Tag Archives: X90

NEWS

Our X-Series lineup remains strong despite stiff competition, says Proton

National automaker Proton in a statement said that its X-Series SUV lineup remains resilient in the market despite facing stiff competition from other brands vying for the same customer base.

X50

According to the automaker, the X50 has emerged as its best-selling SUV, with total sales of 23,647 units last year. The 2024 version, launched on 4 June, received an overwhelming response with a total of 8,000 bookings in the first month. A total of 13,780 units of the 2024 X50 were sold last year, accounting for 58.3% of the model’s total sales.

Meanwhile, the X50 Sport Edition (SE) received 941 orders, with 299 units registered in less than a month after its debut.

A recent survey of over 1,300 customers revealed that X50 owners were drawn to the vehicle primarily due to its combination of features, engine performance and spacious cabin.

X70

Proton’s first SUV, the X70, recorded sales of 5,628 units for the 2025 version. This makes up 62.6% of the total 8,992 units sold in 2024.

From the same recent survey, key reasons for purchase included fuel efficiency, features and engine performance.

Launched in August last year, the 2025 X70 is a comprehensive update to its predecessor, featuring revised exterior styling, new interior equipment and upgraded ADAS level 2 safety technology.

X90

 

The X90, Proton’s entrant in the D-segment SUV space, ended 2024 with 3,553 units delivered, maintaining its position as a market leader since its launch two years ago.

Proton reported that buyers were drawn to the X90’s driving performance, storage capacity and value for money. About 30% of buyers preferred the car for its strong driving performance, while 27% liked it because of its large storage compartments, good value for money and number of features compared to competitors.

The automaker added that X90 owners have families with children with a similar buying profile as X50.

“Thanks to our intelligent models, we have managed to raise the overall level of sophistication in cars offered to Malaysian buyers and while the strong market response to our current model lineup is testament to the trust and loyalty we have earned from our customers. Looking ahead, we remain dedicated to delivering vehicles that offer outstanding performance, features, and value,” said Roslan Abdullah, Chief Executive Officer of Proton Edar.

NEWS

Proton X90 Flagship used to chauffeur foreign delegates during World Chinese Entrepreneurs Convention

Proton presented 20 units of the Proton X90 Flagship to the 17th World Chinese Entrepreneurs Convention (WCEC) to be used to chauffeur foreign dignitaries, top management and members from various businesses during the three-day event held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center (KLCC) from 9-11 September.

Organised by the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia (ACCCIM), Proton’s first NEV model helped ensure VVIPs to the event travelled in comfort to meetings, appointments and accommodations as well as other travel destinations before eventually ending their trips at the airport.

According to the national automaker, passengers provided positive reviews, stating they preferred to be driven in the X90 due to its comfort and space.

After the conclusion of WCEC, the X90 was also used to ferry entourages consisting of Cheng Hong, Vice President of the China Overseas Chinese Association and Wang Yanfei, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Sichuan Provincial People’s Congress, to visit some tourist sites in Melaka.

Since its launch in May 2023, sales of the X90 have totalled 7,322 units, making it one of the best-selling D-segment SUVs. It has also retained its leadership in the segment in August this year.

The biennial event, which was first held in 1991, brings together entrepreneurs from around the world to foster business connections and explore new opportunities such as new technology, green economy, artificial intelligence (AI) and more.

With 4,000 attendees from China, America, Middle East, Africa, Europe and beyond, the event is expected to see at least RM2 billion in business opportunities, particularly through business matching and post-convention missions that will showcase the country’s investment potential to global audience.

“By providing 20 units of Proton X90 to this event, we are showcasing our commitment to excellence and fostering stronger economic ties across borders. This initiative represents our dedication to building a collaborative future and strengthening global partnerships in the automotive industry,” said Dr. Li Chunrong, Chief Executive Officer, Proton.

NEWS

Proton sales up 17.1% in April as S70 builds momentum

PROTON has announced its sales performance for April 2023, which saw the national car manufacturer recording sales of 11,025 units for the domestic and export markets.

The figure represents a 17.1% increase compared to the 9,415 units achieved in April last year.

Sales for the first four months of 2024 have also increased to 50,175 units, higher than the 49,702 units sold from January to April 2023.

Total industry volume (TIV) for the Malaysian automotive market meanwhile also grew for the same period to an estimated 59,100 units and a cumulative total of 261,345 units for the year.

Proton’s market share is estimated at 18.7% in April alone while year-to-date market share is forecast to be at 19.2%, maintaining its second position in the overall national automotive sales ranking.

According to national automaker, the X50 years, regained the top spot for B-segment SUVs despite growing competition from the market with 1,642 units sold in April.

