Proton Prevé

History

Proton started out in 1985 as a manufacturer of badge engineered Mitsubishi vehicles. Proton cars managed to sell in great numbers because they benefited from the superior engineering and reliability of the Mitsubishi cars they were based on, among other reasons. However, with the dawn of the 21st century, Proton moved forward with the introduction of indigenously designed models such as the Proton Waja and Proton Gen-2. Unfortunately, these next-generation Protons were universally criticized for being poorly engineered vehicles. Consequently, Proton's Malaysian market share declined significantly in the early 2000s, hitting a seven-year low in 2007. In response, development of the Proton Prevé (code named P3-21A) was initiated in 2009 under the leadership of the then Managing Director of Proton, Syed Zainal Abidin. Former BMW Vice President of Quality Management R&D, Dr. Wolfgang Karl Epple was also appointed that same year as Proton's Director of Quality. He was later promoted to Senior Director Group Operations, where he contributed to the development of the P3-21A project.

The Proton Tuah, a concept car designed by Italdesign Giugiaro was exhibited at the 2010 Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show (KLIMS). It previewed the various design elements and features in the upcoming Proton P3-21A. Development of the P3-21A was completed a year later and production took place at Proton's Tanjung Malim plant. The company claimed 94% of the car's parts were locally sourced in an effort to reduce capital outflow. The official name Proton Prevé was only revealed days before its launch.

The Proton Prevé was finally unveiled on 16 April 2012 at Seri Kembangan by the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Najib Razak. It launched with a choice of six colours and three trim variants, the Executive MT, Executive CVT and Premium CVT respectively. Both Executive trim variants are powered by Proton's 1.6L CamPro IAFM+ engine. The Executive MT is paired with a five-speed manual gearbox whereas the Executive CVT is equipped with a six-speed CVT. The Premium trim is offered with the superior 1.6L turbocharged CamPro CFE engine, mated to a seven-speed CVT, also known as ProTronic, Proton's version of a manumatic transmission. Safety-wise, the Executive variants are equipped with dual SRS airbags and an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) whereas the Premium trim features an additional two airbags, Brake Assist (BA), Traction Control (TCS) and Electronic Stability Control (ESC) on top of those offered in the Executive. The Premium variant is also equipped with exclusive kit such as steering-mounted paddle shifters, automatic headlights and wipers, cruise control, climate control, a built-in touchscreen GPS head unit with Bluetooth, USB & iPod connectivity as well as push-start engine ignition. All Proton Prevés are equipped with a Smart Information Display system (SiD) that displays information such as average fuel consumption, battery health and distance to empty. Another standard feature is in-car WiFi, made possible by a collaboration between Proton and Malaysian ISP, Yes 4G. The Prevé is priced between RM59,540 and RM72,990 respectively. It received over 11,000 bookings within two months of its official launch and became the 7th best-selling car in Malaysia for the month of May 2012, topping all rivals in its category.

The Proton Prevé Sapphire Concept was also exhibited at the launch ceremony. It was developed by Proton Design in an effort to demonstrate the Prevé's market and technical potential. It features a unique matte gun-metal paint job in addition to custom front and rear bumpers which are complemented by chrome plated highlights, side skirts and 18-inch alloy rims. The interior sports beige coloured panels and leather upholstery for added luxury appeal, and the ride height and brakes of the car were also revised. 3 months later, Proton announced the Proton Prevé R3 Concept at the Malaysian leg of the 2012 Asia-Pacific Rally Championship season. It was fitted with a new RM3,000 body kit styled by Proton's Race, Rally, Research (R3) division as well as optional R3 rims and performance tyres. On 8 October 2012, Proton revealed the Prevé R3 racing car. It is powered by the 107 hp CamPro IAFM+ engine and features extensive exterior and interior modifications. It later competed in the 2012 Sepang 1000 km endurance race in December that year, where it placed second after R3's Proton Satria Neo and ahead of Type R Racing Team’s Toyota Corolla Altis.

The Prevé made its debut in Australia on 18 October 2012 at the 2012 Australian International Motor Show. Only the CamPro IAFM+ variants were made available at the Australian launch, but the turbocharged CamPro CFE model was delayed to a November 2013 launch instead. The Prevé was introduced in the Thai market during the Thailand International Motor Expo on 28 November 2012. It has been tuned to run on E20 fuel and an improved Blaupunkt 2-DIN touchscreen head unit is offered in the Thai-spec Premium trim variant. In addition, a new budget-oriented Standard trim line was introduced in that market, priced significantly lower than the Executive and Premium trim variants. Brunei became the third export market to receive the Prevé on 7 February 2013, where it is made available in three variants. The Prevé was also met with a less publicized launch in Singapore during the first quarter of 2013, where it is offered in two trim lines. On 13 June 2013, Indonesia became the fourth official export market for the Prevé, where it is currently available in just one high-end variant. Proton unveiled the Prevé LE on 18 October 2013 in its domestic market, offering the 5-star ANCAP safety rated specifications of 6 airbags, ABS, BA, EBD, TCS and ESC in addition to leather seats and a special R3 bodykit, complemented by 17-inch R3 alloy rims. Only 100 units will be produced, with each retailing at RM79,688, or around RM7,000 more than the Prevé Premium trim. The Prevé also joined the Royal Malaysia Police patrol fleet in 2013, making it the latest in a long line of Proton saloon cars which include the widely used Saga, Wira and Waja respectively.

