What Mr Japanese says about our INSPIRA

Statement issued by Mr Tetsuya Oda 

Chief Executive Officer of Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia

"Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) Japan has collaborated with Proton Holdings Berhad (Proton) for many years and most recently, the technical support provided to Proton for the development of the new Inspira.

Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia wishes to state that other than the Lancer, NO OTHER MITSUBISHI MODELS currently distributed by Mitsubishi Motors Malaysia (MMM), including its recently launched vehicles - the all-new Lancer Sportback (October) and the ASX compact crossover (November) will be based on this technical collaboration IN THE FUTURE.

While the Inspira is modeled after the Mitsubishi Lancer, it differs in a number of ways - with both having its own unique traits, allowing each respective vehicle to differentiate itself in the marketplace. Each brand also caters to a different group of customer segments with a different set of driving desires and expectations.

Exported to Malaysia and distributed by MMM, the Lancer is a Completely Built-Up Unit (CBU) - in which all parts and assembly standards have met Mitsubishi Motors' STRINGENT GLOBAL QUALITY STANDARDS.

In addition to being fully manufactured by MMC in Japan, the Mitsubishi Lancer is also designed and produced to meet the highest European (high-speed driving performance and handling), American (safety) and Japanese (vehicle built) quality standards.

The Inspira, on the other hand, is assembled at Proton's facility in Shah Alam and will contain 40% local parts within the year. On top of that, Lancer owners enjoy the assurances that come with purchasing a vehicle renowned for its 90 year brand heritage. Mitsubishi is also one of the leading global automakers in the world and has a long successful history in motorsports."

So, the choice is our hand....

Proton Satria Neo R3 Lotus Racing – 145hp!

Proton today launched a very special version of their Neo CPS – the Proton Satria Neo R3 Lotus Racing. Priced at RM115k it has various equipment upgrades including an engine tune-up. Now producing 145 bhp and 168 Nm of torque, the engine is a substantial 25 bhp and 18 Nm up on the standard CPS. 0-100 km/h is now done in 9.2 seconds and top speed is 200 km/h, compared to 10.5 seconds and 190 km/h for the standard Neo CPS M/T.
RM115,000 is a lot of money to pay for a Satria Neo, but this doubled price tag over the standard Neo CPS comes with much more than just a carbon fibre bonnet and Lotus Racing emblems. There’s some serious performance upgrades that should make it quite a hoot to drive, and these improvements are not just reflected in the vital stats.

More vital than these improved figures however are things like revised ratios for the five-speed gearbox. According to a source in R3, the Neo R3 Lotus Edition will rev till its 7500 rpm redline in EVERY gear, and all sorts of torque curve issues have been been banished. We look forward to a test drive to confirm this exciting revelation. When the head of the R3 department is one of the best drifters in the world, you can be sure that the division’s products are not just about power and acceleration. Handling is a big part of the equation, and bearing the “Lotus Racing” name means that this car has to deliver some thrills behind the wheel.
There’s some delicious sounding hardware in this car. First up are the Öhlins DFV (Dual Flow Valve) fully adjustable coil-over suspension with spring and damper rates specifically tuned for this application by R3. The Neo also gets stiffened rubber bushes and revised suspension geometry. All these are claimed to deliver “racecar-like direct steering input and cornering precision”. The saved weight from the carbon hood also means that there’s less weight over the front axle, which is good news. This car is 62 kg lighter than the standard Neo CPS at 1150 kg.

If you peek behind the 16-inch Advanti alloys wrapped with 205/45 Bridgestone Adrenalin rubber, you’ll spot the four-pot AP Racing calipers gripping the front discs. The rear discs make do with single pot items. Other than the engine tune-up, you also get R3 Titanium Exhaust Headers, R3 Alloy Underdrive Pulleys, an R3 Tuned Exhaust System, and an R3 Carbon Fiber Airbox. These equipment including R3-tuned camshaft profiles contribute towards the power upgrade.
R3 has plans to make 25 units of the Satria Neo R3 Lotus Racing Edition. Our sources say that 11 units are already accounted for, and we reckon that Proton will have no problems selling off the remaining units. They will of course come up with a second batch if response and demand is sufficient.
There’s a whole load of more material after the jump including loads of hi-res product photos, track action photos and live photos from the car’s unveiling in Pavilion today.

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Click image above for enlarged version

2010 motor show- TUAH concept car from Proton

Proton - the PRIDE of Malaysia!

Proton's newest model - the Proton Inspira

A concept car - sadly most of these were just plastic bodies over some wheels or existing models which have some mods to the body. Then again remember that Proton is the PRIDE of Malaysia!

Sweet Mei Sze (L) and Grace (R)

Satria Neo R3 - a modded Satria Neo with a BOT

Suphie (L) and MHB's Mei Sze (R)

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Lotus

The Lotus Esprit - a real beauty!!!

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Perodua

Perodua Bezza concept car - only for show so don't expect to see it on the roads ever

A modded Perodua Alza

Team Lotus F1- Malaysian Pride- Part of the Proton

Unveiled first to their fan base through their email magazine, Team Lotus today, launched the new 2011 T128 F1 race car with stunning first images of the majestic metallic green body draped in yellow livery which is sure to wow all, gleaming in the sun and the flood lights at the night races.

