Geely has confirmed its plans to enter the Australian and ASEAN markets directly, rather than having Proton represent the brand in RHD markets.
The launch of the EX5 (Geely Galaxy E5/Proton eMas 7) in Thailand and the Aletra in Indonesia marks Geely’s entry into major ASEAN markets. Additionally, Geely has formalized plans to enter Australia and New Zealand by H1-2025 through a partnership with Giltrap Group.
This flurry of activity within a week signals a strong RHD-market push. However, when Geely partnered with Proton in 2017, the vision was to position Proton as the brand for RHD and ASEAN markets, with Malaysia as Geely’s regional RHD hub.
With Geely, not Proton, now making inroads into ASEAN’s two biggest car markets, one has to wonder: is the ambition of positioning Proton as the region’s No. 3 brand still within reach?
The decision to introduce Geely, not Proton, in Australia is worth pondering. Proton’s 22 years in Australia, including successes like the Jumbuck (Arena), are now being overlooked. It’s a clear signal of Geely’s rising global prominence, but it also stirs a sense of nostalgia and mixed feelings about Proton’s sidelining.
Rumors suggest Geely might soon enter South Africa—a market where Proton is already present—and it seems unlikely both brands can thrive there simultaneously. While Proton continues to operate in smaller RHD markets like Bangladesh, and Kenya, as well as places like Brunei, Mauritius, and Mozambique, these aren’t major markets.
Related: Proton… What a Miss…!
Not to mention, Proton has all but almost quit Pakistan, marking a spectacular failure due to a number of missteps and shortcomings discussed earlier. While much of the blame is being placed on Proton’s local partner, the Malaysian brand itself did nothing to protect its image. After more than three years, failing to deliver units to customers despite receiving full payments cannot be justified by any means. And in all these years, Proton was nothing more than a silent spectator of its disaster in Pakistan.
Coming back to the original topic, this raises questions about Proton’s future, particularly in the EV segment. It’s becoming clear that Geely’s original plan to position Proton as its RHD and ASEAN brand is no longer on track. Is Geely growing impatient with Proton’s sluggish growth, or is the issue rooted in Proton’s own branding and name recognition? Despite making progress since the Geely partnership, Proton has yet to claim the top spot in Malaysia and still has a long way to go in building its reputation across ASEAN and other markets. It’s been more than seven years, and the results are still lacking.
Also, gone are the days when Proton developed its own vehicles, like the Preve, Suprima (Preve hatchback), Persona, Exora, Perdana, Iriz, and Saga. Today, the company’s new lineup consists mostly of badge-engineered Geely models with only slight cosmetic tweaks.
Related: Preve- When Proton Designed Its Own Cars
When Geely first teamed up with Proton, the idea of a Chinese brand breaking into the global market was unheard of. Today, BYD, GWM, Chery, and others are making waves worldwide, while Geely remains largely unknown outside of China. This latest move could finally change that.
It certainly appears that Proton is being sidelined, at least for the time being. It will be interesting to see whether Proton will be permitted to sell its next-generation, home-grown models (ironically being developed in Hangzhou) outside of Malaysia, or if they will simply be branded as Geely in markets like Thailand and Indonesia as well.
A computer animation professional with over 23 years of industry experience having served in leading organizations, TV channels & production facilities in Pakistan. An avid car enthusiast and petrolhead with an affection to deliver quality content to help shape opinions. Formerly written for PakWheels as well as major publications including Dawn. Founder of CarSpiritPK.com
