Proton EMAS to be showcased in Japan Automotive Engineering Exposition (AEE)

11 March 2011 - The next show stop for Proton’s EMAS hybrid is possibly Japan. Organisers of the 2011 Japan Automotive Engineering Exposition (AEE) in Yokohama near here hope Proton will exhibit its Proton EMAS hybrid vehicle at the Malaysian Auto Industry Exhibition (MAIE) to be held within AEE at the same time.

The annual exhibition – which is organised by the Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan – attracts about 70,000 visitors, including top auto industry officials and motoring enthusiasts. Yoichi Kimura, Director of International Trade Fairs in the Trade Fair Department of the Japan External Trade Organisation, said the organisers hope Proton would be an exhibitor given that there was now tremendous interest in hybrid vehicles.

Kimura said the EMAS, an acronym for Eco Mobility Advance Solution, made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show last year and had generated strong interest since the car had been promoted as Proton's first global car.

The Italian-designed hatchback is powered by a 51bhp 1.2 litre engine produced by Lotus Engineering capable of running on petrol, ethanol, methanol or natural gas.

Kohei Wakabayashi, an official also from Jetro's Trade Fair Department, said Proton had indicated it would exhibit the Hang Tuah concept car at this year's MAIE.

Asked whether Proton would also bring in other models in the "Pahlawan" or Warrior Series like Hang Lekir, Hang Jebat, Hang Lekiu and Hang Kasturi which was first shown at the 2010 Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show in December, he said the car company had so far not made any indication it would.

Kimura said The MAIE, which began in 2007, has been instrumental in getting more Japanese companies to evaluate the capability and export quality of Malaysian automotive products..

He said an example is the Satria Neo hatchback, which first caught the eye of Japanese auto parts manufacturer CUSCO at the 2007 exhibition. Plans are afoot to import the car from the middle of this year, which is set to be developed and sold as rally cars for Japanese rallying enthusiasts.