It's plausible since Geely has bought a big chunk of Proton, 49.9% of the company to be precise. Word from the grapevine says that the man to head Proton could be Li Chunrong, who joined Geely just last month from Dongfeng Honda Engine Co. One source even said Li's appointment as Proton chief is a done deal.
Could Li be the man for the job?
Geely and Proton are staying mum for now. We will just have to wait for the official statement whether this "most interesting development" is true - or not.
Whatever the case, the new man at the helm will be keeping a keen eye on rolling out Proton’s first SUV in the second half of 2018.
The SUV is based on the Geely Boyue. One of two variants likely to be offered will be a turbocharged version.
The Boyue, introduced in China last year, is powered by a choice of powertrain options: an older 2.0L naturally aspirated engine with 161hp paired with a 6-speed manual and a 1.8L Turbo Direct Injection engine (181hp) mated to a dual clutch automatic transmission. A 2.4-litre non-turbo mill is offered in the Middle East instead of the 1.8T.
The Boyue will be the base to introduce Proton's first SUV in 2018.
