Protons new car UK sales figures for their last few years were frightening:
2011 446
2012 208
2013 20
2014 11
No wonder so many garages ditched them..,
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In 2013, Proton Cars U.K. had attempted to relaunch the brand with four all-new models. However, the relaunch was instead postponed indefinitely in view of more stringent European Union emissions and safety regulations.
They effectively withdrew from Europe end of 2012 - the cars sold in 2013/14 were just old stock disposals.
Edited by RT on 05/01/2017 at 09:10
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Dad looked at a Proton (cannot remember the name - tall boxy thing - was a Daihatsu in a previous life - used a Toyoto Yaris engine?) about 3 or 4 years ago. Think it was about £8000 new and well equipped. But the NCAP rating was only 2 stars, the 2007 Micra he had at the time was 4 stars.
He ran away, no point in buying a new car with fewer safety features than the old one. You could get a nearly new delivery mileage Note for less money with more kit.
No wonder they stopped selling them. In fact the dealer closed his doors a few weeks later (he had sold Subarus and Isuzus in the past as well - same importer?) and the site is now a car park, probably more profitable.
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Dad looked at a Proton (cannot remember the name - tall boxy thing - was a Daihatsu in a previous life - used a Toyoto Yaris engine?) about 3 or 4 years ago. Think it was about £8000 new and well equipped. But the NCAP rating was only 2 stars, the 2007 Micra he had at the time was 4 stars.
He ran away, no point in buying a new car with fewer safety features than the old one. You could get a nearly new delivery mileage Note for less money with more kit.
No wonder they stopped selling them. In fact the dealer closed his doors a few weeks later (he had sold Subarus and Isuzus in the past as well - same importer?) and the site is now a car park, probably more profitable.
You thinking of the Perodua Myvi or Kenari? They used to be a Daihatsu Sirion or Move respectively. A few Proton dealers also sold them but it wasn't the same firm. The Myvi wasn't the worst motor but the Kenari was terrifying on the road.
Edited by SLO76 on 05/01/2017 at 10:49
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You thinking of the Perodua Myvi or Kenari? They used to be a Daihatsu Sirion or Move respectively. A few Proton dealers also sold them but it wasn't the same firm. The Myvi wasn't the worst motor but the Kenari was terrifying on the road.
Thats the one, the Perodua Myvi. The dealer sold Perodua, Proton, Isuzu and Subaru. Suppose with the low volume for all the brands he could not commit to selling just one.
It began with a "P", got that bit correct.
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"Thats the one, the Perodua Myvi. The dealer sold Perodua, Proton, Isuzu and Subaru. Suppose with the low volume for all the brands he could not commit to selling just one.
It began with a "P", got that bit correct."
He did the right thing dodging it, they were worth less than a packet of fags and a mars bar by their third birthday. Least the dealer had Subaru to offer his staff a company motor, the thought of a Perodua company car wouldn't have been too attractive when hunting for staff.
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I was in a queue behind a Perodua a few weeks ago. Its so long since I saw one I had to dig deep to remember what the make was as it has no model name on the rear.
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Dad looked at a Proton (cannot remember the name - tall boxy thing - was a Daihatsu in a previous life
Daihatsu Rally 2 and Rally 4 are now much valued as being overlooked in their time.
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Many thanks to SLO76, for the informative message, it is a very good description and seems to be the overall opinion of what happened to Proton. I shame i guess but at the same time alot of these companys can have their boom years and then slowly and quietly float away.
Good cars during the 90s, but then again just rebadged Mitsubishisi, so I guess thats that.
Many thanks to everyone elses reply, including the ones about Perodua, i completely forgot about them! However we never had many running about up here in the Scottish Highlands.
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Many thanks to SLO76, for the informative message, it is a very good description and seems to be the overall opinion of what happened to Proton. I shame i guess but at the same time alot of these companys can have their boom years and then slowly and quietly float away.
Good cars during the 90s, but then again just rebadged Mitsubishisi, so I guess thats that.
Many thanks to everyone elses reply, including the ones about Perodua, i completely forgot about them! However we never had many running about up here in the Scottish Highlands.
They've still got a presence here... they own Lotus.
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Another in a long line of reworked Japanese-born/inspired right hand drive Commonwealth imports, often used as a backdoor to the UK market to sidestep voluntary levels of Japanese imports, but doomed to be squeezed out of the market on the grounds of price, perceived quality and image by more well-established, competitive mainstream brands. . Remember the Lonsdale and SAO Penza? And of course, the Tata Indicar/CitiRover.
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Brits love good budget cars - Hyundai started building Ford Cortina's with Mitsubishi engines, hired BL's Sir George Turnbull who evolved the license-built Cortina to the Stellar which was imported into the UK from '83 - and have continuously moved forward from there - in the process of launching the Genesis luxury brand which is giviong Cadillac executives some sleepless nights.
Tata are ok, JLR's the world's most profitable car group and annual sales increase is impressive.
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Proton in their home market have finally had the sense to get back in bed with a quality manufacturer and now sell a re-banged old shape Honda Accord
They did have ambition to sell a 7 seater in the UK around 5 years ago, but it never happened.
