With another 12,690 vehicles delivered (domestic and export) during the month of August, Proton’s cumulative sales have again passed the 100,000-unit level, making it the sixth consecutive year that the Malaysian automaker has passed that level since 2019.
Proton expects its market share to be 19%, based on an estimated January – August Total Industry Volume (TIV) of 534,766 units – an increase of 6.2% over the same period in 2023.
Strong demand for X50
Notable highlights for the upward trending month were strong sales numbers for the X50 for a second consecutive month. The latest model has been well received and propelled the SUV ahead of its rivals in the B-segment.
In fact, some 8,000 orders were received for the model within a month of its launch in early June. In response to this strong demand, Proton increased X50 production so customers would not have to wait long.
The Saga is still tops
Following record deliveries of 7,855 units in July, sales of the ever-popular Saga totalled 6,211 units in August, bringing the cumulative volume for 8 months to 48,904 units or 6.7% higher than the same period in 2023.
“We remain optimistic about the potential for further growth in the local automotive industry. Malaysia’s automotive market remains buoyant, and this is reflected by our sales volume exceeding 100,000 units for a sixth consecutive year with four months remaining in 2024,” said Roslan Abdullah, CEO of Proton Edar.
“While there has been a lot of competition this year from new brands, market response to Proton’s latest updated models has been positive with strong booking numbers seen nationwide. This is a testament to the effectiveness of the enhancements made and speaks volumes about the importance of having a market leading network of 3S/4S outlets to serve our customers’ needs,” he added.
“In light of the resilient domestic economy, with GDP growth projected at 4% to 5%, Proton agrees with the Malaysian Automotive Association’s decision to increase its forecast for 2024’s TIV to 765,000 units,” said Encik Roslan Abdullah.
Growing export sales
On the export front, Proton continues to grow sales which are important for the company’s future. Following a slow month in July, export sales of Proton models are steadily picking up pace as the company strives to expand and reestablish its brand with various models overseas.
Brunei set a new sales record in August as total export volume grew by more than 100% with 120 units sold there. “As one of our first export markets, Proton has a long history with Bruneian car buyers stretching back to the original Proton Saga. Thanks to the strong efforts of Pad Motors Proton Brunei in promoting our latest range of intelligent models, the brand has undergone a rejuvenation in the country leading to achieving the record sales volume in August,” said Encik Roslan Abdullah.
This year, the bestselling export model has been the Saga and along with increasing numbers for other models, the cumulative volume for 2024 so far has reached 2,110 units. Besides exports as completely built-up (CBU) vehicles, some Proton models are also exported in completely knocked down (CKD) form for assembly in other countries.
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