According to Team Principal Tony Fernandes: "There has been so much focus off-track it's a thrill to be able to get back to talking about racing. The launch of the T128 is a big step forward for Team Lotus and I want to thank the whole team for the amount of hard work that has already gone into the car, and I want to thank Renault and Red Bull Technology for their tremendous support in helping us make this step forward and for being such great team partners."



Keith Saunt, Chief Operating Officer: "You can just see that this car will be faster than last year's. It's got the right sweeps and curves on it - it's the very latest iteration of what an F1 car should be."



Mike Gascoyne, Chief Technical Officer: "I think that basically this car looks like a front-running car in every area. We said very clearly that we want to start challenging the established teams and I think that's very achievable."



Riad Asmat, Chief Executive Officer: "T128 takes Team Lotus in exactly the right direction. We have said since day one of the Team Lotus dream that the plan for our second year was to take the fight to the midfield, and with this car we are all confident that is what we will be able to do."



They even had a sign change at the Team Lotus HQ!

Chinese New Year : brisk sales for national car

PETALING JAYA: Sales of new cars are roaring as the Year of the Rabbit approaches, with some models already out of stock.
National car maker Proton has sold about 11,000 units as at Jan 26, and a spokesman said it expects the number to hit 18,000 by Chinese New Year.
“The figure is higher than the corresponding period last year,” he told The Star, attributing the brisk sales to new models and an improving economy.
The Saga FL and Inspira models were the most popular this month, and Proton had enough stock for the festive period, he said.
“In general, we have ample stock with exception only to the Inspira 2.0 CVT. We are honouring outstanding bookings,” he added.

Going like hot cakes: A prospective buyer looking at a new car at a showroom in Petaling Jaya Sunday.

At the Taman Tun Dr Ismail branch, a Proton salesman said it would take up to a month for a new car to be delivered.
Meanwhile, sales of Nissan cars were also increasing, with the Teana, Grand Livina and Sylphy being the more popular models.
Edaran Tan Chong Motor Sdn Bhd executive director Datuk Dr Ang Bon Beng said the company expected January sales to increase by 10% to 15% compared to the same month last year.
However, he said the figures were lower than in November and December as many customers had booked early.
“With Chinese New Year falling in early February, bookings started to build up from mid-November last year in order to ensure delivery before Chinese New Year,” he said.
A Toyota salesman here said a total of 203 cars had been sold this month so far.
He said 130 of them would be delivered by Chinese New Year.
A Perodua branch salesman said sales were brisk, with five to 10 cars sold daily this month.
Recently, analyst Frost and Sullivan forecast that the total industry volume (TIV) would increase by 4.1% year-on-year to 623,000 units in 2011. The forecast in 2010 was 598,200 units.
OSK Investment Research made a similar forecast, predicting TIV to grow 4% this year.
However, Malay Automobile Importers and Distributors of Malaysia (Pekema) president Datuk Zainuddin A. Rahman said luxury vehicles sales was down.

 

Is it a big deal? when somebody talk about cloning?

The different?

Proton Inspira was inspired by Lancer
THE above picture shows a sneak preview of an all-new Proton saloon, the mid-sized four-door Inspira. If you thought you were looking at a Mitsubishi Lancer, you're not wrong. The Inspira was developed from a Mitsubishi Lancer and are the fruits of Proton's relationship with Mitsubishi Motors. It will replace the Proton Waja saloon. Can you spot the differences between the Lancer and the Proton Inspira? Click on thumbnails below to view more photos. Story continues after photos. (Photos: The Star/ANN, Paul Tan, Mitsubishi Motors ) There will be a choice of two engines -- a Mitsubishi 1.8-litre or a 2.0-litre engine. A CVT box with six virtual gears or a five-speed manual can be chosen with the 1-8-litre variant. The 2.0-litre range-topper will get the same CVT box as well. Clearly the collaboration had benefited Proton. Proton Group's managing director Datuk Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir told Bernama that the collaboration helped Proton save a lot of funds and time. He said of the relationship, 'It's cheaper from the company's point of view.' Developing a new car would cost up to RM700million (S$295 million), he added. With a starting price of RM79,888, the Inspira will come with either a 1.8- or 2.0-litre Mitsubishi engine. You can choose to pair it with a five-speed manual or a six-speed continuously variable transmission. Related stories » Proton Inspira reviewed: Does it drive like a Lancer? Presumably only the 2.0-litre variant will also get the innovation vehicle electronic control system. Other features customers stand to gain from include auto cruise, automatic light and rain sensors, welcome and coming home light system, climate control for both front and rear occupants, and all-round airbags for passengers' safety. Proton aims to sell 1,600 units of the Inspira a month. 'The market for the C-Segment cars is about 5,000-6,000 units a month. So, we are looking at 1,600 a month as it is value for money,' Syed Zainal said. He also added that there are plans to export the Inspira. Prices start from RM79,888. This article was updated with photos of the Mitsubishi Lancer.