star safety rating in the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) of Australia and New Zealand. In December 2012, Proton acquired all of Petronas ' E01 engine technologies in addition to associated technology patents at a cost of RM 63 million. The deal encompassed a family of naturally aspirated and turbocharged 1.8, 2.0 and 2.2-litre engines to complement Proton's own CamPro 1.3L N/A, 1.6L N/A and 1.6L turbo engines. On 17 August 2013, Proton launched

7524-429: The former Mitsubishi -based models and stronger competitors, specifically Perodua with their best-selling Myvi which launched in 2005. Proton's total sales volume and its market share failed to recover to its pre-2002 figures and Perodua remained the domestic market leader from 2006 onwards. Sales of Proton cars grew at a stable rate in the latter half of the 2000s and in the early 2010s. The company briefly regained

7638-632: The fortunes of the sports car maker around. Nonetheless, in late 2016, Lotus announced their first operating profit in over 40 years. Their presence in Proton is said to not affect Japanese auto manufacturers due to being in the market for a very long time. Still, many of Proton's cars benefitted from the Lotus relationship, with the Satria GTi specifically mentioned by car reviewers as possessing good handling traits. Subsequent Proton some models received "Lotus Tuned" input. Proton recruited Yoshiya Inamori as

7752-405: The front and drums at the rear. The LMST was not equipped with airbags or ABS , and was sold in four colours; red, dark blue, grey and black. In late 2006, Proton updated the Saga LMST in response to the 2005 launch of the Perodua Myvi . The Saga LMST received mainly cosmetic changes, namely a new Clarion integrated radio & CD player, meter cluster and redesigned air conditioner vents on

7866-563: The import duties of the NAP have been progressively revised and reduced in line with the eventual liberation of the market, but excise duties, the larger component of tariffs, continues to be high and opaquely applied, with non-tariff barriers effectively reducing the rate for Malaysian made vehicles. In March 2013, the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (Malaysia) announced that vehicles manufactured in Australia and Japan will face

7980-479: The interior as well as a unique front grille, 14-inch steel rims with hubcaps and chromed head & taillights on the exterior. Proton added a new exhaust manifold and extractor to the tried and tested 1.3 L 4G13 carburetor-fed engine, increasing the Saga LMST power rating to 90 hp (67 kW) at 6,000rpm and 110Nm of torque at 4,200rpm, making the 2006 Saga LMST the fastest and most powerful in its lineage. However, these features and upgrades were only offered for

8094-466: The launch of 2016 Proton Perdana , which is only a Malayan tiger head with a circle surrounding in three-dimensional style. The new logo is now used on all Proton latest models, including the 2017 Proton Iriz facelift and 2017 Proton Exora Enhanced. Two years after (i.e., September 2019) Proton's global strategic partnership with Geely in 2017, Proton Holdings unveiled a brand new logo and ‘Inspiring Connections’ tagline to outline its ambition to be

8208-493: The launch. The cars sold quickly, and Proton was unable to meet public demand. However, by mid-1986, the Saga had captured a 64% domestic market share in the Below 1600cc segment . Proton first ventured into export markets in 1986, with Bangladesh receiving the Proton Saga on 26 December 1986, followed by New Zealand , Brunei , Malta and Sri Lanka in 1987. The 10,000th Saga was also produced in 1986. Proton attempted to sell

8322-488: The list below) currently possess the capability to design original production automobiles from the ground up, and 17 countries (listed below) have at least one million produced vehicles a year (as of 2023). These were the ten largest manufacturers by production volume as of 2017, of which the eight largest were in the top 8 positions since Fiat's 2013 acquisition of the Chrysler Corporation (although

8436-545: The market. The standard ISO 26262 , is considered one of the best practice frameworks for achieving automotive functional safety . In case of safety issues, danger, product defect , or faulty procedure during the manufacturing of the motor vehicle, the maker can request to return either a batch or the entire production run. This procedure is called product recall . Product recalls happen in every industry and can be production-related or stem from raw materials. Product and operation tests and inspections at different stages of

