VIDEO: We had a go at the 2025 Geely Galaxy E5 aka the upcoming Proton e-MAS 7 EV SUV at the Proton Test Track - Good specs, equipment levels and tech as well as overall styling. Let's Hope that the e-MAS 7 gives us the same

Yesterday, Monday, the 23rd of September 2024, PROTON, together with their technology partner, Geely, hosted a Driving Impression event for members of the media and other guests of which the 2025 Geely E5 battery EV was the subject matter, at the PROTON Test Track. The event provided an opportunity for us to experience the left-hand drive variant of the very recently launched Geely E5, which is the development sibling of the upcoming right hand drive Proton e.MAS 7. If you are not interested in reading this article, you can watch what we think in the video posted from our YouTube channel below.

Proton e.MAS 7 Tour continues the Geely E5 world tour with a Malaysia wide tour of about 2,000km

Yesterday evening, PROTON, celebrated a significant milestone at its Centre of Excellence (COE) with the official launch of the Proton e.MAS 7 Tour. This journey marks the handover from the e-MAS 7's  base vehicle, the Geely Galaxy E5  EV SUV which has completed over 3,750km travelling from China, through Laos, Thailand and then to Malaysia. This has been a successful part of the E5's Long Test Drive World Tour, and for the Malaysian leg, the baton is passed to the Proton e.MAS 7 to embark on

an exciting new chapter of innovation and exploration across Malaysia.

As the nation’s first EV brand, it is fitting for Proton e.MAS to also be the first to undertake a nationwide tour with an EV on such a large scale, The Proton e.MAS 7 Tour aims to engage Malaysians and provide them with a unique opportunity to experience the vehicle first hand as it covers well over 2,000km across diverse terrains and landscapes ranging from coastal roads to mountainous regions, while showcasing its capabilities. So the best thing for us Malaysians is that the Geely E5's Malaysian leg gets to be handled by the Proton variant of the SUV.

 

The upcoming Proton S70 is now open for booking - Production of the new B/C segment sized 1.5 turbocharged sedan is up and running over in Tanjung Malim

On 31st October 2023,  PROTON officially unveiled its upcoming model, the Proton S70, at a line-off ceremony presided over by the Secretary General of the Ministry of Investment, Trade, and Industry, (MITI), Dato’ Hairil Yahri Yaacob. Rolling off the company’s Tanjong Malim production line, the Proton S70 is the first all-new addition to its sedan line-up since the launch of the Proton Persona in August2016.

PROTON to launch its new sedan in two months time - Expect it to be the new Persona if it's based on the Geely Emgrand

At the presentation of Malaysia cultural handicraft to national athletes for them to present to the Asian Games Museum in Hangzou, China during the upcoming 19th Asian Games, the CEO of Proton, Dr Li Chunrong, had announced that the company will be launching a new sedan within the next couple of months as well as  announcing that their Electric Vehicle will also be launched soon after that. Fingers crossed it happens as scheduled!

The news is indeed quite a juicy bit for those who want a Proton but want a sedan rather than a SUV. As for the EV, that folks, is the upcoming smart #1, which should be launched a few weeks after that and that has been blogged about here.

smart Malaysia Unveils the smart #1 at EVx 2023 - Details and Some My Thoughts On it and PHOTOS of the #1 from the Media Preview prior to EVx 2023

smart Malaysia made its official Malaysian debut at the Electric Vehicle Expo (EVx) 2023 in Setia City Convention Centre in Shah Alam, where they had an exclusive sneak peek of its all-electric vehicle, smart #1 that was displayed on the show stand of Mercedes-Benz and smart Malaysia, for the very first time in Malaysia. smart, these days is a joint venture electric car designed and manufactured by Mercedes-Benz and Geely. This has been possible when Geely entered into partnership with Daimler (holding company for Mercedes-Benz) in 2019 and from just a very compact city car, smart is still a compact city car, but is now fully an electric vehicle brand.