The updated 2014 Proton Prevé was quietly introduced into the Malaysian market in November 2013. All Prevé variants on sale in Malaysia are now equipped standard with all engineered safety features, bringing them up to 5-Star ANCAP specifications and thus placing them on par with the Australian market Proton Prevé. Proton launched a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) variant of the Prevé exclusively for Thailand in early 2014. The Prevé LPG is fitted with a dedicated 58-litre tank in the boot and a fuel gauge module on the dashboard, as well as a separate inlet inside the petrol filler compartment. Both the CamPro IAFM+ and CFE engines have been modified to run on both LPG and E20 petrol. All other specifications remain unchanged over the launch models, and the Prevé LPG is priced between 664,000 and 798,000 baht, whereas the regular Prevé continues on sale between 625,000 and 759,000 baht respectively.

The Proton Prevé had a planned 2014 launch in the United Kingdom. A left-hand drive Prevé prototype was also caught in action in May 2012, hinting at a future launch in China and the Middle East as well.

In July 2015, Proton signed a distributor agreement with Chile-based Andes Motor, and the first left-hand drive Prevé and Exora evaluation units were shipped to Chile in November. On 1 March 2016, Proton commenced the first official shipment of 50 Prevé units, the first of an anticipated 1,000 Chilean bound Protons this year. The Chilean launch of the Proton Prevé commenced in May 2016 as planned. Three variants are available, namely Standard, Executive and Premium, ranging from $10,490 to $14,490. Both Standard and Executive variants are fitted with the 107hp CamPro IAFM+ engine and a five-speed manual transmission. The range topping Premium is equipped with the 138hp CamPro CFE/Turbo, paired to the updated ProTronic VT3+ CVT from the Suprima S. The Standard and Executive lines are only fitted with dual front airbags, while the Premium model offers additional twin side and twin curtain airbags. Nonetheless, Electronic Stability Control is standard on all Chilean market Prevés, along with a 5-year/150,000km warranty. The launch of the Prevé in Chile marks Proton's return to the market after an 18 year hiatus. Chile is currently Proton's only South American export market, and the first and thus far only country to receive the left-hand drive Prevé.

Design

Proton sought to create a new signature façade with the Prevé. The result is Proton Wings, a unified design element that fuses the headlights, Proton emblem and air-intake grille, giving it a distinctive look of a bird ascending. The Prevé is the first Malaysian-made car to be factory-fitted with LED position lamps. The exterior of the car was styled to sport a reduced drag coefficient in an effort to enhance fuel efficiency. Proton collaborated with Italy-based Italdesign Giugiaro S.p.A.for the styling and likeness of the Prevé. Italdesign is also responsible for the styling of the 2010 Proton Tuah concept car. Additionally, Azlan Othman, Proton's Head of Styling was dispatched to Turin under the collaboration with Italdesign which lasted almost a year.

Proton's then Senior Director Operations, Dr. Wolfgang Karl Epple revealed that the Prevé was developed by an international consortium consisting of experts from Malaysia, Italy, France, Germany and South Korea. Additionally, several components of the car are also sourced from Japan, South Korea, Australia and Europe. “If you put global ingredients in the components, people, processes, styling and packaging, you get something which is global.”, Epple commented. Nonetheless, Proton later claimed that 94% of the Prevé's components are locally sourced in an effort to reduce capital outflow.

The Prevé is also one of the larger cars in the C-segment traditionally popularized by Japanese and Korean offerings in the Malaysian market.

Safety

The Prevé became the first Proton car, and to an extent, the first Malaysian car to be awarded the full 5-Star safety rating by the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) of Australia and New Zealand. It also received a 5-Star rating from the Malaysian Vehicle Assessment Programme (MyVAP) of the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety (MIROS).