8550-406: The misfortunes of MV Agusta and sold the marque to Gevi S.p.A. in December 2005 for €1, with Gevi assuming the €139.44 million debt carried over from MV Agusta. The latter half of the 2000s marked Proton's comeback in the domestic market, with its vehicle sales growing a total of about 37 percent from 2006 to 2011, significantly above total passenger car sales growth of about 10 percent. The comeback

8664-498: The new Saga outstripped supply, and Proton struggled to meet the growing demand, but by mid-1986, it had captured a 64% majority domestic market share in the below 1600cc segment. Later in October 1987, a hatchback variant called the Proton Saga Aeroback was launched and had a more powerful 1.5L Mitsubishi 4G15 engine and a redesigned rear-end. Exports to Ireland began in 1988, and by March 1989, Proton had entered

8778-673: The objective of accelerating technology transfer, increasing and rationalising local content, and involving more Malay entrepreneurs in the then largely ethnic Chinese dominated Malaysian automotive industry. Mahathir had invited Mitsubishi Motors to participate in the National Car Project. The decision to collaborate with a Japanese car company was part of Mahathir's ' Look East Policy '. By January 1983, Mitsubishi had prepared two prototypes in Japan, codenamed LM41 and LM44. On 7 May 1983, Perusahaan Otomobil Nasional ( Proton )

8892-530: The opening of a R&D centre at the Geely Automobile Research Institute at Hangzhou Bay in collaboration with Geely. Current model line up, with calendar year of introduction or most recent facelift: Former model line up, with calendar year of introduction or most recent facelift: The Proton logo in 1983 was a dark blue shield which encompassed a yellow crescent positioned below a yellow fourteen-pointed star, in reference to

9006-643: The opposite; namely that the automotive industry was slowing down even in BRIC countries. In the United States, vehicle sales peaked in 2000, at 17.8 million units. In July 2021, the European Commission released its " Fit for 55 " legislation package, which contains important guidelines for the future of the automotive industry; all new cars on the European market must be zero-emission vehicles from 2035. The governments of 24 developed countries and

9120-461: The original Mitsubishi Lancer Fiore dashboard and rear reflector lamps to pass U.K. safety regulations. Britain also received many limited edition models such as the Proton Puma, Lynx, Emerald, Prism and SE Le Mans, which featured higher trim levels and unique equipment. Proton advertised their models with the slogan "Japanese Technology, Malaysian Style" in the United Kingdom. Proton later set

9234-537: The original Proton plant in operation since 1985, located in Shah Alam , Selangor . Despite a combined production capacity of around 350,000 units, both plants are underutilised with just 52,235 and 114,645 units produced at the Tanjung Malim and Shah Alam plants in 2011 respectively. On 7 July 2004, Proton purchased a 57.57% stake in MV Agusta S.p.A. of Italy, valued at €70 million. Proton failed to reverse

9348-400: The owner of Bugatti . By 2003, Proton's stake in Lotus was increased to 100%. Lotus has been involved in the development of suspension and handling elements of all Proton cars launched since 1996. The Proton Satria GTi , widely regarded as the best Malaysian car ever produced, owes much of its success to Lotus' contributions. The Proton Waja , the company's first indigenously designed model,

9462-627: The record for the 'Fastest selling make of new car ever to enter the United Kingdom', exceeding their 12-month sales target within 6 months. Prior to its launch, the Saga underwent a strict homologation process to be allowed entry and sale in the U.K. market. The process included various quality, safety and emissions tests and over 400 modifications where necessary, as well as a 1,000 mile-trial on British roads and weather conditions. The Saga also went on sale in Singapore in October 1989 under Cycle & Carriage distributorship. On 12 August 1990,

9576-780: The region. Brandenburg's Economy Minister Joerg Steinbach said that while water supply was sufficient during the first stage, more would be needed once Tesla expands the site. The factory would nearly double the water consumption in the Gruenheide area, with 1.4 million cubic meters being contracted from local authorities per year — enough for a city of around 40,000 people. Steinbach said that the authorities would like to drill for more water there and outsource any additional supply if necessary. 1960s : Post-war increase 1970s : Oil crisis and tighter safety and emission regulation 1990s : Production started in NICs . 2000s : Rise of China as

