Proton did what? 6 hardcore R3 models that we'll probably never see again

Mention Malaysia and its almost a travesty to not talk about Proton. Talk about Proton and its borderline blasphemous to not note about their Race Rally Research (R3) division who were responsible for lots of special cars along the carmaker’s 35-year history. 

Founded in 2003, R3 is a company formed out of love for all things high-performance. As it says on the tin, they specialise in researching, engineering and producing race and rally cars, and that often translates to special-edition R3 cars and performance parts for customers like you and me.

You might not hear much about them these days, but that doesn't mean they're anywhere near obscure. Shah Alam's finest have done quite well to fill their trophy cabinets courtesy of victories in the Merdeka Millenium Endurance Race, Malaysian Rally Championship (MRC) & Sepang 1000KM Endurance Race (S1K).

R3 usually then goes and make spiffy versions of regular Proton cars to celebrate their victories and these are exactly what we're walking you through - Merdeka throwback and all!

That said, we'll only be peeking at hardcore R3 cars. Models like the Inspira R3 - with nothing more than a visual package - will be sitting on the bench for this one.

1. Proton Satria R3 1.8 (2004)

This Satria is R3’s first completely tuned car sold with a warranty. Limited to just 150 units, the Satria R3 was practically a racecar in street guise, especially if you take into account the work that went into it.

No rivets were left unspun in its creation. R3 engineers reinforced the chassis with double-seam welds to strengthen the structure and reduce body flex as much as possible.

R3 then installed strut tower bars up front, anti-roll bars at the back, beefed up the suspension, fixed bigger brakes and put on a sport exhaust system.

Since it was already so stiff, caring about comfort just seems very redundant. Out the window went airbags, the anti-lock braking system as well as sound insulation, and anything that couldn't be dumped was replaced with lightweight parts. 

This diet meant that the Satria only weighed 995 kg!

A loud exhaust is a must, considering it came with a tuned 1.8-litre 4G93P that made 140 PS and 168 Nm. Combine that with its feather-like weight and it can probably still teach jumpy upstarts a lesson or two.

2. Proton Waja Merdeka Millennium Endurance Edition (MME) (2006)

The Merdeka Millenium Endurance (MME) is a 12-hour endurance race series that’s annually organised in Sepang. In 2005, team Proton R3 Amprex were the overall champion and winners of Class O, completing 279 laps in a specially-built Lotus Exige 300RR. 

To commemorate this win, R3 took the Proton Waja and gave it the works on the outside and inside. The result is the limited-edition, Deep Burgundy-only Proton Waja MME Edition.

Outside, it wears a bespoke R3 ‘ZeroKit’ consisting of redesigned front bumper and grille, rear apron and side skirts. The Waja also got HID Xenon headlights in unique 'Dark Titanium' headlamp housings - a first for any Malaysian car at that time. 

The bodykit essentially looked like the racecar, pictured below.

Performance-wise, R3 then slapped on its cat-back exhaust system and uprated spark plug cables. Both these mods gave a 12 PS bump to the Waja's 1.6-litre naturally-aspirated Campro mill.

All in, power rose to 122 PS but R3 rated the Waja MME at 118 PS.

Rolling the Waja along is a set of 16-inch, 7-spoke alloy wheels wrapped in Continental SportContact-1 tyres. Drilled brake discs hid behind the wheels, which is another hint of the car's sporting ambitions.

Inside is fairly standard, save for the R3 gearknob, carpets and a sound system that supports Bluetooth and iPod connectivity.

Only 200 of these special Wajas were made (each with its own serial number) but if that isn't your thing...

3. Proton GEN.2 Merdeka Millennium Endurance Edition (MME) (2006)

There also was this, the Gen.2 MME which was offered alongside the Waja.

It's quite a looker and a purist's dream too, as evidenced by the imposing stance and the fact that it only comes with a manual gearbox!

Like the Waja, it also got R3's five-piece ZeroKit encompassing the front bumper, spoiler, rear apron and side skirts.

That said, it forgoes Xenon HID headlights but still gets the Dark Titanium finish on its housings. 

It was mechanically similar to the Waja - same 1.6-litre Campro engine with upgraded catback exhaust and spark plug cables - so it made the same 118 PS. Check out the red strut tower bar and engine cover, that's sporty intentions right there!

Which means it also retains the 16-inch wheels, Continental SportContact-1 tyres, drilled brake discs and sportier suspension that dropped the Gen.2's height by 25 mm.

Going inside, there is a red R3 gearknob, a headunit with Bluetooth and iPod connectivity and R3 carpets to complete the look. It's also another rare one - only 200 of these were produced.

