Category: Proton

Malaysian car-maker Proton has released an all-new version of its small-medium Persona sedan with a fresh new style and improved performance. Where the previous Persona, sold here between 1995 and 2005, shared most components with the Satria hatch and M21 coupe and was based on an old Mitsubishi Lancer, the new model has been designed and built in-house as was its Gen.2 hatchback sibling which has been on sale in Australia since late-2004. Styling of the new Persona sedan and Gen.2 hatch are very similar, the only noticeable difference at… Read more

And now for something completely different. Buy a Proton Jumbuck for $14,990, specify at least $1000 worth of accessories – and the company will toss a $2300 quad bike into the rear tray for no extra charge. The offer is only available during the month of January 2008, and on-road charges have to be factored in for the Jumbuck. Nevertheless for comfortably under $20,000 you get two desirable new vehicles for not much more than the cost of one. Proton’s price tag of $14,990 is for the lower-cost Jumbuck GLi…. Read more

Proton has introduced its new Satria coupe in Australia. Interestingly, the Malaysian maker has giving it a pseudo-Italian title of Satria Neo as part of a marketing campaign aiming at having buyers seeing the Satria as a competitor for the European cars, rather than Asian ones. The Australian Proton guys may be rather optimistic in saying that potential Satria Neo buyers will also be researching Citroen’s C2, Ford’s Fiesta, Holden’s Astra and Volkswagen’s Polo, rather than the Korean and Japanese marques, but there’s no harm in aiming high. We really… Read more

Proton Satria GTi is one of our favourite cars when it comes to having affordable fun behind the steering wheel. Point it at a winding road and its handling is ready, willing and able to offer plenty of grip, good precision and plenty of feedback. All this thanks to the genius of British sportscar maker Lotus which revamped the original Malaysian/Japanese design of the Satria’s suspension. It should be said that the Satria GTi is a little on the crude side, mainly because it’s an old design, but that actually… Read more

Malaysian car maker Proton announced at the Brisbane Motor Show that it is now selling its Satria three-door hatchback in Australia. Based on the Proton Persona four-door sedan and five-door hatch, the Satria is aimed at a sportier market than the other Protons marketed here to date. The Persona is the new name for the Proton Wira, which first went on sale here in May 1995. The name change to Persona for the sedan and hatch took place on January 1 this year. Slow sales in the Wira resulted in… Read more

Australia has become a smorgasboard of world cars, with models arriving from Britain, France, Germany, Holland, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Russia, Spain, Sweden and the USA. The international line-up has been joined by the Malaysian-built Proton Wira and will initially be sold through 23 dealers in all States. It’s the first affordable car to be sold here with a three-year, unlimited distance warranty. Taking advantage of the very strong Japanese yen, Proton plans to sell five of the nine-model range in Australia for under the psychological barrier of $20,000. The… Read more