9690-434: The regular Saga saloon, and features a built-in freezer, in-car entertainment system and a television. The 200,000th Saga rolled off the production line on 16 May 1990. Proton launched the facelifted Proton 12-Valve in the United Kingdom on 10 January 1991. The power output from the 1.3 L engine was upped to 77 bhp and the 1.5 L offered 85 bhp. On 22 September 1991, the Proton Saga won two gold awards at

9804-572: The rights to rebadge the 2007 Mitsubishi Lancer to be sold exclusively in the Malaysian market. The result of the collaboration was the Proton Inspira , which launched on 10 November 2010. It also marked a return to closer ties between Proton and Mitsubishi, the Japanese company which was instrumental in Proton's foundation in the 1980s. Proton showcased the EMAS concept hybrid city cars at

9918-421: The same 1.3-litre and 1.5-litre engines. However, models exported to Singapore and the United Kingdom were fitted with Mitsubishi's ECI Multi fuel injection system and a catalytic converter to meet Euro I emission standards. A five-speed manual and a three-speed automatic transmission were offered, both sourced from Mitsubishi. The saloon version of the Saga Iswara was widely used as taxis in Malaysia in

10032-461: The second-largest automobile industry. In 2023, China had for the first time in history more than 30 million produced vehicles a year, after reaching 29 million for the first time in 2017 and 28 million the year before. From 1970 (140 models) over 1998 (260 models) to 2012 (684 models), the number of automobile models in the U.S. has grown exponentially. Safety is a state that implies being protected from any risk, danger, damage, or cause of injury. In

10146-536: The start of a decline in the local market-leading Proton marque which led to Perodua , the second Malaysian vehicle manufacturer, eventually capturing Proton's sales crown in 2006. In 2002, Proton introduced the Arena , a ute based on the Proton Wira platform and thus far the only Proton model to enjoy significantly more popularity in its export markets (specifically Australia) than domestically. The Proton Gen-2 ,

10260-452: The then managing director, Syed Zainal Abidin. However, despite the improvements made between 2007 and 2012 in addition to improved overall sales, Proton's Malaysian market share continued to decrease. In 2011, the company had a 26.4% (158,657 units) share which plummeted further to 22.5% (141,121 units) in 2012. In comparison, Perodua retained a majority market share of 30.1% (189,137 units) in 2012, with Toyota maintaining its third place at

10374-437: The top 20 as of 2017, except Mitsubishi which fell out of top 20 in 2016, while Geely fell out of the top 20 in 2014 and 2015 but re-entered it in 2016. It is common for automobile manufacturers to hold stakes in other automobile manufacturers. These ownerships can be explored under the detail for the individual companies. Notable current relationships include: Proton Saga Iswara The first generation Proton Saga

10488-536: The top-spot from Perodua in June 2009, after the introduction of the Proton Exora MPV . Proton also matched Perodua's market share in the first quarter of 2011. Factors which contributed to the rise of Proton were well-designed cars which catered to the needs of the domestic market (i.e., the Proton Persona , second generation Saga and Exora ) in addition to better management of the company under

10602-422: The trim variant with power steering. The cheaper non-power steering variant was equipped with 13-inch steel rims & hubcaps, a cassette player and the exhaust manifold from the 2003 Saga LMST instead. It also lacked the rear spoiler, side skirts, power windows, alarm and central locking. The power-steering variant came with a choice of two paint options, namely orange and black whereas the non-power steering model

10716-571: The updated engine, and the Magma-powered Saga can be differentiated from the original Orion II-powered models by its slightly different front grille design and the inclusion of bumper protector mouldings. Additionally, the first Saga models with automatic transmissions were made available in 1987. The Proton Saga made its European debut on 11 March 1988 with its launch in Ireland . Both saloon and hatchback models were made available at

