You may have heard the name Proton in the motoring industry. It was a few months ago that the company decided that Mzansi is an ideal place to bring in their vehicles. This has led to the launch of Proton cars in South Africa and the launch of the Proton X50 and Proton X70. “This is not just the launch of the Proton X50 and Proton X70 – this is the launch of a brand you have heard of, but not met in its partnership with Geely,” says Jebb McIntosh, CEO of Combined Motor Holdings (CMH).
CMH was founded in 1976 and has spearheaded the motor industry successfully ever since its conception, launching some of the country’s biggest names such as Volvo in 1995. They made the decision to bring Proton back to South Africa based on their many discussions, trips to Malaysia, viewings and test drives of the vehicles coming into the country.
Based on current market demand, the new Proton X50 and Proton X70 are quality SUV vehicles set within an affordable pricing bracket.
Proton purchase
“The purchase of a 49.9% stake in Proton in 2017 by the Zhejiang Geely Holding Group; a Fortune 500 company which owns Volvo and Lotus, has transformed Proton through its additional finance, technical expertise and products.
“When the Proton brand became available, we jumped at the opportunity for several reasons, but mostly, we saw a gap in the market for a quality SUV within an affordable price bracket,” says Marius Smal, managing director of Proton SA.
The new Proton models are right-hand drive versions of Geely vehicles sold in left-hand markets around the world. The new Proton X50 and Proton X70 benefit from shared group engineering expertise including technology solutions also found in Volvo models.
Fuel efficient
Considering the need for fuel efficiency, Proton has created this product that fulfils the desire for an SUV that is not only outstanding in performance, features and aesthetic appeal but is also affordable to own and run.
“With Geely providing resources and support for Proton cars, we can ensure that the runway for vehicles being released in the near future is exciting. The fuel consumption of the Proton X50 is 6.5L/100km and the fuel consumption of the Proton X70 is 7.8L/100km,” says Smal.
Beyond this, the Proton X50 and X70 offer enhanced features for the driver and passengers’ comfort, as well as a sophisticated look. Some of these features (depending on the variant and class) include chrome finishing on the front and rear bumpers, alloy wheels, a power tailgate with a foot sensor and Nappa leather seats with black headlining.
The Proton X70 comes with Proton Intelligent Air Purification System. This improves the air quality inside the cabin.
Add colour to the drive
Exterior colour options for the 2022 Proton X70 are Snow White, Armour Silver, Jet Grey, Ruby Red, and Space Grey, offered in accordance with the variant chosen.
Proton cars backed by a 1.5TD engine
1.5TD is a 1.5L three-cylinder turbocharged direct injection engine jointly developed by Geely Auto and Volvo Cars to become the leading engine in the industry. It’s compatible with hybrid powertrains and made to fit in the world-class compact modular architecture CMA also co-developed by Geely and Volvo as well as Geely Auto’s other modular architectures.
This highly efficient engine meets the CN/Euro 6 emission standards while putting out a 132KW of power with 265Nm of torque. It is used throughout Geely Auto’s product line as well as in Lynk and Co and Volvo’s CMA-based models.
The Proton X50 and Proton X70 exhibit exceptional technology, and incredible connections. The voice-activation active and passive safety features as well as parking systems, really do leave you more than impressed. From key-activated engine starting to foot sensor boot systems, the Proton X50 and ProtonX70 are loaded with world-class technologies.
Proton cars pricing
X50
- Standard: R449,900
- Luxury: R499,900
- Executive: R535,900
- Premium: R579,900
X70
- Standard 2WD: R529,900
- Executive 2WD: R579,900
- Executive AWD: R629,900
- Premium 2WD: R639,900
Customers will receive a five-year unlimited warranty which is transferable, a move that backs up the quality promise of the product, according to Trevor Morey, head of sales and Marketing of Proton South Africa. Also offered is a five-year roadside assistance as well as a service and maintenance plan.
