After months of anticipation, the Proton X70 has officially been launched in Malaysia. The X70 being Proton’s first ever SUV, was unveiled by prime minister (and former Proton chairman) Dr Mahathir Mohamad at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center this evening.
Related: Proton X70 Showcased at KLIMS 2018
This marks as an important milestone as the first Proton model built in collaboration with Geely. The Chinese conglomerate bought a 49.9% stake in Malaysian car maker in September 2017 and has been committed to supporting the transformation of Proton and Lotus with its expertise, and aims to build Proton into the most competitive brand in Malaysia and a leading brand in Southeast Asia. Keep in mind Geely had also bought a 51% stake in British sports-car maker Lotus from Proton in a separate deal for a reported $65 million.
The Proton X70 is based on the Geely Boyue premium SUV. In fact, the initial units come fully imported from China as CBU, while locally-assembled CKD models will be available in 2019. There are four variants on offer, the Standard 2WD is priced at RM99,800, the Executive 2WD at RM109,800, the Executive AWD at RM115,800 and the Premium 2WD is priced at RM123,800.
Related: Geely to Help Steer Proton Back to Success
Measuring 4,519 mm long, 1,831 mm wide and 1,694 mm tall, having a wheelbase at 2,670 mm, the Proton X70 SUV is powered by a 1.8 liter TGDi turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine producing 181 hp and 285 Nm of torque.
Features include, but not limited to 6 Airbags, ABS with EBS and BA, Auto headlights & wipers, keyless entry (with active touch sensors on the front door handles), push-start, 360-degree camera, autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, climate control with smart air purifier system, electrically foldable wing mirrors, LED projector headlights with LED DRLs, LED fog lamps, 18-inch alloy wheels etc. There is also a voice recognition support system as well as a fully-digital and configurable instrument panel, which is a first for any Proton model.
Dr Mahathir, in his speech during the launch event, said he hopes the collaboration between Proton and Geely will produce a truly Malaysian car in future. Geely on the other hand has already licensed 3 of its models to Proton, which will be the SX11 BinYue crossover and VF11 JiaJi MPV which will form the basis of the next generation Proton Exora.
Proton X70 is the most anticipated SUV in Malaysian automotive history, garnering more than 10,000 bookings ahead of its launch. The X70 also secured a full 5-star ASEAN NCAP safety rating.
Related: Proton X70 gets 5 stars in ASEAN NCAP Crash Test
Al-Haj group of Pakistan has signed an agreement with Proton, as the exclusive authorized distributor and assemblers of Proton vehicles in Pakistan. Members from Al-Haj group were also present during the Proton X70 launch event. Reportedly Al-Haj has also acquired land for a separate assembly plant for Proton cars in Karachi. Ideally it may open up doors to Proton branded Geely vehicles in Pakistan somewhere down the line. Stay tuned to CarSpiritPK for more updates.
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
