Category: Proton

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SATRIA NEO HAS BRILLIANT HANDLING

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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

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2006 PROTON SAVVY REVIEW

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Malaysian styling works nicely on this new small car from Proton

Proton’s Savvy is – dare we say it – a savvy buy in this day and age of rising fuel prices. With low fuel consumption this new car from the Malaysian maker is a little city car of the type that roams the streets of Europe in huge numbers. From its pretty styling through its zippy driving feel to the superb suspension this little beastie provides a lot of driving enjoyment. Proton Savvy is slightly smaller than the average offering in the Australian light-car class, so sits neatly into a… Read more

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PROTON WIRA, PERSONA, SATRIA 1995 – 2005

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2002 Proton Satria GLi

Proton Wira, Persona and Satria are some of the original Proton imports to Australia from the ambitious Malaysian car maker. Despite their varied titles, all three are virtually the same car.  They are strongly based on old Mitsubishi Lancer models, Proton having been assisted by the Japanese giant in its early days in the vehicle making business. Build quality is good, if not quite to the high levels of Japanese makers. Reliability has also proven to be OK and Protons have been on sale in Australia for long enough to… Read more

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2005 PROTON GEN.2 REVIEW

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Sporty styling combines with good steering to make the Proton Gen.2 pleasant to drive

Proton calls its new model the generation two – abbreviated to Gen.2 – because it’s the next major step forward in the life of this very ambitious Malaysian maker. When set up in the 1980s, Proton wisely sought assistance from established car makers, principally Mitsubishi, for much of the design input. Now Proton feels it’s time to set out on its own two feet, or should that be its own four wheels! Another important marque is very much involved in the Proton story these days, British sports car maker Lotus…. Read more

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SATRIA GTi GETS ADDED VALUE

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Proton Satria GTi offers a lot of driving enjoyment at a moderate price.

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

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PROTON LAUNCHES SATRIA COUPE

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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