DRB-HICOM and Geely work together to attract investors to the Tanjung Malim Automotive High Tech Valley (AHTV)

Today DRB-HICOM via PROTON and Geely held the Global Investors & Vendors Convention 2023 which showcases investment opportunities at the Proton City in Tanjung Malim. The location will be renamed as the Automotive High Tech Valley and will be a place where both Malaysian and Chinese vendors can come, set up shop and develop cars especially for those new energy vehicles (NxGV), whether battery electric or other ways and also as a hub for Geely to test and tropicalise their vehicles for the equatorial (and harsh climate regions). The innaugural event saw over 200 participants including government agency officials, Malaysian vendors and 42 automotive suppliers from China.

Proton New Energy Technology Sdn. Bhd. (PRO-NET) - official importer and distributor for Smart vehicles in Malaysia and Thailand appoints its first authorised dealer, Hap Seng Smart Sdn. Bhd.

Surprising news folks. Smart cars, the very tiny car manufacturer is back via Proton New Energy Technology Sdn. Bhd. (PRO-NET), a subsidiary of Proton cars and Hap Seng Group (as its first dealer). The company which was formed to promote and market New Energy Vehicle (NEV) from the Proton and Geely joint venture has hit an important milestone here in its development of pushing such vehicles with the appointment of its first authorized dealer, Hap Seng Smart Sdn. Bhd. Note that Smart vehicles was a joint venture project started out by Mercedes-Benz with watch manufacturer Swatch Group but since 2019 has been a partnership arrangement with Geely to promote and sell Smart badged cars globally.

Gentari, PETRONAS' clean energy subsidiary, and Pro-Net, PROTON's EV subsidiary, has entered into a MoU to leverage each other to drive growth in Malaysia's EV sector

PROTON’s new energy vehicle subsidiary, Proton New Energy Technology (PRO-NET) had earlier today entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Gentari Sdn. Bhd., the clean energy subsidiary of PETRONAS, at the International Greentech & Eco Products Exhibition & Conference Malaysia (IGEM). This is part of Proton's intention to develop its own-brand NEVs and also for boh parties to leverage the capabilities  and drive growth in Malaysia’s electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure in line with national decarbonisation goals. 

PROTON Officially Opens its Latest Hi-Tech Engine Assembly Line in Tanjung Malim

PROTON earlier today unveiled their latest engine assembly line at their Tanjung Malim plant at an exclusive event for invited media guests. The hi-tech assembly line has been in operation since April this year and produces the company’s 1.5 TGDI (Turbo Gasoline Direct Injection) engine, the first time it has been assembled outside of China and is one of the most advanced automotive engine assembly lines in the country. This means that even more local content is in Proton's SUVs after this.

VIDEO: The New Proton X50 1.5TGDI Flagship First Drive at the Second Media Preview - Handling and Acceleration Tested

This 1st drive experience video on the upcoming Proton X50 1.5TGDI SUV was uploaded over at the Motoring Malaysia YouTube Channel last week folks! If you haven't subscribed over there you would have missed viewing it as I have only now attached the video here on the blog. Sometimes, there are benefits to subscribe over there and also to go 'like' our Facebook or follow the Instagram page as I have added the link to the video there. This was the 2020/2021 PROTON X50 SUV 2nd Media Preview at Sepang Circuit. It was also our 1st Drive in the X50 1.5TGDI and therefore our first impressions on it. 

PROTON Starts Off Strong in 2020 - Most Successful January Sales in 4 Years With Over 8,500 New Registrations (Short Analysis At The End)

After selling slightly over 102,000 cars in 2019, PROTON has started 2020 strongly with the Malaysian based company recording a total of 8,506 new registrations for the month of January 2020. This figure is a 20.2% increase over the same period last year. This also marks PROTON’s most successful January sales in 4 years. The company is on a roll and should be on its way to another stong year ahead with the launch of the locally assembled X70 SUV and maybe the smaller X50 SUV by the end of this year.

The Proton X70 SUV Completes its Malaysia-China Amazing Trip 2019

The nine units of the Proton X70 SUV which had departed from PROTON’s Centre of Excellence (COE) on a journey to China has arrived back in Malaysia. The 33 day trip started on 26th February 2019 and was organised by Borneo Automobile Leisure Touring and Kunming Scenery Customer International Travel Co. The Proton X70 Malaysia-China Amazing Trip 2019 (Amazing Trip 2019) as it was called was supported by PROTON and covered more than13,000km in 33 days over four countries proving the reliability of PROTON's first ever SUV.

