Proton Exora Gets Encouraging Response

KUALA LUMPUR, April 16 — There has been encouraging response to the first locally made multi-purpose vehicle (MPV), the Proton Exora, just one day after it was officially launched yesterday.

The factors of price, design and the technology of its engine drew the attention of consumers, especially those with families, to be among the first to own the latest model to be unveiled by the national car maker.

According to a Proton Holdings spokesman here today, the reservations for the Exora exceeded 3,500 till now compared with the more than 2,000 announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak when launching the MPV.

Observations by Bernama at several car dealerships around the city found that bookings were visibly higher today.

“Maybe when they saw the Exora ‘live’ and tested it for themselves more people made bookings today,” said a car salesman who wanted to be known as Ali.

He said his company received more than 30 orders today and they were expected to go up.

A customer, Rozlin Mahat, 28, said the price of the Exora, which was competitive compared with imported models, would be able to convince him to own one.

“In my view the price of RM70,000 is fair and could convince me that it would be the better choice for those who have many family members,” said the information technology officer when met at a Proton showroom here.

The Exora powered by a CamPro CPS 1.6 litre engine with a 4-speed automatic transmission can be had in two variations – the Medium-Line at RM69,998 and the High-Line at RM75,998.

A government pensioner, Mohd Noh Shamsudin, 59, said the design of the Exora, which was sophisticated but which put importance on safety, caught his eye.

“Among the attractive points are the inflatable bags in front, the large boot size and its built as a luxury car.

“For me this is the car-of-the-year for 2009,” he said. – Bernama

Toyota Avanza or Proton Exora? A better car

We would like to hear your comments on both cars, which car is better, is it Toyota Avanza or Proton Exora?

MITI hopes to finalise review of NAP by Q3

SHAH ALAM: Minister of International Trade and Industry Datuk Mustapa Mohamed said yesterday the government hoped to finalise the review on the National Automotive Policy (NAP) by the third quarter of this year.

The NAP was introduced in 2006 in an industry involving not less than 150,000 people in the areas of automotive production, sales, distribution and financing.

Speaking to reporters after visiting the assembly line of Proton Exora, at Proton’s factory yesterday, Mustapa said he had also sought input from Proton on the NAP.

The new NAP would have a clear policy for the future of Proton and other companies including component manufacturers, vendors and distributors.

Asked if any weaknesses had been identified in the existing NAP, Mustapa said that it was not so much weakness but more about refining and improving on the present policy.

With the economy going through a difficult period now, there is a need for the Malaysian automotive industry to build its capacity, he said.

“We got to position ourselves to meet future challenges and we know in some major countries that have been right-sizing, there has been reexamination of strategy. So whatever we do, we should be in line with current global development,” he said.

Mustapa said among the feedbacks the ministry received was the need to identify which manufacturers qualified as producing national cars and therefore qualified to obtain the incentives provided by the government.

Another issue to tackle is the existence of Asean-made cars brought into the domestic market with five percent import tax, he said.

Previously, there were no different policies for cars manufactured or assembled in Asean countries and for cars imported from Europe, he said.

Touching on the reform of Approved Permit (AP) permit, he said his ministry was embarking on a second round of audit of the implementation of AP before revising the policy.

Last year, he said MITI has conducted a survey on AP in the third quarter of last year and a number of findings has been highlighted to the ministry.

“Hopefully by the third quarter of 2009, we would come out with our position on the AP,” he said.

He also said Proton is ready to face the competition in the international market and was already a competitive car maker.

To a question on the response from the public to scrap older vehicles more than 15 years in order to get RM5,000 discount for buying new national cars, Mustapa said so far only 5,000 people had taken up the incentive.

“That number is a bit on the low side and the government has asked Proton and EPU, to see how we can encourage car owners to come forward,” he said.

Meanwhile, Proton Holdings Bhd Managing Director Datuk Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir said Proton and its dealers would increase the promotion of the car scrapping programme.