Meanwhile, the S70 continues to lead the C-segment sedan sales with 1,635 units sold last month, resulting in cumulative sales of 7,463 units for 2024.

The Saga remains Proton’s best-selling model, recording sales of 5,031 units in April, with year-to-date sales up 8.8% to 23,278 units.

The X70 came in at 552 units, while the Persona and X90 recorded sales of 1,429 units and 312 units, respectively. Iriz added 424 units to its April sales volume, making the total sales to date1,958 units.

“The slowdown in automotive sales in April, where TIV shrank by 16.8% compared to March 2024, can be attributed to the long holiday period as OEMs, dealerships and other members of the local automotive ecosystem took time off to celebrate Hari Raya Aidilfitri,” said Roslan Abdullah, Chief Executive Officer of Proton Edar.

Year to date, Proton export sales volume has surged 38.5% to 835 units as compared to 603 units registered in the same period last year.

Leading the export sales chart is the Saga with 427 units sold year-to-date, an increase of 16% from 368 units from the same period last year. The X50 came in second with 176 units sold while the S70 recorded 89 units in Brunei, its only export market.

NEWS

Proton X90 makes debut in Bangladesh

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PROTON has announced that the X90 has been launched in Bangladesh on February 29. This is the fourth export market for the automaker’s flagship SUV after Mauritius, South Africa, and Brunei.

Held in the capital city of Dhaka, the event was officiated over by H.E. Haznah Md. Hashim, High Commissioner of Malaysia to the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Dr Li Chunrong, Chief Executive Officer of Proton and Romo Rouf Chowdhury, Group Managing Director, Rancon Holdings Limited, the exclusive distributor for Proton in Bangladesh.

Two variants of the X90, the six-seat Flagship and seven-seat Premium, are offered to buyers, and to date, 25 units have already been registered in less than two weeks following its unveiling.

In a statement, Proton states that there is optimism for its first New Energy Vehicle (NEV) to carve out a market niche prior to local assembly (CKD) operations starting later in the year.

“Proton is confident Rancon Holdings is the perfect partner for Proton to be successful in Bangladesh. They are already establishing a sales and after sales network and will invest in a manufacturing line to locally assemble Proton vehicles in the future,” said Dr. Li Chunrong.

“With more offerings in the pipeline, as well as our commitment to support all facets of the partnership, we aim to be a the top-3 brand in Bangladesh within three years,” he added.

A critical component to Proton achieving its lofty targets in Bangladesh will be the setting up of an assembly line. Aside from allowing its products to qualify for more favourable tax rates, a new plant also encourages the development of skilled local workers while energizing the vendor ecosystem through technology transfers.

Operations are targeted to begin as early as 2024, with strict production standards enforced to ensure the output matches the quality of vehicles built in Tanjong Malim.

“To ensure product quality in export markets that have local assembly are the same as the vehicles built in Malaysia, Proton is leaning on its experience of using the Volvo Global Quality Standard, which has been instrumental in improving the quality of our products,” said Dr. Li.

NEWS

Proton sold 154,611 cars in 2023, best performance since 2012

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PROTON ended 2023 with 12,711 units sold in December, bring its year-end total sales figure to 154,611 units for domestic and export markets.

The sales figure represents a 9.3% increase compared to the 141,432 units recorded in 2022.

That being so, Proton has successfully achieved its best sales performance since 2012 and a fifth consecutive year of sales growth.

The company’s overall market share is calculated to be 19.4% of the estimated total industry volume of 794,948 units, approximately 10.3% than the previous year.

This positions Proton in the second place in overall sales for the fifth consecutive year.

According to the company, the the rebound in demand for the PIES models (Persona, Iriz, Exora and Saga) powered its sales growth in 2023.

The Saga remains Proton’s best-selling model with 70,184 units sold, its best performance since 2012 and placing it as the fourth best-selling vehicle in Malaysia for 2023.

The Persona saw the most significant growth as sales rose by 48.9% to 24,362 units. The Iriz, which also suffered delays due to last year’s chip shortage, posted a tidy 33.8% increase in sales to 7,639 units in 2023.

The Exora signed off with a sales increase of 4.6%, ending the year with 4,473 units sold. Since its launch in 2009, Proton has sold over 194,000 units of the Exora, making it the most successful C-segment MPV in Malaysia’s automotive history.

Proton’s SUV lineup also ended the year on a positive note. Demand for the X50 remains strong with 31,829 units sold in Malaysia and overseas throughout the past year. Following this is the X70 with 11,200 units and the X90 with 4,815 units sold.

As for the S70, customer deliveries will begin in 2024 and to date, more than 5,000 bookings have been received.