10830-537: The vice president of manufacturing, who had previously been involved with Proton back in the 80s when it was founded during his time in Mitsubishi from April 1982 until July 2017. On 29 September 2017, DRB-HICOM announced changes to the board of Proton Holdings Berhad. Following the signing of a Definitive Agreement with China's Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Limited on 23 June 2017, the Chinese carmaker acquired 49.9% equity in Proton. The announcement on 29 September saw

10944-457: The world's largest-producing country in 2009. 2010s : India overtakes Korea, Canada, Spain to become 5th largest automobile producer. 2013 : The share of China (25.4%), India, Korea, Brazil, and Mexico rose to 43%, while the share of United States (12.7%), Japan, Germany, France, and United Kingdom fell to 34%. The OICA counts over 50 countries that assemble, manufacture, or disseminate automobiles. Of those, only 15 countries ( boldfaced in

11058-420: Was 32%, down from 40% in 2005. Proton lost its majority domestic market share for the first time in 20 years to Perodua , the second Malaysian car manufacturer. Factors which contributed to the fall of Proton included the revision of the National Automotive Policy (NAP), Proton's newer indigenously designed models (i.e., the Proton Waja , Gen-2 and Savvy ) which were poorly designed and manufactured compared to

11172-467: Was appointed as the managing director of Proton in 1988. On 15 August 1992, the Proton Saga Iswara was launched. It shares the older Mitsubishi platform used in the original Proton Saga, but its exterior and interior styling are unique to Proton. The Saga Iswara was widely used as taxicabs in Malaysia during the 1990s and 2000s, and many continue in service. On 21 May 1993 the Proton Wira

11286-443: Was based on the outgoing Saga Megavalve platform. The exterior design was updated and restyled by a British firm. The Iswara features a new grille, slimmer headlights, grooved taillight clusters, plastic bumpers and side mouldings. Additionally, the rear license plate bracket was moved to the bumper instead of the boot. Like its predecessor, the Saga Iswara was produced in both 4-door saloon / sedan and 5-door hatchback guises, powered by

11400-649: Was conceived in 1979 by Mahathir Mohamad , then the Minister of Trade and Industry. Mahathir actively encouraged the development of heavy industries in Malaysia as part of a long-term vision for self-sufficiency and progress. The automotive industry in Malaysia was established in the late 1960s. Six automobile assembly plants were set up to assemble cars with complete knock-down (CKD) kits imported from various car companies from Europe, America, Japan and Australia. However, inadequate economies of scale and local content regulations drove up prices of new cars in Malaysia over

11514-461: Was established. HICOM held a 70% stake in Proton, while Mitsubishi Motors and Mitsubishi Corporation held 15% each. The Proton Saga was launched on 9 July 1985. It is based on the 1983 Mitsubishi Lancer Fiore platform, and powered by the 1.3-litre 4G13 Orion II engine. The first known Proton Saga to roll off the production line in Shah Alam is preserved at the Muzium Negara as

11628-484: Was fitted with Mitsubishi's 4G63 2.0-litre straight-four engine . It was also offered with the superior 6A12 DOHC 2.0-liter V6 engine after 1999. The Perdana remains the only D-segment, V6-powered car to be commercially produced by Proton. A Citroën AX -based 1.1-litre five-door supermini called the Proton Tiara debuted in 1996. It was the result of a joint venture between Proton and PSA Peugeot Citroën ,

11742-686: Was fully acquired by DRB-HICOM . Proton was the owner of Lotus Cars from 1996 to 2017. In May 2017, DRB-HICOM announced plans to sell a 49.9% stake in Proton and a 51% stake in Lotus to Chinese company Geely . The deal was signed in June 2017, and Lotus has ceased to be a unit of Proton. As of 2023, Proton has an overseas presence in Bangladesh, Myanmar, Brunei, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. CKD plants are located in Pakistan, Kenya, Nepal and Sri Lanka. Proton

11856-442: Was introduced. It is based on the fourth-generation 1991 Mitsubishi Lancer and was sold in a four-door saloon guise at launch. The Proton Wira Aeroback, a five-door hatchback variant featuring a Proton-designed rear-end joined the range in 1993. By 1996, the Wira saloon and hatchback shared six different engines, all of which were sourced from Mitsubishi Motors . The engines included the 4G13 1.3L and 4G15 1.5L carried over from

