The new-kid-on-the-block S70 has garnered over 3,000 bookings from eager Malaysians thus far.
With the recent launch of its new S70, there was no doubt that Proton will be riding high on its sales figure through to the end of the year. But even before this sedan actually reaches the hands of many buyers, the roaring lion marque had already proudly announced that it has since surpassed its previous year’s already-healthy sales volume, with another month still to go.
Proton in November saw it shift a total of 12,296 cars, which brings its total year-to-date sales in the 11 months of 2023 to an impressive 141,900 units (Domestic: 138,876 units, Export: 3,024 units). This marks a 12% growth year-on-year from the 141,432 unit sales figure it managed through the whole of last year, and incidentally solidifies its second position standing in the local automotive sales chart with a steady market share of 19.7%.
The Malaysian automaker currently credits its X series of SUVs as being the biggest contributor to its sales, with this past month incidentally also marking the point where Proton has produced over 200,000 units of this particular line of cars. A total of 201,710 units of X50, X70 and X90 has since been produced, with the smallest within the aforementioned range contributing a staggering half (102,325 units) of that impressive production figure.
Its slightly larger X70 sibling however isn’t exactly far behind, with 95,100 units shifted by Proton (both domestically and internationally) since its initial launch back in 2018. The X90 that was introduced less than a year ago meanwhile continues to lead the D-SUV segment locally, garnering a reasonable 4,285 units in sales since its debut earlier this year.
Though for new models launched this year by Proton, it is the newly introduced S70 that the Malaysian automaker will be laughing all the way to the bank with. That is as since its official introduction just a week ago, this B+ segment sedan has already garnered 3,000 orders from excited Malaysians, with apparently over 900 booking made every week for it now too.
And just to show that Malaysians do really care about their truly home-grown cars, Proton has also recorded strong year-to-date growth of 34.3% (compared to 2022) for its legacy PIES models (Saga, Iriz, Persona, Exora) as well. The evergreen Saga still holds court as the best seller within the group, taking the lead with 6,349 units sold in November — which is incidentally the second-highest for the year — while the since-retired Exora bows out gracefully by still retaining the title as best-selling C-segment MPV locally on its dying day.
Reflecting on the achievements, Roslan Abdullah, Chief Executive Officer of Proton Edar, stated, “November has shaped up well for us, and we’re poised for a strong year-end close. Our model lineup has been a key player, perfectly aligning with preferences for style, performance, technology, and practicality. The ongoing improvements in our after-sales services have strengthened customer confidence, ensuring a smooth ownership journey. We’re confident in delivering a strong finish this year, getting cars into the hands of our customers before the year concludes.”
