AIMS: Proton to show two future models

PROTON Cars Australia will present two future models on its stand at the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney – the Prevé small car and the Exora seven-seat people-mover – that will go on sale here in 2013.

Prevé will ultimately replace the Persona in Australia, but Proton Australia general manager of sales and marketing Billy Falconer said they will be sold alongside one another until November next year.

At that time, the Persona – which has been on the Australian market since 2008 in its current generation – will have to be discontinued because it does not come with electronic stability control as required by legislation.

Launched in Malaysia back in April, the Prevé will go on sale in Australia in January, initially only in base GX specification and powered by a 1.6-litre petrol engine linked to a five-speed manual gearbox or a CVT (continuously variable transmission) auto option.

Three months later it will be joined by the GXR variant, which will be powered by a 1.6-litre turbocharged engine producing 102kW of power and 205Nm of torque, driving exclusively through the CVT.

The CFE ‘light-pressure’ turbo engine has been the subject of considerable re-engineering of the turbocharger unit in Malaysia to overcome shudder on take-off, a problem that has forced a lengthy delay in the launch of the new Exora in Australia as it uses the same engine.

The seven-seater had been expected to go on sale here as early as last month but it will now be launched locally in mid-2013.

Another attraction on the Proton stand will be the company’s Satria Neo S2000 rally car in which Scottish driver Alister McRae won last year’s Asia Pacific Rally Championship, narrowly defeating his teammate, Australian Chris Atkinson, who had been forced to miss two rounds.

Proton will also display its current S16 and Gen.2 models, as well as the Persona Elegance.