Proton ships more than 1,000 units to South Africa in two months

By CARSIFU | 23 December 2022


SUBANG JAYA: Two months after making its official return to South Africa, national carmaker Proton has gained a firm foothold in South Africa due to the popularity of the Proton X50 and X70.

To date, more than 1,000 units Proton vehicles have been shipped to South Africa to meet the strong demand in the market.

Proton international sales director Steven Xu said the quick take up of its vehicles in South Africa was proof of Proton brand and vehicle appeal.

“We have a strong working relationship with CMH Group, and they have initiated many on-ground activities to give a taste of our current range to as many South Africans as possible,” said Xu.

Proton dealers in South Africa with Xu (third from left, front row).
Proton dealers in South Africa with Xu (third from left, front row).


Proton's return to the South African market after a 10-year hiatus began when it appointed CMH Group as its country distributor in April.

The first shipment of vehicles, comprised of the X50 and X70, took place in May 2022 while the official brand and product relaunch was held on Sept 14.

CMH has progressively expanded the distribution network to increase access to the market while also actively promoting Proton vehicles on social media.

Currently, only Proton’s SUVs are offered in the country and the Saga sedan will be added to the line-up in 2023.

Despite being a matured and competitive market, both Proton and CMH are optimistic about sales prospects in
the country and with the strong sales performance thus far, they are targeting to double the sales volume in 2023.

Xu.
Xu.


 

Xu said Proton and CMH are confident of growing sales exponentially in South Africa as the response they have received thus far has been very encouraging.

“We are committed to provide affordable luxury SUVs for South African car buyers and the X50 and X70 have the right combination of features and value to compete with other brands.

“At the other end of the spectrum, we also feel that the Saga will find its own niche with its combination of style, advanced features, and affordability,” added Xu.

After doubling its volume in 2021, Proton’s export sales are continuing to grow in 2022.

Total exports up to the end of November stand at 5,028 units and with one month remaining before the end of the year, the company’s international sales division is looking forwards to growing the number further.

Pakistan remains as the biggest market with 2,610 units thus far this year.

South Africa is the second largest in terms of volume despite being a new addition while Brunei sits in third.

X50.
X50.


As for model rankings, the Saga remains the most popular offering while the X70 has nearly doubled its volume this year.

The X50, meanwhile, is third but has grown its year-to-date by three times thus far.

“Proton’s export volume continues to grow aggressively as we enter more new markets and establish a mixture of CBU and CKD strategies depending on market conditions.

“Export sales is one of the pillars for our sales growth and as such, we will strive to continue to grow aggressively over the coming years and bolster our position as the leading exporter of vehicles for Malaysia," said Xu.

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