Proton is adding the finishing touches to its first-ever SUV, a model based on the Geely Boyue. Recently, Malaysian Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad got behind the wheel of a prototype of the future model and was impressed with it, local reports say.
Commenting on the Proton SUV during a press conference, the nonagenarian said: "It was very good. The quality is very high and I think it is a good car for the market."
Images that surfaced on the Malaysian web recently show that the Proton SUV is identical to the Geely Boyue. A report from Paultan says that it will be equipped with 18-inch alloy wheels, panoramic sunroof, brown leather upholstery and an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The new Proton will offer many advanced safety and driver assistance features such as Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and a 360-degree camera system.
As indicated by the TGDI badge on the door, the Proton SUV will be powered by a turbocharged direct injection petrol engine. It will be a 1.8-litre four-cylinder unit producing 181 hp and 285 Nm of torque, coupled to a 6-speed automatic transmission. An AWD system will be available optionally.
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The yet-to-be-named SUV will be launched in Malaysia by October. Initially, Proton will import it in CBU form from the Chinese factory. From next year, it will be locally assembled.
Head over to the source link to check the images.
[Source: Paultan]
