Proton is having quite a year after showcasing a strong year-end performance. Sales in November alone actually doubled with an amazing 9,643 units sold. The tally now stands at 89,476 units sold so far this year, which is a significant 50.1% increase (16.2% increase in overall market share for 2019). (more…)
News from Proton has been good all year long, with upbeat press releases arriving at our mailboxes every month. And as the end of the year approaches, the carmaker reports that its cumulative sales volume (including export deliveries) is almost at 80,000 units (79,833 to be exact) after 10 months. This represents a growth rate of 46% in a market where the Total Industry Volume (TIV) has decreased by 1.3% to date.
Pending official industry data from the Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA), Proton estimates its market share to be 16%, which is 5.2% higher than the previous year. It has strengthened its hold on second place in the overall sales chart and is confident of maintaining this position to the end of 2019.
While sales of the X70 SUV have contributed to Proton’s upswing – over 24,000 units have been delivered so far – the Saga has also drawn a huge number of customers since being launched in August. Over 28,000 bookings have been received and in October, the new model posted its highest sales figure for over four years. 4,273 units were sold last month and for the first 10 months of the year, the cumulative total is 30,331 units, which is a 26% increase over the previous year.
“We are humbled by the response our products have received from Malaysian car buyers. In the space of just 8 months, we launched our first SUV and updated all our other models, giving Proton the youngest model range for any car brand in Malaysia. The hard work has paid off with increased sales and we are now confident of being able to sell 100,000 units this year, providing us with a solid base to move forward in 2020 and beyond,” said Dr Li Chunrong, Chief Executive Officer of Proton.
Dr. Li said the company is matching the commitment of its dealers by continuing to invest in training programmes for sales and service staff to ensure the level of service delivered matches the premium image the brand aspires to. “As we grow the number of 3S/4S outlets, we can then deliver an improved brand experience to more Malaysian car buyers. Proton will continue to focus on improving customer service levels as we know it is one of the keys to building long-term brand loyalty,” he added.
Although Sabah is some distance away from Proton’s headquarters in Peninsular Malaysia, attention to its business in the state is just as much as for any other state in the country. As the customer base grows, there is a need to ensure that there are sufficient facilities to provide sales and aftersales services.
In fact, according to Proton’s CEO, sales in East Malaysia this year have seen a growth of 31%, whilst for Sabah, the increase was 39%, compared to the same period last year. “Brand perception has also shifted and this is evident from our increasing sales,” said Dr Li Chunrong, CEO of Proton, adding that the Saga remains a popular choice in the state.
In support of the need for network growth, Shirba Auto World Sdn Bhd has officially opened a new Proton 3S outlet in Kota Kinabalu, the state capital. It is the third Proton dealer outlet opened in Kota Kinabalu, joining 104 3S/4S outlets nationwide.
As a new Proton investor, Ridzuan Datuk Hj Lassim, Director of Shirba Auto World, sees a lot of opportunities in Proton. “The future business outlook for Proton is promising, especially with its range of new car models. It also gives a lot of confidence to the public that Proton is currently managed by a pool of talent with global experience. It is a company which is exciting, international, forward looking and ready to take on the market,” he said.
The outlet has a built-up area of 2,259 square metres with a showroom to view the various models and a service centre with 12 service bays. Customers can relax in the comfort of the lounge while they wait, and they have free access to wifi service.
“The initiatives that are put in place have resulted in us gaining confidence from investors and the market. Many have decided to invest in a dealership because they have witnessed the positive developments at Proton. They see Proton as a solid brand and are willing to partner with us,” Dr. Li said.
The finale of the Proton 1 Tank Adventure concluded with one epic conclusion as they travelled from Kelantan all the way to Johor without having to refuel even a single drop. That’s 710km from Kota Bharu to Johor Bahru and each Proton model that entered the drive managed to complete without any major hiccups. (more…)
Buying a new car is a better idea than buying a used one. You get not just a brand new car, never driven before but also a warranty to cover defects over a number of years and (depending on the company), free scheduled service which saves you money. But for many, even though the gap has narrowed, it is still not easy for them to commit to taking a H-P (hire-purchase) loan to buy a new car.
Up to 100% financing
To help those who want to own a new Proton, specifically fresh graduates and government employees, Proton and Bank Rakyat are collaborating to offer special financial packages that can provide up to 100% financing. To be eligible for the packages, the applicants must be Malaysians who are new graduates aged between 20 to 30 years, or government employees aged between 18 to 60 years old.
