Memandangkan prestasi jualan domestik pengeluar kereta nasional Proton melebihi 150,000 unit pada tahun 2023, prestasi terbaiknya sejak tahun 2012, syarikat turut menetapkan semula jangkaan di beberapa pasaran eksport. Salah satu pasaran terawalnya, Brunei Darussalam, menunjukkan pertumbuhan luar biasa bagi tahun lepas dengan mencatat rekod jualan baharu bagi jenama Proton.
Setahun selepas menjual 422 unit pada tahun 2022, jualan meningkat sebanyak 87% pada tahun 2023 apabila 789 unit kenderaan Proton dijual di Brunei pada tahun 2023. Prestasi luar biasa itu melonjakkan jenama itu ke tangga kelima keseluruhan dalam jadual jualan dan memperoleh pegangan pasaran sebanyak 5.4%, naik satu tempat dan meningkat 2.2% berbanding tahun sebelumnya. Jumlah Volum Industri (TIV) bagi negara tersebut ditutup pada 14,640 unit untuk tahun 2023, peningkatan daripada 13,000 unit bagi tahun 2022.
Proton X50 menduduki tempat ketiga untuk jualan SUV segmen B
Proton X50 telah menjadi model Proton siri X terlaris sejak diperkenalkan pada Oktober 2020. Lebih 100,000 unit telah dikeluarkan dari barisan pemasangan di kilang Proton di Tanjong Malim, dan ini membuktikan popularitinya dengan pelanggan sama ada di Malaysia atau luar negara.
In 2023, Proton achieved exceptional sales performance both domestically and internationally, with its sales in the Kingdom of Brunei Darussalam reaching a new record. Following a successful year, where the company surpassed 150,000 units in domestic sales, Brunei showed remarkable growth, setting a new sales record for Proton.
After selling 422 units in 2022, Proton’s sales in Brunei increased by 87% in 2023, with 789 units of Proton vehicles sold. This outstanding performance elevated the brand to fifth overall in the sales table, capturing a market share of 5.4%, up one spot and an increase of 2.2% over the previous year. The Total-Industry-Volume (TIV) for Brunei also saw growth, closing at 14,640 units for 2023, up from 13,000 units in 2022.
The Proton X50, which has been the best-selling Proton X-series model since its introduction in October 2020, emerged as the top-selling model in the B-segment SUV category in Brunei. With 476 units sold in 2023, the Proton X50 accounted for approximately 60% of total Proton sales in Brunei and secured the third position in its market segment.
The current ‘full lockdown’ imposed by the stricter Movement Control Order is expected to affect the retail operations of many businesses. In the auto sector, showrooms must remain closed although aftersales services at service centres are allowed to operate. This will certainly have an effect on the Total Industry Volume (TIV) again, as it did a year ago when sales plummeted to nearly zero.
Best export performance since 2013
Proton cannot escape such effects but it is counting on export sales to help offset the downturn. Its International Sales Division has been recording increased numbers, with May 2021 being the best export sales month since March 2013. A total of 669 vehicles was sent overseas and up to the end of May, the export volume is 174% of the target set and only 6% behind what was achieved for the whole of 2020.
Proton’s growth in export sales is due to growing demand in several key markets, some new and some having sold Protons for decades. For example, Pakistan is a new market for the company and in the first 5 months of 2021, it was by far the best performer.
New Proton models draw crowds at a showroom in Pakistan.
Brunei, which started selling Proton vehicles as far back as 1987, was the third biggest export market by volume this year and in May, importers PAD Motors had the best sales month in the company’s history. In Egypt too, Alpha Ezz El-Arab, the importer and distributor for Proton cars, ordered and received 350 units this year, making it Proton’s second largest export market.
More exports in 2021
“At the beginning of the year, our plan for 2021 was to aggressively grow Proton’s export sales volume. Despite international restrictions and the rising cost of shipping caused by the coronavirus pandemic, we were confident of being able to meet our goals due to the sales plans of our importers and the appeal of our products. After 5 months, however, we are close to doubling the volume target set, which hopefully is a sign for more success in 2021,” said Steven Xu, Director of International Sales.
Although the present situation has slowed down new orders in the domestic market, demand has been high, and Proton’s factory is ready to meet this demand. For export markets, its longer term goals will be met by having some models assembled in certain countries. It has begun local assembly for the Saga in Kenya, and the next market to assemble cars locally will be Pakistan.
X70 SUV will be assembled in Pakistan as well.
“If everything goes to plan our partner in Pakistan, Al-Haj Automotive will begin assembly operations with the Proton Saga by the end of July or early August at its new plant in Karachi. The Proton X70 will be added to their production line later, and we have high hopes this development will spur sales growth in the South Asian region,” said Mr. Xu.
ASEAN sales vital for future growth
While growing sales in export markets is a reassuring sign of wider acceptance of the Proton brand and its products, the key to achieving the company’s long-term goals remains sales growth in ASEAN. The region is hotly contested with many global brands having invested in production facilities that supply local and export markets as well as competition from local manufacturers.
Proton aims to be third bestselling brand in ASEAN and has plans to return to Indonesia and Thailand.
Currently, Proton’s presence in ASEAN is limited to Brunei but the company has plans to return to the two biggest markets in the region – Thailand and Indonesia, in the very near future. “For Proton to be the third best-selling brand in ASEAN, we need to have a major presence in Thailand and Indonesia. As the biggest automotive markets in the region, they offer enormous volume potential, but the level of competition is also very high. For both countries, we have been busy recruiting partners to build a network that ensures a viable business model and in the short term, our target is to return to Thailand in 2022,” Mr. Xu added.
Brunei was the first export market for the Proton X70 and now the upgraded units from the Tanjung Malim plant are also being exported there. Launched recently, the X70 is available in Brunei in three variants – Standard, Executive and Premium X. Prices start from BND36,000 (about RM110,000) and as a launch promotion, buyers can get a rebate of BND1,500 (about RM4,600).
In Brunei, the X70 has ranked among the top three in its segment despite having barely had a full year of sales. The country has not escaped the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on business and its new vehicle sales have also gone through a period of decline this year. However, with 7,609 units sold up to the end of July. It appears that the market is trending towards at least being on par with last year.
X70 joins the updated Proton range launched in January.
PAD Motors Proton Brunei, the distributor for Proton in the country, offers customers a 5-year warranty with no limit on mileage and free labour for 5 visits. Earlier in 2020, it also launched the updated Iriz, Saga and Persona.
“Proton is excited the Malaysian-made 2020 Proton X70 has been launched in its first export market as exports will play an increasingly important role in growing our sales. With its combination of innovative features and comprehensive list of safety equipment, we believe the X70 will gain support from car buyers not only in Brunei, where it has already attracted a strong following, but also wherever it is sold around the world,” said Roslan Abdullah, CEO of Proton Edar.
Proton’s second SUV model will be adapted from the Geely Binyue/Coolray shown above.
Meanwhile, in Malaysia, Proton is preparing for the launch of the new X50 SUV following the roll-out of the first units next week. Already shown momentarily in a Merdeka video created by the carmaker, the model goes straight into local manufacture, unlike the X70 which was initially made in China. It is adapted from Geely’s Binyue/Coolray. It is expected to have a 1.5-litre, turbocharged 3-cylinder engine with a dual-clutch transmission which is the popular specification for the model that is also being sold in the Philippines.
