TANJUNG MALIM, September 26- Proton Holdings Bhd is embarking on strategies to regain its position as the market leader and expand its export contributions.
Chairman Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed said the company has set global standards for the new car as a benchmark to enhance its competitiveness and improve its marketability overseas.”The mindset is to produce cars that can be sold anywhere in the world,” he told reporters after launching Proton’s 23rd and latest model, Iriz.
Iriz, said to be the best car produced by Proton so far, is installed with a four-cylinder Variable Valve Timing engine which fulfills the Euro-4 standards and has a 5-star Asean New Car Assessment Programme safety rating.
The car, priced from RM42,438 to RM58,268, has features that are usually found in the higher-end cars of the premium or international brands priced more than RM100,000.
Dr Mahathir said the company also has strategies to expand its export base by offering cars that met individual country’s needs.He said the company was also considering installing the Euro-5 engine to further enhance its marketability overseas.
The engine would either be developed by Proton itself or acquired from other party, he said.”To develop an engine, it usually takes four to five years. We cannot wait so it is better for us to acquire it from other party,” he said.
Meanwhile, on Proton’s ability to wholly produce its components, he said the carmaker was already capable of producing 100 per cent of them.However, he said, such a move was not economical as Proton did not have economies of scale.
“We need to produce 500,000 cars a year to achieve the economies of scale,” he said.
– BERNAMA
