Proton is an ambitious carmaker with a strong national sense but unlike most national car projects, P1 persevered. Though that “national” title is irrelevant today, its pride remains true to every single Malaysian 40 years after the project was first announced. Some might argue that Proton (and by some extension, Perodua) squandered any feasible chance of Malaysia being an attractive hub for foreign carmakers who chose Indonesia and Thailand as their destination for growth in the ASEAN region. N

Like how Singer is to Porsche or Eagle is to Jaguar, local outfit, Dream Street Restoration (DSR) can be associated with Proton when it comes to the art of restoring the Malaysian Tiger’s legacy models. We are well acquainted with the father-son team here who graciously gave us the opportunity to experience two of their projects beforehand, the C99 Wira 1.8 EXi and the Proton Putra. Recently, DSR has opened the doors to its garage in USJ 1 and it’s a place of fantasy for fans of Proton’s cult he

Part of the appeal of driving around in an AMG-fettled vehicle is that people can’t quite tell what’s going on. They’re cars that can appreciate languid drives yet still hold their own on the track – and that’s a privilege that’s gotten easier to own thanks to the introduction of the locally-assembled (CKD) 2022 Mercedes-AMG A35 Sedan. Being Pekan-assembled means your pathway to AMG ownership is now RM 11k cheaper, as it’s now priced from RM 325,090 (on-the-road without insurance and SST). And i

The Proton Satria Neo is the only Malaysian car to date that has ever been sold officially in Japan but it’s not exactly a model meant for the public. Rather, the Malaysian hatchback is sold by aftermarket parts producer, Cusco via its Carrosser distribution network for motorsports purposes. Sold between 2011 and 2018, most of these Satria Neos competed in rallying tournaments across Japan and were favourable according to some reviewers. Still, these cars remained road-legal despite the parts fi

Following today’s launch of the locally-assembled (CKD) Mercedes-Benz A-Class Sedan and GLA, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia (MBM) will no longer promote regular A200 and A250 A-Class Hatchback, which have since been removed from the company’s price list. Only the AMG-badged A35 and A45 S remain, priced at RM 366,785 and RM 437,673 respectively, both imported (CBU) from Europe, either from the Rastatt plant in Germany or Keckskemet plant in Hungary, depending on shipment. This is not to say that MBM will

While scouring through through the Japanese car classifieds looking for a dream JDM to add to my fantasy driveway (as you do), I was surprised to find a Proton Satria Neo listed for sale in Yamanashi Prefecture. Listed at JPY 1 million (~RM 38k), the white Satria Neo (and they're apparently only available in white) was one of a handful of units that were brought over into the Japanese market between 2011 and 2018. Till this day, it remains the only Malaysian car that was sold there officially. G