4. Proton Satria Neo R3 (2008)

When the Proton Satria Neo broke cover in 2006, many were wondering if Proton would release sportier versions of it just like its predecessor. Well, it already looked the part, it could use a little go right?

A couple of years later, R3 shot back with this - the Satria Neo R3.

All 10 units were offered only in Incognito Black, but unfortunately it wasn’t as hardcore as the last time the R3 badge got stuck on a Satria.

No double-seam welded chassis, but R3 still managed to carve something out of this hatchback. 

Under the hood, R3 gave it bigger (8 mm) spark plug cables, installed a set of R3 exhaust system and fettled with the ECU. All this bumped the power up to 135 PS at 6,100 rpm and torque to 164 Nm at 4,200 rpm.

It got the R3 treatment outside as well, thanks to an aggressive bodykit and Bridgestone Potenza RE001 tyres hugging the 17-inch Advanti SG15 wheels. 

A set of drilled brake discs paired with Mintex M1144 brake pads helped with stopping duty.

It’s red and black interior is a boy racer’s dream - R3 put in a pair of Recaro SR4 seats and added neat touches like the R3 gearknob, carpet, bosskit and Momo Tuner steering wheel. 

5. Proton Satria Neo R3 Clubsport (2008)

If you are a trackday addict and find the Satria Neo R3 a bit too tame for your tastes, you may find the Satria Neo R3 Clubsport to be more up your pitlane.

Created in 2008, this model was properly track-focused - only 25 were made, and buyers were required to take part in its one-make race series.

It uses a non-CPS version of its Campro 1.6-litre naturally-aspirated mill because that makes it easier to modify. With a new camshaft, ECU and exhaust system, the Neo Clubsport makes 137 PS. 

Doesn't sound like much, but remember it’s a good 109 kg lighter than a bog-standard Satria Neo. The ethos was to "simplify, then add lightness", as described by Lotus' founder, Colin Chapman. 

Besides the tuned engine and weight reduction, the Neo Clubsport was also equipped with FIA-approved 6-point rollcage and suspension. 

Functionality is the name of the game with the Clubsport so no fancy bodykit here - a subtle front splitter and an aggressively-angled roof spoiler were installed to help aerodynamic matters.

Other racecar touches include a pair of hood pins and tow hook at the front, external battery killswitch (to turn off electricity supply in an emergency) and tailgate clips. 

Everything - including carpet and soundproofing - were binned and the driver gets a Recaro TS-G seat with Sparco seatbelts. 

The steering wheel is a Momo Tuner unit, complete with R3 bosskit and quick release.

All 25 units of the Clubsport came with a set of 195/50R15 Bridgestone Potenza RE001 tyres covering 15-inch R3 wheels. Capping off the whole racecar look were R3 Clubsport graphics at the sides and boot.

When all’s said and done (the modifications supposedly cost RM29,000), the result is a Satria Neo that could lap Sepang in under 3 minutes. Not bad for a road-legal racecar!

6. Proton Satria Neo R3 Lotus Racing (2010)

We like saving for the best for the last and this is it, the crème de la crème of R3’s work. Sold for RM 115,000 and with a limited-run of just 25 units, the Satria Neo R3 Lotus Racing remains R3's priciest car.

First up, the 1.6-litre Campro engine was modified with an R3 ECU, alloy camshaft and pulleys, titanium exhaust manifold, bespoke exhaust system and a K&N air filter with a carbon-fibre intake.

Think about that. Carbon-fibre. In a Proton. 

With these touches, the Neo R3 Lotus Racing thumps out 145 PS and 168 Nm of torque, which is a 25 PS and 18 Nm bump from the standard Neo's 120 PS and 150 Nm. 

9.2 seconds was all it needed to settle the century sprint before hitting a top speed of 200 km/h.

It was a screamer too - it could reach 7,500 rpm in each gear and the ‘characteristic’ torque dips of the Campro was completely eliminated. 

Lotus Racing wasn’t just a name they tacked on the car - the boys and girls at Hethel, Norfolk got their greasy hands on it, swapping out the standard suspension for a set of adjustable Öhlins DFV (Dual Flow Valve) that comes with more durable rubber bushings and improved suspension geometry.

Weight-saving measures meant that this gleaming green Neo was 62 kg lighter than its standard counterpart.

Inside, it received Nappa leather upholstery and an alloy gearknob. 

Outside, it got fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP) bumpers, 16-inch Advanti wheels paired with 205/45R16 Bridgestone Adrenaline RE001 tyres and 4-pot AP Racing brakes up front. 

Yes, that's the signature weave pattern of a carbon-fibre hood.

All 25 units were finished in Lotus Racing Green with yellow and white stripes. It sticks out like a sore thumb everywhere it goes - but shouldn't that be the way for R3 cars anyway?