Proton developing high performance & diesel engines
March 31, 2008 by Alborz Fallah
Malaysian car manufacturer Proton has announced plans to develop its own high-performance petrol engines while also gearing up to begin work on a diesel power plant.
Recent worries about Proton’s future appear to have motivated the company to move to the next phase. Proton is planning to export to a wider range of markets while still battling back home in the ever challenging domestic market.
According to managing director, Datuk Syed Zainal, high performance and diesel engines are a must if the company is to remain competitive.
Power and torque ratings are yet to be announced, however we do know the engines will be available in 1.8 and 2.0-litre capacity, possibly turbo-charged.
“New export markets that we want to penetrate, like India and China, have high demand for diesel and for us not to have diesel engines incorporated in our cars would be a mistake.” Zainal said
Proton, which has had a long history of using other manufacturers’ engines, is now looking overseas to find a suitable partner to help develop its own engines. According to Zainal, Proton is forced to look overseas as local Malaysian companies can’t supply the necessary technology.
“I do not think a local partner can offer us the capability to develop a ‘next level’ engine,” he said, adding that an eventual tie-up should finalise Proton’s engine product planning for the next five years.
Proton will launch the new Persona in May, while the hotted up R3 Satria is expect early next year. That will be followed by the company’s first MPV, expected in March.
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Aaah another wise manufacturer.
Other than the Euro diesels Honda excepted there are not many that compete with performance and economy. Where the Toyota diesels in Australia.
Proton….
My ar*se
It will be Lotus doing all the engineering and design, and proton [dont deserve a Captital P]will “think” they can get all the glory.They are fooling themselves, they are a joke as are there product and sales figures…
All that Malaysians are smart enough to do is make seafood-laska-soup! :-)
NEXT!!
Fruglo? Pfffffttt stealing my theme LOL
Cheers
F-0
Petronas developed an engine in-house. Dont see why proton couldnt. They have already done so in the past.
Frugal-One,
I am a Malaysian, and I can tell you most Malaysians share your thoughts regarding Proton’s engineering capabilities. What they do back in their home country is basically sucking the citizens dry by selling them crap metals at ridiculous prices, made possible by the govt’s protection policy.
I believe you’re living in a 1st world country with great spending power that enables you choose a car you really waant, but pls do not mock the people of Malaysia by saying theyre only smart enough to make laksa soup. If the people of Malaysia had their ways , they would have burnt down Proton’s plant since its inception.
Laksa = Excellent!
Proton = Rubbish
Malaysia = country that hates Australia politically
Recalcitrant = (ex) Malaysian prime minister.
MMMMMMMMM seafood laska arrrgh
anyway prtoon is crap there cars are ugl/fugly and irriatae me on the raod espicially the waja i think it reminds me wehn everyone used to go wazzzzup but proton is crap its unfair that lotus has to do all there design aswell
Proton’s are Futon’s on wheels,,, wooooooooooooooooooo hooooooooooooooooooooo
The Proton project was started by the ex-Prime Minister (Mahathir the recalcitrant). When he eventually dies, Proton will probably be closed as it is costing Malaysians a lot of money wasted on protecting it. Due to this lame-brain Proton, Malaysians have to pay double the price for their cars.
Proton cars are very poor in quality and do not sell well in any country other than the ‘forced’ sales on Malaysians due to excessive taxes levied on all cars sold in Malaysia (other than the Proton).
Attempts to sell Proton cars in Australia have been disasters and the few Proton dealerships are losing money and costing Malaysian taxpayers money subsidising the Proton. Any suggestion of selling Protons in China is a crazy joke, given the local car industry structure in China. Same for India (the Tata Nano will have supreme position in sales in India).
Why didn’t proton sell the company for VW ? ?
Some countries don/t need to have a car industry [in this regards ours is different, having the like of LARGE cars] and Malaysia is one of them.
Shut up shop and import vastly superior and cheaper Toyota, honda, Nissan etc etc.
Better cars, better price win x win situation
Cheers
F-0
O -
WAJA, never seen one, but i remember the advert.
“Asia’s anwser to BMW” LOL
Thats GOLD!!!
Cheeers
F-0
MR.BOLEH -
Apologise if i insulted you, not what i wanted to say.
Its directed at the fools that force you guys to buy proton against your will [by making them cheaper than imports through tariff protection, which IS coming down]that must sux.
I rather NOT have a car than drive something i dont like, or be smart and move over to AUS. we can fit you in!!
Cheers
F-0
“Mahathir the recalcitrant”
That’s him, for the life of me I couldn’t remember his name. All I could remember was the best (and most appropriate) insult ever. What a joy it was, to behold, to behold :)
What a bogun he was/is – he’s been dead between the ears for years, is he still clinically alive??
God save the Queen, as we say, and God save Malaysia from Proton. But He probably can’t, for they are a Muslim country, haha.
I am sure i will be shot down for saying it but here it goes….I think the Jumbuck is kinda cool!
You can keep the savi and a gen 4 though.
Awww teapot – waaaahhhhh crash bang whallop.
Ok your opinion.
proton is best at cooking up press releases and news to mask its ailing business. its all just a show/mask to convince the populace that proton is doing well overseas and so the tax payers will still need to ’support’ them.
I like the idea brought up by TDi.
I think it is good if PROTON is bought or supported by
VW group (as they had done with Skoda, Seat, etc)
There will be a good Engines line up (Gasoline engines, Turbo engines, TDi engines)… moreover the built quality could also be improved by VW assistance.
Cheers!
What’s wrong with you people, I just bought a 1998 Proton Satria for A$3500 and I thought I had a great deal for very little money.
Now along comes you guys and now I feel like a fools who’s just thrown his money away on a piece of cheap crap not even fit for recycling.
Could somebody pleace have mercy on me and say some nice things about my new car.
What past is past and all that i can say is that Proton is improving on each new products but wtf is people are influenced by all the bashers lame comments.. Do you guys ever think that these bashers doesn\\\’t even own cars! Test drive yourself first before giving any comments or bashings.