There are two special packages, which run until December 31, 2019: An-Naqlu 1 – which offers 90% financing starting at an attractive rate of 2.88% per annum; and An-Naqlu 2 – which offers 100% financing starting at 3.30% per annum. Models available for these packages are the Persona, Iriz, Exora and Saga.
Special service and insurance schemes
“Under this special scheme, Bank Rakyat offers customers easy financing approval, while Proton makes it more attractive with a free service package of up to 2 years, depending on the models that they choose,” said Fazli Hisham Shukor, Director of Corporate Sales at Proton.
On top of this, customers will also benefit from an enhanced insurance package. Designed with Etiqa Takaful and Zurich Takaful, the Proton Insurance Programme provides customers special coverage which includes key care cover, flood relief allowance and also all driver coverage, including a guarantee of zero excess charges for Proton vehicles up to 10 years old.
More information can be obtained at Proton outlets nationwide. Companies interested in fleet programmes can send in their requests to corporatesales@proton.com.
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Team Proton R3 (R3) drivers Fariqe Hairuman and Syafiq Ali have clinched the M-Production Class Championship for the 2019 Malaysia Championship Series (MCS). Driving a Proton Iriz, the pair finished second in Round 5, a gruelling 300-km race offering double points to those who finished in the Top 10.
For Fariqe, the 2019 title is his second MCS championship as he also won it in 2015 while driving for R3. His co-driver Syafiq, a 3-time Sepang 1000km (S1K) winner, collected his first MCS title to add to the impressive list of racing accolades he has already won.
Aiming for S1K win
After winning the MCS championship, R3 is aiming for a S1K win in November. By winning the MCS championship, R3 have achieved one of their main goals for 2019 and can now focus on defending their S1K title to deliver Proton a record-breaking fifth title in the race. They have a good chance of doing so as the team will be fielding cars with proven track records.
Aside from the Iriz, R3 will race two units of the 2019 Proton Saga, the newest car in their stable. During Round 5 of the MCS, the veteran driven pairing of Admi Shahrul and Faidzil Alang defended their title chasing teammates from attacks by other cars but still managed to drive their Saga to a third-place finish. It was the second podium for the Saga in the last three MCS races, which bodes well for the S1K.
The second Proton Saga will be piloted by drivers selected from the MSF-R3 Lady Racers Search. The initiative offers an opportunity to lady racers to undergo a development programme with R3, culminating in a race seat in the 2019 S1K race.
Competent road cars add competitiveness on track
“R3 set out to win the MCS in 2019 and we won 6 consecutive races to go into Round 5 as championship leaders. Having racked up 5 wins, the Iriz was carrying 60 kgs of success ballast so our competitors had an advantage during the race. Still, we tried our best to overcome the weight penalty and win the race but, in the end, we finished with two podium places in second and third. The results worked out well for us though and thanks to the skill of our drivers and the handling and reliability of our cars we easily clinched the MCS championship,” said Gary Lee, Team Principal of Proton R3.
“The team is using the newest versions of the Iriz and Saga and both have proven to be very competitive, thanks to the excellent handling capabilities of road-going versions of all Proton cars. This provides R3 with a good base from which to build a racing machine and as the season has progressed our development programme has managed to deliver two cars with race-winning potential,” he added.
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We’re into the month of October, starting off the final quarter of the year. It’s a period when car companies will be looking at how to clear their stocks before the year ends and prepare for new challenges in 2020.
For Proton, there must be a very upbeat mood running through the company as sales have been on an upswing. Another major milestone was achieved at the end of September when the company exceeded its total sales volume for 2018 within the first three quarters of 2019. With 70,330 units (including exported units) delivered so far this year, the sales volume is 8.6% higher compared to the 64,744 units delivered for the whole of last year. And there are still 3 months of sales to go…
Highest market share in 66 months
With 8,934 units (inclusive of exports) delivered in September 2019, Proton achieved a growth rate of 97% over the 4,524 units in the same month last year. By the company’s own estimation (pending official data from the Malaysian Automotive Association), it would have a market share of 20.2%, which suggests stronger sales growth that rival brands. The figure is a 66-month high for the brand and helps to increase its year-to-date market share to an estimated 15.8%.