As an earlier post illuded to, the problem was the import company and their incompetence - there was a market for Proton, but they were not priced and marketed accordingly.
Perodua cars where well made , used extensive Toyota / Daihatsu parts and design and were ahead of their time in terms of fuel economy.
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In 1992 I worked for a while for the company that delivered Protons from a centre at Wythall, near Birmingham. At that time they just had the one model which came as a saloon or a hatchback (which they called an Aeroback). The cars were very well made and virtually never needed any attention in the processing centre before going out. Unlike the Ladas and Reliants that were also processed there.
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In 1992 I worked for a while for the company that delivered Protons from a centre at Wythall, near Birmingham. At that time they just had the one model which came as a saloon or a hatchback (which they called an Aeroback). The cars were very well made and virtually never needed any attention in the processing centre before going out. Unlike the Ladas and Reliants that were also processed there.
The triple valve or MPI as later versions were know were basically Mitsubishi Lancers with a different badge. Very dated and a bit limited handling wise but they were very well made, reliable and surprisingly comfortable. Final 1500 MPI was also pretty sprightly in a straight line and could surprise many a boy racer in their tarted up Novas.
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A neighbour has two, quite clearly likes them. They are owned by a retired couple, so will perhaps keep them until they die.
I seem to remember the sporty one, engineered by Lotus? was quite a good car. Jumbuck good too.
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"I seem to remember the sporty one, engineered by Lotus? was quite a good car."
The GTi with Lotus tuned suspension was fun but the best driver of the range for me was the 1.8 twin cam Coupe which looked terrible but drove really well. Not as hard riding as the GTi but was very nimble and used exactly the same engine.
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"I seem to remember the sporty one, engineered by Lotus? was quite a good car." The GTi with Lotus tuned suspension was fun but the best driver of the range for me was the 1.8 twin cam Coupe which looked terrible but drove really well. Not as hard riding as the GTi but was very nimble and used exactly the same engine.
Lotus acted as consultants for a lot of mundane models - my 2000 Astra-G had cylinder head by Cosworth, suspension by Lotus.
Most brands have used Cosworth for consultancy but only Ford can badge the cars as such.
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"Lotus acted as consultants for a lot of mundane models - my 2000 Astra-G had cylinder head by Cosworth, suspension by Lotus.
Most brands have used Cosworth for consultancy but only Ford can badge the cars as such."
Strangest one I remember was Porsche allowing Seat to plaster 'System Porsche' all over the rear window of the God awful Mk I Ibiza because they'd been paid for engineering work on the underwhelming 1.2/1.5 engines. Apparently they also paid a royalty of 7 German marks to display the name.
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Another in a long line of reworked Japanese-born/inspired right hand drive Commonwealth imports, often used as a backdoor to the UK market to sidestep voluntary levels of Japanese imports, but doomed to be squeezed out of the market on the grounds of price, perceived quality and image by more well-established, competitive mainstream brands. . Remember the Lonsdale and SAO Penza? And of course, the Tata Indicar/CitiRover.
Lonsdale was a marque of car sold in the United Kingdom by Mitsubishi Motors between 1982 and 1983. It took its name from the industrial suburb of Lonsdale in Adelaide, South Australia where Mitsubishi Australia had an engine production facility. The only car sold under this brand was the Lonsdale, a badge engineered Mitsubishi Sigma (GJ). It was sold as the Lonsdale YD41 and the Lonsdale YD45.
Although the Sigma was merely an Australian version of the Mitsubishi Galant which was already available in the UK, the company's plan was to circumvent the "gentlemen's agreement", a voluntary import quota which limited Japanese-manufactured imports to 11 per cent of the market. However, the idea proved unsuccessful and most of the cars imported by Lonsdale remained unsold by the time the company ceased trading. Mitsubishi continued to sell the vehicle in the UK for 1984, although rebranded as the Mitsubishi Sigma as it was already known in its local market.
Edited by Fishermans Bend on 11/01/2017 at 13:04
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I've never heard of Lonsdale in the UK - Mitsubishi cars were imported under the Colt brand.
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Had a 1500 GLS( like a Mitsubishi Lancer) in the late nineties. It was a very reliable car, a lot cheaper used than its European rivals, and was quite powerful for its size. At the time, the successor model, the Persona, had a huge following as a taxi due to its low price and excellent reliability.
Problem was Proton tried to make out on their own, ditched the link with Mitsubishi, and developed some truly terrible cars that hardly anyone wanted to buy. One local dealer gave up after selling next to no cars for years and sold his old showroom to a SEAT dealer.
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A relation has a GEN2, seems like a perfectly acceptable car for the money. Goes well and has climate and leather, handles well too.
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I've never heard of Lonsdale in the UK - Mitsubishi cars were imported under the Colt brand.
I grew up in the Shetland islands, and do remember seing a few Lonsdales, including one belonging to a joiner at a building company i worked for one summer holiday. I seem to remember it having a 2.6l, 4 cyl engine.
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