Prior to the launch of the Prevé and Suprima S, Proton cars suffered from a poor safety reputation. The Proton Jumbuck infamously scored one star out of a potential five in its ANCAP test in 2009. Proton responded by raising safety standards significantly during the development of the Prevé. The Reinforced Safety Structure (RESS) frame was developed specifically for the new car. Proton employs the use of Hot Press Forming (HPF), a process which was pioneered in Germany, during the frame's manufacturing process. Twelve incorporated HPF components help in the reinforcement of the passenger compartment for improved occupant safety. The end result is an increased tensile strength and torsional body rigidity of 19,000 Nm/degree. The usage of HPF in the Prevé's manufacturing process also helps in weight-saving, which translates into improved fuel efficiency, handling and performance. Proton is the only Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) in South East Asia to use Hot Press Forming in their manufacturing processes.

The Proton Prevé has been developed to house a maximum of six SRS airbags, an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist (BA), Traction Control (TCS) and Electronic Stability Control (ESC). However, the Prevé was only offered with a maximum of four airbags upon its April 2012 Malaysian debut. The maximum of six airbags were only offered upon the Prevé's Australian launch in October 2012. Later on 18 October 2013, Proton released the Prevé LE in its domestic market, offering exactly the same safety specifications as the Australian market Prevé models. The following month, Proton updated the Prevé range with all of its engineered safety features as standard equipment, thus standardising the Malaysian market Prevé as a 5-Star ANCAP rated model.

Proton also tested the Prevé in different weather and road conditions during its development phase such as ice & snow in Sweden as well as intense heat in Spain. The suspension system consists of MacPherson struts for the front and a multi-link with stabiliser bar for the rear. The Prevé's suspension was tuned by Proton's British subsidiary, Lotus for superior ride & handling attributes. The setup has also been developed specifically for the 205/55 GT Radial Champiro Bax 2 tyres equipped with the car for increased grip. All Proton Prevés are fitted with front and rear 15-inch disc brakes as well as 16-inch alloy rims.

As of January 2014, Proton has prioritised safety as one of their main unique selling propositions (USP) and has been aggressively promoting their achievements with the Prevé and Suprima S. The company has promised that all new Protons launched from 2014 onwards will come with extensive safety equipment and feature a 5-Star ANCAP rating.

Powertrains

The Proton Prevé is sold with a choice of two petrol engines; the CamPro IAFM+ and CamPro CFE respectively. IAFM+ is an acronym for Intake Air Fuel Module Plus, whereas CFE stands for Charged Fuel Efficiency. Both engines are indigenously designed by Proton and Lotus.

The 1.6L CamPro IAFM+ I4 normally aspirated engine is capable of 107 horsepower (80 kW) at 5,750 rpm and 150 Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm. It can be mated to a five-speed Getrag manual transmission or a six-speed Punch Powertrain VT2 CVT. This CamPro IAFM+ is also used in the Proton Saga FLX SE.

The superior 1.6L CamPro CFE I4 engine incorporates a low-pressure intercooled turbocharger that delivers 138 horsepower (103 kW) at 5,000 rpm and 205 Nm of torque between 2,000 and 4,000 rpm. This engine is limited to a seven-speed Punch Powertrain VT3 CVT, also known as ProTronic, Proton's version of a manumatic transmission. Proton claims the turbocharged 1.6-litre CamPro CFE is equivalent to a naturally aspirated 2.0-litre engine. The CamPro CFE consumes 6.6 litres of fuel per 100 km, while running at 90 km/h and was designed to conform to Euro V emission standards.

Proton is currently developing an all-new 2.0-litre turbocharged engine for the Prevé and Suprima S duo. A six-speed manual transmission option is also in development.

Malaysia

The Prevé has received generally favourable reviews from critics in its domestic market. Malaysian automotive journalist Danny Tan from paultan.org commended the Prevé's looks, practicality, ergonomics and NVH attributes. The ride comfort and handling characteristics were exceptionally praised, in which Danny claimed was “unrivaled in the Asian C-segment sedan class”. However, the CamPro IAFM+ variants of the Prevé were not as well received in comparison with the turbocharged CamPro CFE model. The lack of power and torque from the IAFM+ engine was held responsible for poor acceleration and overall performance, but nonetheless competent in normal driving conditions. Danny also criticized some design flaws on the interior, such as the poorly designed head unit and instrument panel.

Live Life Drive gave the Prevé 4 out of 5 stars, praising the ride and handling, refinement and roominess of the Prevé, while pointing out several flaws which included the CVT powertrains, interior fit & finish, and the troubled Proton brand image. Autoworld.com.my shared similar impressions on the Prevé, where the authors declared it as Proton's best product to date, owing much to its ride and handling attributes, standard equipment and value for money appeal. The CVT powertrains and build quality were pointed out as its major let downs. Popular Malay language automobile news portal funtasticko.net echoed generally positive sentiments, in which the reviewers concluded that the Prevé symbolized the beginning of a 'new Proton' intent on shedding its negative brand image, on the domestic and global stages alike.