11970-424: Was launched in August 2000. However, it still had a Mitsubishi 4G18 engine at launch as Proton's first in-house CamPro engine was unavailable. The Waja marked the end of Proton's extensive reliance on other car manufacturers for vehicle platforms and components. However, the model was only a moderate seller, being significantly outsold by Proton's own much older and slightly smaller Proton Wira . The Waja also marked

12084-483: Was launched on 18 January 2008. Previously, the first generation Proton Saga had been Proton's first and most successful model, having had a long 23-year lifespan, the longest of all Proton models to date. The new Saga proved to be a successful model Proton with over 23,000 bookings two weeks into its launch. It has consistently ranked as Proton's best-selling vehicle domestically, while placing 3rd overall in 2008, and 2nd between 2009 and 2012, beaten only by its archrival,

12198-538: Was launched solely in the United Kingdom in the saloon body style with only 201 units ever produced in the same year. On 16 March 1989, Proton officially launched the Saga saloon and hatchback duo in the United Kingdom . The saloon models were renamed Proton 1.3 and Proton 1.5 respectively according to their engine displacement in addition to a suffix such as S.E. or G.L. which denoted trim levels. The U.K.-market models also differed slightly from their Malaysian counterparts. All U.K.-market models were equipped with

12312-602: Was only sold in silver. Proton introduced this model in Pakistan on 15 September 2006. On 4 March 2007, Proton launched the 50th Merdeka Anniversary Promotion in Malaysia. The final facelift model of the final iteration came in the form of the Proton Saga LMST 50th Merdeka Anniversary Edition . It is almost identical to the 2006 Saga LMST, with the only visible differences being the reduced exhaust pipe diameter and slightly altered rear lamps. Most noticeably, it

12426-497: Was produced in both 1.3-litre and 1.5-litre configurations and both were fitted with carburettors . In addition to the updated engines, the Proton Saga Megavalve was also fitted with a new front grille, wrap-around bumper protector moulding and two new exterior colours, namely maroon and green, as well as several minor changes on the interior. The 1.5S model also received new full wheel covers, and Proton reintroduced

12540-509: Was revived in 2001 and completed in late 2003 instead. The new 1,280 acre plant was also developed as part of the Proton City project, which would span 4,000 acres of land in Tanjung Malim and consist of residential, commercial, institutional, industrial and recreational areas. The plant has an annual production capacity of 150,000 vehicles, but could be expanded to 1 million units in the future. The Proton Tanjung Malim plant complements

12654-480: Was sold at a discount price of just RM26,999 as opposed to the former RM33,240 price tag. The promotion was made in view of Malaysia's 50th Merdeka celebrations and as a symbol of Proton's gratitude to their customers. That year, the Proton Saga became the second best selling car behind the Perodua Myvi. The Saga LMST was also among the last carburetor-powered passenger cars to be sold in Malaysia. The Saga LMST

12768-432: Was spearheaded by the Proton Persona saloon launched in August 2007, the long-overdue replacement for the best-selling but ageing Proton Wira saloon. The Persona was based on an extended version of the 2004 Proton GEN•2 hatchback platform and shared most of its components and external appearance. The Persona successfully sold 19,840 units in the first three months following its launch. The second generation Proton Saga

12882-409: Was the first automobile produced by Malaysian automobile manufacturer, Proton . It was based on the 1983 Mitsubishi Lancer Fiore as a result of a joint venture between HICOM and Mitsubishi . The Proton Saga was officially launched on 9 July 1985 by the fourth prime minister, Dr. Mahathir Mohamad . It was produced in both 4-door saloon and 5-door hatchback styles. The first generation Proton Saga

12996-403: Was the longest produced Proton model, having been in production for over 22 consecutive years until it was finally succeeded by the second generation Saga in early 2008. A total of 1.9 million units of the Saga have been sold as of 2022, of which 1.2 million units of the first generation Proton Saga were sold, making it Proton's most successful offering to date. The concept of a 'Malaysian car'

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