SUBANG JAYA: Proton has begun shipping its first batch of cars to South Africa, a market it first went into 10 years ago.
They comprised the X50, X70 and the Saga. Proton did not provide a break-down of the number of units exported.
CMH Group is the appointed distributor in that country following the signing of an agreement with Proton in April.
The three models are expected to be launched there by the end of the third quarter of the year. The shipment left Westport, Klang, on May 27 and is expected to arrive in Durban in July.
The three models are also the first batch of cars sent to South Africa since 2012.
"South Africa is a matured and competitive market, but we are confident the X50, X70 and Saga have the right combination of features and value to compete with other brands there,” said Proton international sales director Steven Xu.
Proton’s export sales growth this year has been powered by the X50 and X70 with both showing an increase in demand of 77% and 31% respectively.
For the first quarter of this year, total export sales have grown by 175% over the same period in 2021 and that number is expected to increase as the company takes aim at growing export sales by more than 300% by the end of the year.
Vital to achieving the target is the growth in assembly operations overseas.
Currently, such operations are running in Pakistan, Kenya and Bangladesh with Sri Lanka set to join the list in the second half of 2022.