Australia

The Proton Prevé has garnered mixed reviews from critics in Australia. Daniel DeGasperi from CarAdvice gave the Prevé GX 2 out 5 stars. The five-year warranty, free servicing and roadside assistance as well as the roomy interior, steering and handling were well-received and complemented the Prevé's five-star ANCAP rating. However, the car was met with severe criticism in terms of its expensive pricing, poor performance and fuel economy, lackluster build quality and refinement, uncomfortable urban ride quality and detail design flaws. Daniel commented “The Proton Preve should be priced at least $4,000 cheaper, to be reasonably competitive against light sedans such as the Holden Barina and Nissan Almera. It is better than the Chery J3 that sells for $6000 less, but the Proton isn’t necessarily 35 per cent better, and it certainly shares some of the Chinese-made hatchback’s quality and refinement shortfalls.” Proton Cars Australia however responded swiftly and positively, and the Prevé GX received a major $3,000 price cut on 1 August 2013, 2 months after the review was published. The 5-speed manual and 6-speed CVT variants are currently priced at $15,990 and $17,990 driveaway, down from $18,990 and $20,990 respectively. Both variants are still offered with 5 years warranty and 5 years roadside assist, but 5 years free servicing is no longer offered and has been replaced with a 5-year capped-price servicing scheme. Nonetheless, Proton Cars Australia bills the Prevé as “Australia's most affordable small car” with all things considered.

Since the price cut, the Proton Prevé GX has received more positive reviews from Australian critics. Ewan Kennedy and Peter Barnwell from carsguide.com.au awarded the 2014 Prevé GX 3 out of 5 stars and greatly emphasised its value-for-money appeal. Brad Leach from CarShowroom.com.au gave the car 3 out of 5 stars as well. Adam Davis from motoring.com.au and Grant Edwards from APN Australian Regional Media also praised the Prevé's pricing. However, the price cut did little to help in other cases, such as Toby Hagon's review from Drive.com.au in which the Prevé GX was awarded two-and-a-half stars out of five.

The Proton Prevé GXR CVT was finally launched in Australia between November and December 2013, almost a year after the Prevé GX Australian début. The GXR offers all the exclusive kit first seen on the Malaysian-market Prevé Premium trim and is priced at $23,990 drive-away, with an early bird $1,000 factory bonus. Australian-market Prevé GXRs are fitted with a Turbo badge in place of the usual CFE on the rear bootlid to emphasise the new turbocharged engine and to better distinguish the GXR from the GX variants. Additionally, a 6-speed manual variant of the Prevé GXR will launch in the second quarter of 2014 with an estimated price of $20,990, or $2,000 less than the GXR CVT currently on sale. Additionally, a more luxurious LE variant and a sportier R3 model will join the Prevé line-up later in 2014. The Prevé will also be offered with an all-new 2.0 litre turbocharged engine in early 2015.

Proton has sold 270 Prevé GX units in Australia for 2013. Beginning 2014, Proton has targeted 1% of Australia's small sedan segment with the updated Prevé range, which equates to around 74 sales per month.

Thailand

The Prevé has been met with critical acclaim in Thailand. Bangkok Post praised the pricing of the Prevé, where the author cited “In range-topping Premium form at 759,000 baht, not a single player in the Thai C-segment can match it for price.” Manager Daily regarded the Prevé as a large improvement over Proton's previous offerings in many aspects, including design and build quality. The author went so far as to liken the turbocharged Prevé CFE to a Lotus Evora. Motortrivia pointed out Proton's confidence in the Prevé, citing the 5-year warranty and affordable pricing compared to its Thai-assembled Japanese counterparts. Thanathep Thanesniratsai of popular HeadLight Magazine applauded the Prevé and claimed it was on par with cars from European manufacturers in the ride and handling aspect.

Indonesia

The Proton Prevé has garnered overwhelming approval from critics in Indonesia. Automotive journalists from Dapurpacu, Okezone and various other Indonesian media representatives organized a test drive session on 27 June 2013, in which a convoy of five Proton Prevés were driven between Jakarta and Bandung via a mountain pass. The ride & handling, performance, safety standards, interior equipment, looks and pricing were well received by the critics. BeritaSatu shared similar views, placing extra emphasis on the relationship between Lotus and the Prevé.

Despite the warm welcome, only 7 Prevés were sold in Indonesia in the 14 days following its debut. Nonetheless, Proton Edar Indonesia regarded this as a positive response and was confident of achieving their sales target of 20 units per month. Due to the market circumstances, demand for MPVs far outweigh saloons in Indonesia, which account for just 1% of Total Industry Volume. Proton intends to capture 2% of this saloon segment, which would equate to a mere 200-220 units sold each year.