Check out what’s in pipeline for Proton for next few years

KUALA LUMPUR: A lot of information poured out during the launch of the 2019 Proton Saga. We got to know about the company’s Global Customer Product Audit target for the year, X70 CKD unit arrival, and now we have one more exciting update.

Proton’s CEO Dr. Li Chunrong spoke about automaker’s future course of action wherein it will be introducing a new model every year. The presentation slide showed at the event gave us cues as to what lies in the Proton’s future lineup.

The side showed the upcoming cars covered in a cloth with their shape more or less visible. So, the next model after X70 to arrive in 2020 looks like an SUV. The upcoming Proton car without a doubt will be the X50 - a name recently patent by Proton. And the car is said to be based on Geely Binyue. The next vehicle that is scheduled for 2021 debut will be a sedan. Proton’s current range a car that badly needs a replacement is the Preve, so it could be a brand-new C-segment offering based on Geely Binrui.

In the Chinese market, the Geely Binrui is available in two engine options - a 134 hp/ 180 Nm 1.0-litre direct-injected, 3-cylinder engine and a 131 hp/ 215 Nm offering 1.4-litre petrol unit. This car sits on the brands B-segment Modular Architecture platform, can accommodate other mills from the brand as well, like a 1.5-litre direct-injected turbo engine developed in partnership with Volvo.

On the equipment front, the car includes - digital instrument cluster, three-spoke leather-wrapped multi-function steering wheel, push-start button, dual-zone climate control, a widescreen 10.25-inch infotainment display with GPS navigation and smartphone pairing functionalities, a rearview camera, and voice recognition.

The new Proton sedan in 2021 will be followed by a sedan as well in 2022, and we think that it might be a Persona or Perdana replacement. The final model to come out in 2023 will be an SUV, and by then it might be time for an X70 replacement or not. Now, what’s interesting is that there is no MPV, which if in case arrives would be based on the Geely Jiaji.