In November, Proton added another 11,411 units (including export sales) to its cumulative volume for 2020, bringing the total to 96,410 units. Compared to the total 11-month volume in 2019, the increase is 7.5% while the comparison of monthly volumes shows this year to be 18% higher.
“Malaysian car sales are continuing to outperform market projections from earlier in the year as we estimate Total Industry-Volume (TIV) to be more than 56,000 units for a third consecutive month. A lot of this can be accounted for by traditional end-of-year deals offered by car brands, but this year we can include PENJANA incentives and the launch of popular new models such as the Proton X50 as volume growth drivers,” said Roslan Abdullah, Chief Executive Officer, Proton Edar, adding that the brand’s market share is estimated at 20.1%.
While sales for other Proton models for the month were slightly down compared to October, deliveries of the X50 SUV began to gather momentum. 1,756 units were delivered, which Proton says makes it the best-selling B-segment (5-seat) SUV in Malaysia. Added to the 2,157 units of the X70, Proton lays claim to being the market leader in SUVs.
Strong numbers but cautious optimism for 2021
“For Proton specifically, we are continuing to focus on product quality and customer service to deliver a premium product and brand experience. Admittedly, deliveries of the Proton X50 have not ramped up to maximum capacity, but we are being deliberate in our approach to ensure our customers get the best product that meets their expectations, Still, we target to increase our volume each month to shorten waiting times so we urge everyone to please remain patient,” Encik Roslan said.
Export sales increased in 2020
The Malaysian car market can only take so many vehicles each year and Proton has to look to other markets if it wants to keep growing. It has been working hard to have a larger export footprint and 2020 was supposed to be another year of steady growth in this area. However, the plans were affected by the global coronavirus pandemic although, by the end of November, the number of Proton vehicles exported to other countries exceeded the total from the year before.
“Export sales will continue to be one of Proton’s main pillars heading into 2021 and beyond. With our domestic market performance having stabilised and undergoing steady growth, renewed emphasis has to be placed on making Proton a regional and global automotive brand,” he said.
“As a national car company, we represent Malaysia on the global stage and when we grow our export volume, our own local vendor community stands to gain as well. We will have more announcements about overseas market activities in the months and years to come,” added Encik Roslan.
Click here to read more about the Proton X50’s powertrain.