PROTON sponsors Nine Proton X70 Owners on their Malaysia–China Amazing Trip

PROTON has been continuing their marketing push on their already proven to be popular first ever SUV, the Proton X70. To date, the Malaysian car maker has delivered over 5,500 units of the X70 since its launch late last year. Now, nine Proton X70 owners have decided to drive to China and back in their vehicles, a journey of about 13,000km to showcase the capabilities of the X70. Trip is organised by the Borneo Automobile Leisure Touring Team and the Kunming Scenery-Customer International Travel Co. China. As it is such an epic trip, Proton has decided to be the main sponsor for this private initiative. Quite obvious but indeed welcome as the spirit of adventure is strong with this new Proton.

PROTON Officially Launches the Long, Long, Long Awaited X70 SUV - Prices Start From RM99,800 Onwards

PROTON has finally did it. They've officially launched the Proton X70 SUV. Their first SUV and their first Proton-Geely collaboration car. While most of us already know the details of the new SUV, Proton has made available to most important detail of them all - the prices for all the variants. We now know that the prices start at RM99,800 without insurance for the base 2wd model and it goes up to a reasonable EM123,800 for the full specced premium variant. The good news is that there is one price for the X70 throughout Malaysia. Those in Sabah and Sarawak need not pay any extra like they used to pay with all the cars sold over there! Great initiative by Proton here folks. You folks in Sabah and Sarawak can finally get a price similar to the people of Peninsular Malaysia.

The Latest Bits of News on Proton and the Upcoming Geely-Proton Boyue SUV

The first of Proton's upgraded dealerships was officially launched yesterday. It is hoped that the upgrade of all the 3S and 4S centres as per target, will help grow PROTON’s market share in line with the Company’s goals. To-date 75% target achieved or 82 outlets approved for upgrading for the year. It is hoped that by next year, there will be up to 109 dealerships with 3S or 4S standards. 

Proton Launches Their First Newly Upgraded 4S Dealership Setia Gemilang Auto Sdn Bhd

Proton had officially launched the first of their refreshed dealerships yesterday. Setia Gemilang Auto Sdn Bhd was officially launched as the first upgraded PROTON 4S dealer outlet. The event was officiated by Dr Li Chunrong, Chief Executive Officer of PROTON, in the presence of Dato’ Radzaif Mohamed, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Abdul Rashid Musa, Vice President of Sales and Marketing and other senior management members of PROTON as well as the management of Setia Gemilang Auto.

Contest: You Are Invited To Vote The Name Of PROTON's First SUV & Win Prizes Worth Over RM100,000!

PROTON had launched an online poll recently where all Malaysians are invited to vote for the name of its first SUV. You know, the Geely Boyue based SUV that is scheduled to be launched at the end of this year. The online poll will run for one month on the official PROTON Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ProtonCarsOfficial) and is open to all Malaysians with no strings attached. You don't have to buy a car or anything from them to participate!

PROTON Continues its Turnaround with More Dealers Upgrading their Outlets & also a Trip To Geely's Facilities in China

PROTON's turnaround process is continuing at a slow and steady pace. Recently the company had announced that 10 more of its dealers will be upgrading their outlets to 3S and 4S. This follows the earlier two batches which were held in December 2017 and January 2018.

Industry Outlook: PROTON Top Dealers Visit Geely in China - New Things To Learn and To Do and Consequences

Recently, PROTON took its top dealers to visit Geely in China to show them how Geely dealers operate their centres in Shanghai. The trip consisted of 28 top PROTON sales and service center owners, accompanied by PROTON officials and a representative from a financial institution. 

DRB-HICOM and Geely Holding Appoint New Board of Directors for PROTON Related Companies and a New CEO - Dr. Li Chunrong

This is a very important bit of news regarding national car manufacturer PROTON. DRB-HICOM Berhad (DRB-HICOM) and Zhejiang Geely Holding Group (Geely) have confirmed the new board structures, part of the executive team for PROTON Holdings Berhad and its related companies (PROTON Group) earlier today. This looks like the the second round after the initial announcement that Geely would be purchasing a 49% stake in Proton Holdings Berhad.