Touching on the local automotive industry scenario, Mustapa said for the first three months of this year production of total passenger vehicles decreased 15.3 per cent to 102,328 units from 120,844 units in the corresponding period of 2008.

Production of commercial vehicles also declined by 1.8 per cent to 11,681 units in January to March this year from 11,900 in the first three months of last year.

— Bernama

Proton EXORA Sport Edition!

Good News for all Proton users, Proton launch the latest design of Exora! This is the other concept Proton Exora which Proton Design whipped up in conjunction with the Exora’s launch. The Proton Exora Prestige converts the Exora into a VIP chauffeured car with a lounge behind where one can either continue to work on the move or relax on the way home after a stressful day.

There is of course a bodykit which includes a double fin front bumper grill, warp-around chrome foglamp garnish, a front lip, side skirts, rear apron with integrated quad exhausts, a rear roof spoiler, chrome glass trimming, chrome side protector moulding, a customised smoked rear brake lamp, tinted glass, and 18 inch wheels with 224/40R18 tyres.

In the interior, the first row is separated from the rest of the vehicle via a glass panel to give the boss at the back some privacy. The rear passenger can communicate with the driver via an intercom. This privacy glass panel includes a 19 inch LCD TV.

The VIP seats have electric adjustments, a massage system, and a built-in working table. Other creature comforts include a nice sound system including two 8 inch subwoofers to match the 5.1 channel DVD player, a stow-away footrest and a cooler box.

For people who have a money they can choose to buy this... But the price I think very though. Anyway good luck for Proton!

Proton Exora Launch: Proton Exora Prime Concept

Proton Design showcased two modified Proton Exora MPVs at the launch of the Exora yesterday evening. Some of you may have already seen these cars during the live telecast on TV1, but here is a closer look at the two vehicles. This is the white one called the Proton Exora Prime. Here’s the stuff that Proton Design added to the Exora Prime:

* Pearl White Exterior
* Double Fin Front Bumper Grille
* Corporate Graphic At FR Door Trim
* High Gloss Black Side Mirrors
* High Glass Black Roof
* Wrap-around Satin Galvano Foglamp Garnish
* Customised Side Skirts
* Customised Rear Apron with Integrated Exhaust
* Customised Satin Galvano Glass Trim
* Clear Rear Brake Lamps
* Tinted Glass
* 17 inch Wheels with 215/45R17 tyres
* 2-DIN DVD player with integrated GPS
* Rear view mirror with integrated LCD for reverse camera
* 1st and 2nd row pilot seats with integrated LCD and mobile theater system
* Cooler box for the floor console

Proton Exora: Malaysia’s first MPV from RM69,998!

After a long long wait, Malaysians finally have a decently sized MPV at a decent price to choose from. The new Proton Exora is here and two variants will be available at launch time – a 1.6 liter automatic high-line and a 1.6 liter automatic medium-line, priced at RM75,998.00 and RM69,998.00 respectively OTR with insurance. Head on after the jump for the full scoop on the Exora.

Proton MPV Naming Contest

Proton announced a contest called the Proton MPV Naming Contest to find a name for the MPV. The contest closed on 30th September 2008. This is the second time Proton held a naming contest for their new car after Proton Saga.

The result has been announced on 17th February 2009. The name Proton Exora was picked from the Name The Proton MPV competition grand prize winner Norsholihan bt Abdul Eanich among 251,763 entries.[5]

A controversial rule in this naming competition stated that an entry must not be taken from flora or fauna, but the winning entry Exora is inspired from the Ixora flower. Proton later clarified that the word Exora was only similar to Ixora but not a direct name of a flora or fauna so it was allowed.

What do you want to know about the Exora?

Proton Exora

The Proton Exora has been launched and it won’t be long until the car is handed out to members of the media. An MPV is quite a different animal from a regular car.

People buy it for different reasons, and most rational people just want a big box to move people or stuff around. I don’t have a bunch of kids to lug around as of yet so perhaps it is better if you guys share with me, what would you like me to check out in a write-up of the Proton Exora? Please do share your questions in the comments section of this story and I will try my best to answer all of them in a future test drive story.