KUALA LUMPUR: Proton Holdings Bhd’s sales rose 14.1 per cent to 7,011 units last month from 6,145 units in March.
This put Proton as second top selling brand in the local car market.
The national carmaker said the achievement was recorded amid a downturn in the total industry volume (TIV), which contracted 6.2 per cent month-on-month (MoM).
Proton was also the automotive brand ranked in the top five to record a positive growth, recording an overall sales growth of 50.2 per cent to date, it said in a statement today.
Its strong performance was mainly driven by the Proton Saga and X70, annd boosted by the recently-launched Iriz and Persona, which has received over 4,000 bookings.
“Proton is proud to finish second in overall sales in April 2019, returning to the position for the first time in over three years. Our aim is to try and end the year in second place to create a solid base for our long-term goal of leading the Malaysian car market again.
“With the launch of the Iriz and Persona and improved versions of the Proton Exora and Saga set to be introduced later this year, we are quietly confident of achieving our goal,” said Proton chief executive officer Dr Li Chunrong.
Proton’s 7,011 units are equivalent to a 13.6 per cent share of the overall market.
The Saga displaced the X70 as the best-selling Proton model with 3,047 units sold, the first time it has breached the 3,000 unit barrier since August 2018 during the zero-rated GST three-month grace period.
With 11,133 units delivered so far this year, the X70 remains the best-selling sports utility vehicle in Malaysia with a 24 per cent market share.
“Nearly five months since it was launched, the X70 continues to show its staying power by heading its market segment despite the launch of new models by rival brands.
“Proton is now an established player in the SUV market and our experience with our first SUV will serve us well in the near future as we launch more models that are jointly developed by Proton and Geely,” said Li.