Malaysia Impressive Car - Proton Prevé

10 April 2012 - The name of Proton’s P3-21A was officially confirmed and named as Prevé. The date of its arrival has also mentioned. The Prevé is set to be launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on April 16.

The Prevé was first shown in full camouflage at Proton’s Power of 1 showcase last month.Last week, the car-maker decided to organise a media preview of the car in the run-up to the official launch later this month, at which point we will be able to show you the car in its entirety.

Indicative prices of the Prevé is from RM62,000 to RM75,000 but it is expected to be slightly lower at launch time. Proton Prevé comes with three 1.6-litre model variants. Executive variants come with a 5-speed manual transmission and a 6-speed CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission). Both use the CamPro IAFM+ engines while the top of the line Premium variant is fitted with the turbocharged Charged Fuel Efficiency engine with a 7-speed CVT.

Currently, the IAFM+ engine is tuned for Euro 4 emissions, and the CFE with CVT is good for Euro 5 emissions. Now, you may think that the Malaysian government has not enforced emission regulations, so why bother. Call it future-proofing, although everyone else has arrived earlier. Already, Thailand is on the verge of starting its eco-car program that gives all sorts of tax breaks to cars that have low fuel consumption and low CO2 emissions. Proton is looking at penetrating the Thai market, hence the readiness of more efficient offerings.

Indeed, Proton says that with this car, it has taken its standard operating procedures, shaken it and turned it on its head. Two notable processes, among many others, have been implemented: simultaneous engineering and early vendor involvement. Proton claims that it has already nipped many problems in the bud. It is something they desperately and urgently need to get right.

Proton senior director of operations Dr Wolfgang Karl Epple said the body of the car was the most rigid Proton has ever produced. The torsional body rigidity, achieved through Hot Press Forming Technology, also ensures cabin integrity during a crash, said Dr Epple, who was formerly BMW’s E90 3 Series project director.

Safety is a mantra in the Prevé. Apart from a highly rigid chassis, a number of active safety feature are built in to enhance safety. First off, two front airbags are standard, with the Premium getting two side airbags as well. The pre-tensioner helps to secure driver and passenger during the initial moments of a collision.

Front seats have active headrests that allow them to move forward and upward during rear impact to lessen neck injury. The doors will also auto unlock in the event of a collision to enable occupants to escape the car.

The Premium Prevé gets extra goodies such as four airbags, paddle shifters, auto rain sensor, start-stop button and a CD Player with Bluetooth and built-in GPS Navigator. The start-stop button was positioned on the right side of the steering wheel apparently for safety reasons. A Proton engineer said many Malaysian families may have a child sitting in the front passenger seat and a child, being inquisitive, is likely to fiddle with dashboard buttons.

About brakes system, Proton claims that the Prevé has the best braking distance among its competitors, stopping in 36.8 metres from 100 to 0 km/h. The three benchmark segment competitors do the same in 37.6, 41.2 and 51.9 metres. The Prevé runs on 16-inch GT Radial tyres that Proton said have low rolling resistance and high grip.

In a nutshell, the Prevé represents a good shot at introducing Proton and it’ll be made known during the launch.
 

 
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