Roslan with the X50.
SUBANG JAYA: National carmaker Proton maintained a strong momentum by selling 52% more vehicles in February compared to the corresponding month last year.
With 14,033 units (domestic and export) sold last month, sales volume was 20.1% higher than in January while for the first two months of the year, year-to-date (YTD) volume has swelled by 88% to 25,714 units.
The company’s market share for the month is estimated to be 22.7%, placing it second in the rankings, and representing a 7.3% increase over February 2022.
Overall, Malaysian car sales continued to surge for a second month in a row with an estimated total industry volume (TIV) of 62,300 units as industry players rush to fulfil sales tax-exempt bookings before the March 31 deadline.
Persona.
With a second consecutive month of sales leadership for B-segment sedans, the Proton Persona is proving its appeal against newer rivals when supply is unaffected by component shortages.
With 2,313 units sold in February, the model broke through the 2,000-unit barrier for a third consecutive month, the first time it has achieved the feat since doing it for five months in a row from June – October 2020.
Another segment-leading Proton model is the X50, which retained leadership of the B-segment SUV market and remained the most popular SUV overall.
The X50 saw 3,247 units sold in February and sales are up by 11% over the first two months of the year.
The third segment leader is Exora, which is enjoying a resurgence as sales of the C-segment MPV leader grew by 216% over the same period in 2022.
Saga.
Two other Proton models - Saga and X70 - finished second last month in their respective segments.
The Saga ended the month with 6,345 units, retaining its position as the best-selling Proton and posting an impressive 11,133 units sold so far this year.
The X70 meanwhile is matching its performance from the first two months of 2022 with 981 units delivered in February and 1,914 units overall for the year.
Finally, the Proton Iriz had its best performance since August 2022 with 811 units sold leading to an improvement of 156% for the first two months of the year.
Proton deputy chief executive officer Roslan Abdullah said the company's strong start to the year reflected the popularity of its current model offerings.
“Just like our competitors, a lot of volume is being driven by the fulfilment of tax-exempt bookings, but our new booking numbers remain healthy, so we are hopeful of continuing our sales growth trajectory for the rest of the year.
“Over the next few months, Proton will also be making several announcements to shape the company’s direction for 2023 and beyond. This will be a busy year as we establish our presence in new segments, enter the new energy vehicle (NEV) market and build our EV credentials when sales of the smart #1 begin,” said Roslan.
