Our in-house photoshop man Shoeb R Kalania used leaked drawings and pictures of the concept car to cook up an image of the Proton EMAS when it rolls out of a production line here in India and abroad.
The EMAS should be a sub 4-meter hatch. It will have 5 doors and possibly a 1.2-liter engine making around 75bhp. Proton held talks with a few companies here in India and should take a call on its Indian partner in the near future.
Proton will eye the 4-5 lakh rupee price bracket with this hatchback when it comes here by 2012. They have also designed other powertrains for this vehicle, but the sensible option in India will be diesel and petrol.
Will Proton do a Maruti/Tata/Volkswagen by a slapping a boot on it?
We have already featured an allegedly leaked photograph of the 2-door Proton EMAS that’ll be rebadged as a Lotus. Now thanks to Paul Tan, we’re able to show you the 4-door version which is better suited for India.
To the naked eye, this certainly looks like a leaked picture and not a photoshopped one. The front-end is very aggressive, without looking at it in flesh or a clear photograph, we will not be in a position to comment on it. The design is very bold and Proton has adopted a very sharp and pointed design. The wheels have also been pushed to the corners of the car thereby liberating more space for occupants.
Likely to come with a 1.2-liter petrol engine, the EMAS will be brought to India to take on the Hyundai i10 in the next couple of years.
One question remains – Where are the door handles?
As we told you earlier Proton showcased the EMAS concept (short for Eco Mobility Advance Solution) at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show. Now it has been official that Lotus (which is owned by Proton) will use this platform as the basis of their new Global Small Car.
This car will be sold as a 5 door Proton in the Malaysian market while a 3 door hotter version of the car will be badged as a Lotus in Europe. This car will compete with the Mini & boy it looks nice. It has been designed by Italdesign Giugaro. A massive front grille with triangular vents & LED lights add character to this little Proton.
The car has a sporty feel to it with aggressive looking headlamps & flanked wheel arches.
The prototype of this car is expected at the Paris Motor Show this year. Now Proton is already selling cars in Pakistan & China and has been, for a while considering to the enter the Indian market. Its talks with the Hero group fell apart but it is supposedly in talks with Mahindra to launch its cars in India. It could also get its cars through Hindustan Motors, another report claims.
Even if Proton enters India, we do not expect the 3 door Hybrid version, but the more practical 5 door hatch to enter our market with a 1.2 or 1.0-liter petrol engine. Proton will be targeting the 4-5 lakh rupee segment with this car. Lets see what happens.
By Kaustubh Shinde
Back in Geneva Motor Show 2010, the Malaysian Auto major, Proton revealed a concept car EMAS (short for Eco Mobility Advance Solution) to celebrate the company’s 25th Anniversary. Rumors are now circulating that Lotus (now owned by Proton) is also testing their own version of EMAS for the European markets.
By the looks of things, it seems that Proton EMAS will have 2 variants – a sophisticated one for the European markets and an inexpensive variant for the local Malaysian market. So a car that was designed by Italdesign-Giugiaro and now perfected by Lotus – seems like quite a recipe!
Powertrains options include a plug-in EV or a series hybrid model with range extender (Lotus Omnivore). Proton could employ a turbocharged 1.2-liter petrol engine for certain markets which still aren’t capable of hosting EVs. For India, Proton could ditch the turbo to lower the cost of the vehicle. They could also develop fuel efficient diesel engines specifically for our market. Expect nothing exceptional though.
Proton, according to Paultan, is benchmarking this car with the Nissan Micra which is very practical, fuel efficient, yet youthful and sporty. Should the EMAS be priced between 3.5 and 5.5 lakh rupees, it will catch the attention of the hatch-loving Indian buyer.
Proton, presently selling its cars in Pakistan China, Iran, UK and Australia, is actively scouting for partners to make a full fledged India foray. However, the initial talks with Argentum motors and Hero Motors fell apart. But the Auto Market is now rife with rumors that Proton is in final negotiations with Mahindra to launch their cars.
Considering the fact that the most profitable market in India right now is the hatchback market, EMAS seems like the ideal candidate to share a piece of this pie.
India is a very important market. Hopefully we can produce the (small) car in less than two years. It will be hybrid and combustion models. We are talking to one party. I can’t tell you who they are.
Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamad Tahir, Proton’s boss speaking to BBC World on his plans for the Asian small car.
We presented the EMAS at the Geneva Motor Show as a global concept car, which will be adopted for the new Proton model in the small car segment, with focus on India, China, Asean and the Middle East, as four key markets in the company’s long-term business plans.
Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir, group managing director, Proton talking to Business Standard about its plans for India.
Proton Holdings Berhad appointed Mr Behara Venkata Rama Subbu, also known as BVR Subbu in short as director. 56 year old BVR Subbu served as president in Hyundai’s Indian operations for nine years where he was instrumental in successfully popularizing the brand among Indian buyers.
BVR Subbu’s appointment with the Malaysian company is no coincidence. Proton is eying the Indian market with its hatchbacks and sedans and to get to a firm grip, the company needs an experienced campaigner with a good skill set. BVR Subbu has done it before and there is no reason he can’t do it again.
Proton chairman Dato’ Nadzmi -
BVR Subbu’s extensive experience in the Indian automotive market will be valuable in our plans to expand our business in India. With BVR Subbu on our Board, the Company is now more equipped in its effort to focus on PROTON’s long term export strategy, particularly in the ASEAN, China and India markets.
BVR Subbu is one of the entrepreneurs behind the yet-to-take-off Argentum Motors. Argentum acquired the defunct Surajpur plant belonging to Daewoo and proposed plans for producing cars in contract manufacturing technique. Media reports last year hinted at a possible partnership between Argentum and Proton, but nothing has crystallized.
Over the next few months we are bound to hear more about this development. Stay tuned to IAB.
Our in-house photoshop man Shoeb R Kalania used leaked drawings and pictures of the concept car to cook up an image of the Proton EMAS when it rolls out of a production line here in India and abroad.
