Watch: The Proton Satria GTi is a Malaysian cult classic according to this British YouTuber
CY Foong · May 2, 2023 10:30 AM
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Proton’s tenure in the UK started off with a bang but ended with a whimper as Malaysia’s first carmaker barely made a dent with buyers who have better options and aren’t constrained with biased regulations. But somewhere between its dramatic rise and silent fall, Proton introduced the Proton Satria GTito attract buyers.
An ad for the Proton Satria GTi in the UK with a headline that won't fly in Malaysia
Malaysia’s first hot hatch was sold officially in the UK, Germany, and Australia but the majority of the around 5,000 units built between 1999 and 2006 were sold in Malaysia. In the first six months of sales in the United Kingdom, only 150 units were sold but that’s also due to Proton’s small dealer network compared to the more established brands.
At its peak, 724 Satria GTis were registered in the UK but only 58 units remained registered as of Q3 2022 according to How Many Left UK. That makes the Satria GTi a rare commodity in Britain and some dealers have started to take notice of its rarity.
One of those dealers, Heel & Toe Cars Limited will be offering a one-owner 2003 Proton Satria GTi with 135,000 miles (~217,000 km) on its odometer. Despite that high mileage, it still looks mostly mint and James Martin who hosts his own YouTube channel, JayEmm on Cars shares his experience driving one in his latest video.
Overall, James is very impressed with the Satria GTi especially in its ride and handling as he drives around a windy British B-road. He is equally impressed at how well the car held up even with the huge mileage, even better than his MG ZR which clocked 27,000 miles (~43,000 km).
The original square tailpipes were sadly eaten away by rust and was replaced by a pair of circular ones
But still, the Satria GTi does not feel as good as its contemporaries and James remarked the price when it was new was a tad bit too high. Compared to the likes of the Honda Civic Type R EP3 and the Peugeot 206 GTi, the Malaysian isn’t that great even with impressive handling.
In the end, James feels that the Satria GTi is a cool car and worthy of being called a cult classic. Used Satria GTis go for around GBP 9,000 (~RM 50,000) but listings are very few and far between given how few remain on the road.
Traded advertising for a career that fits his passion for cars. Enjoys spotting cars during his free time and has a soft spot for Japanese Kei cars but drives a thirsty manual sedan.
