OVER the past month, Proton Edar Sdn Bhd has held a nation-wide drive in a cross-promotion ahead of the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou 2022 that will officially open on Sept 23 and end on Oct 8.
The event, which was to be held in China last year, had been delayed due to a rise in Covid-19 cases.
Proton is the authorised official vehicle of the event through a partnership between DRB-HICOM Bhd and Zhejiang Geely Holding Group.
The promotion was aimed at showcasing Malaysia's cultural heritage, which also involved the collection of handicraft unique to the visited states.
These handicraft will later be donated to the Asian Game Museum in Hangzhou.
The month-long tour started in Sabah and then extended to Sarawak, Pahang, Melaka and Perak.
The final items were a beaded pinokol necklace from Sabah, a sape from Sarawak, an encased fabric sample of tenun Pahang, a kebaya nyonya from Melaka, a labu sayong from Perak, and sepak raga from Penang.
"As Geely is one of the presenting sponsors of the 19th Asian Games, Proton's involvement is not only part of our effort to support our national athletes competing at the games, but also the work undertaken by our joint venture partner.
"The Malaysian contingent will be competing hard to win but they are also ambassadors for the country. So it is apt for them to present handicraft from Malaysia to the Asian Games Museum in Hangzhou.
"Proton's involvement with sporting events is symbolic of our drive for quality and excellence in our products.
"The efforts of the athletes to train and achieve peak performance mirror our processes to ensure that vehicles delivered to our valued customers meet the highest standards. As such, the company is thankful for the opportunity to be associated with such an important sporting event," said chief executive officer Roslan Abdullah.
SPIRIT OF SPORTS
Across scenic highways and byways, a huge part of the journey had the convoy travelling in Proton's X70, X50 and the newly launched X90 sport utility vehicles.
Taking turns to have an opportunity at the wheel, the latter was a treat for many in attendance as the model was only launched in May.
It was also the perfect opportunity for Proton to showcase its third model in the X range.
The X90 is priced from RM123,800 to RM152,800. The six-seater configuration features captain seats in the second row with ample legroom in every row for optimum spaciousness and comfort.
As the company's first mild-hybrid electric vehicle (MHEV), the X90 unsurprisingly has the best power output (190hp and 300Nm of torque combined with the Belt Starter Generator system making 13hp and 45Nm) and fuel consumption rate.
That's power, comfort and journey sustainability all in one, just perfect for those long "balik kampung" drives.
The mild-hybrid setup pairs a 48V Electric Motor Synergy system with the 1.5L TGDi engine and a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.
Both X50 and X70 were also allowed to shine in their own right.
The X50, for instance, is the sportiest and the best for urban driving. It houses a 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbocharged multi-point fuel injection (1.5T PFI) engine that's paired with a seven-speed wet dual-clutch automatic transmission for a powertrain output of 147hp at 5,500rpm and 226Nm of torque.
While it may be the most compact, it still has sufficient legroom space for all passengers. The 1.5TGDi Flagship variant is priced at RM103,300.
For the older X70 model, it now has the same engine as the X50 following its most recent update, except for the Premium two-wheel drive variant that has a 1.8L engine.
While its fuel consumption of 7.6 litres per 100km is slightly higher than the X50's 6.4 litres per 100km, their performances are largely similar.
The 2022 X70 is priced at RM98,800 for the 1.5 Standard 2WD, RM110,800 for the 1.5 Executive 2WD, RM116,800 for the 1.5 Executive AWD, RM123,800 for the 1.5 Premium 2WD and RM128,800 for the 1.8 Premium 2WD.
The X90 has the best utility and most value for money, especially for long journeys and large families. The level of comfort and stability is much higher than its more affordable siblings.
The X50 is suited to a more urban-centric daily lifestyle.
