Malaysia’s first national car turns 35
on 9 July 2020. The Proton Saga, is now 335 and it remains as PROTON’s best-seller with over 1,800,000 units sold to date. In 1985, it changed the landscape of the Malaysian automotive scene and it has been with us, in good times as well as tough times. Most of us who were born in the 1980s onwards or earlier would have fond memories of a family elder driving around in one of these. And now, Proton will be celebrating the 35th birthday of the SAGA over on their official Facebook page on 9 July 2020, at 10.35am. Go watch it there if you have the time.
9 July 1985 was just another day for many people but
for Malaysia, it marked the date of entry to a select group of nations with the
capability to build their own cars. That was the day the Proton Saga started
rolling off production lines, a little over two years after the establishment of
Perusahaan Otomobil Nasional (PROTON).
The history of PROTON the brand and the
Proton Saga are inseparable as the compact sedan was the first car that came from the company. Starting from a clean sheet of paper PROTON was the
brainchild of Malaysia’s fourth Prime Minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad who had
conceived the idea of a national car maker in 1979 to help push forward the
industrialisation of the nation. Cabinet approval followed in 1982 and on 7 May
1983, Malaysia’s first automotive company was founded.
The first Proton Saga was
based on a Mitsubishi Lancer. This happened after the Japanese car manufacturer agreed to a
joint- venture with HICOM to produce Malaysia’s first car. In the early days of badge engineering, the Lancer became the Saga by means of a new front grille and new steel bumpers instead of plastic or polyurethane based bumpers of the Lancer. It made the car simpler for technology transfer and a start in the journey to become fully fledged car manufacturers....and designers.
The Saga quickly
established itself as a favourite among Malaysian car buyers and on 16 March
1989 it was even launched in the United Kingdom, where it sold in such numbers that its
12-month sales target was achieved in just six months. Of coruse, this is the good part in the saga of the Proton Saga. It was also very affordable, albeit some may argue that it had the assistance of the government through the years.
Over the years, PROTON
has gone from strength to strength, achieved success in motorsport at an
international level and launched many other models, but the Saga, now in its third generation guise, has remained a
constant in its model range. Reliable, affordable and blessed with a ride and
handling balance that showcases the skill of the company’s engineers, it
received a major upgrade this past August that was well received by customers.
Today, the Saga retains its position as the mainstay of PROTON’s range of
offerings. Since the launch of the upgraded 2019 model, booking volumes have
nearly matched those of the original, which was sold during a time when
consumers had fewer options to choose from. In fact, for the month of May 2020,
it was the best-selling car in Malaysia while in June, it reached its highest
monthly sales volume in 70 months. On a personal note, the newly facelifted Saga is actually very good value for one's Ringgit and seems to be doing well even with stiff competition from the second Malaysian car manufacturer. This actually means that the car can stand on its own in a stand-off.
Cumulatively over 1.8 million units have been
sold in the last 35 years, meaning the Saga is the most popular model from a
Malaysian automotive brand. With more gradual improvements in the pipeline, a
commitment to excellence and the company’s dedication to keeping the Saga ahead
of its rivals, the popular nameplate will carry on for at least another 35
years.
Check PROTON’s official Facebook page on 9 July 2020 at
10.35am to find out.what's next for this Malaysian icon.
No comments:
Post a Comment