Proton Saga leads in A-segment sedan class
The Saga used to be Malaysia’s bestselling sedan and being displaced was something Proton did not take lightly. Major revisions were made for the 2019 model – including a change in the automatic transmission type – and it’s clear that the buying public likes what has been done as over 20,000 bookings have been received since it was launched.
Proton reports that, during the month of September, it delivered 3,994 units nationwide and that’s the highest number of monthly deliveries for a Proton model in 2019. The company believes the number places the Saga at the top in the A-segment sedan category in Malaysia. The last time the Saga was No. 1 in this category was around 3 years back.
Extras for X70 customers in October
Based on its estimation, the X70 SUV has also maintained its position as the leading SUV in its class. To celebrate its performance this year, Proton is offering additional benefits to customers who purchase a unit in October. On top of the standard 5-year free labour service, 5-year unlimited mileage warranty and 5-year Internet data packages already included with every unit, there will also be a subsidised insurance package and overtrade incentive worth up to RM2,000.
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The second round of the 2019 Proton 1 Tank Challenge went all the way to Sabah where participants successfully covered 525km without having to stop for refueling. The distance might be slightly above average, but the drivers travelled on some very challenging roads from Kota Kinabalu all the way up to Kudat, Kundasang and back to the lovely city of KK. (more…)
Ever since Proton formed its partnership with the Zhejiang Geely Holding Group (more commonly referred to as Geely) in 2017, it has been on an upward trajectory in all aspects of the business. Given the troubled years of the late 2000s and early 2010s, perhaps Proton should have embarked on such a partnership earlier because the auto industry was already changing. In the late 1990s, globalization led the bigger players to realise that consolidation was going to be vital for survival as competition intensified.
Daimler AG’s Jurgen Schrempp created a ‘mega car company’ by ‘merging’ Daimler and Chrysler and thereafter, other companies formed alliances or merged as well. But at that time in the late 1990s, Proton felt it was about to ‘graduate’; it had learnt all there was about being a carmaker and by 2000, the CEO confidently told Malaysians and the world that it was a full-fledged carmaker ready to take its place in the global arena as a credible brand. It did not need to rely on other carmakers any longer; on the contrary, the CEO said: “Other carmakers are knocking on our doors for our technology.”
However, various domestic and internal issues prevented Proton from moving ahead and worse, it slipped from leadership in its own market where it had been able to hold the biggest share. Various parties with different interests either supported moves to find partners or simply rejected the idea on the grounds that Proton would lose its Malaysian identity.
By 2016, it was clear that having a foreign partner was the only way for Proton and DRB-HICOM picked Geely because it was the ‘best fit’. The partnership has since worked well and facts and figures suggest that it won’t be long before Proton is up at the top. It’s already No.2 in overall sales; registering a 36% growth in a market that saw a 5% decrease in sales; and it is the only major brand to have double-digit growth in 2019.
This has come about with assistance and guidance from Geely in many areas, especially quality. The Chairman of Proton Holdings, Dato’ Seri Syed Faisal Albar, added that much serious effort had gone into ‘improving and correcting the fundamentals’ of the business. And while the dealerships have all been upgraded significantly to enhance and improve the customer experience, attention has also been given to changing the mindset of those who work for the brand. It is no longer like the early years when it was a seller’s market and customers had limited choices as competition today means that they can consider many alternatives.
So, 2 years after starting a new chapter in its history, Proton’s progress is back on track and it is winning back the trust of customers in its most important market. “Our ambition is to become a truly modern, global automotive brand. Our new ethos comprises our core values of always using innovative technology, our commitment to reliability and adopting an international point of view,” said Dr. Li Chunrong, CEO of Proton.“
Having completed one chapter, Proton is now about to embark on the next one and to signify this, the brand logo has been given a subtle makeover. It is a more stylized representation of the tiger head, rendered in silver, with a stronger finish. The new design ‘uncages’ the figure (with more geometric lines) which has its head held high to show a determination to move forward to success.
Accompanying the new logo is Proton’s new tagline which will now be ‘Inspiring Connections’. It is said to encapsulate the brand’s aspiration of ‘utilizing technology and mobility to help make human connections that inspire a successful life’.
Harapan Maju Sdn Bhd has opened a new Proton 3S Centre in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah yesterday. This is the second dealer outlet to be opened in the city with Proton’s new corporate identity and to make things even more special, it was officiated by the Minister of Youth and Sports Sabah, YB Phoong Jin Zhe. (more…)
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