The milestone was achieved just seven months after the first unit rolled off the line in April this year.
The 1.5 TGDI engine production is part of Proton’s commitment to invest RM1.8bil to upgrade its facilities in Tanjung Malim and the culmination of a journey that began in 2019 that was taken under challenging conditions.
Despite having the project delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic, Proton engineers in Tanjung Malim worked together via virtual meeting software with teams from equipment suppliers and Geely in China to map out the production line and began initial assembly works.
Dr Li.
Proton chief executive officer Dr Li Chunrong said the new engine line is a testimony to the grit and determination of Proton workers to overcoming obstacles and achieving their goals.
“It is one of the most advanced engine assembly lines in Malaysia with a high level of automation, a climate-controlled environment and multiple testing gateways to ensure the high quality of its output.
“In 2023 we are targeting an output of 60,000 engines, which will be used across several Proton models,” said Dr Li.
1.5 TGDI.
For November, Proton also achieved 11,316 units as the company grappled with temporary supply issues that led to a month-on-month decrease of 13.1% compared to October 2022.
Year-to-date (YTD) sales stood at 126,682 units, a growth of 10.4% has already been achieved over 2021 with one full month to go to the end of the year.
Market share for the month is estimated to be 17.7% and for the year, Proton retains its hold on second position in the sales table with 19.7% of total vehicle sales.
It is also estimated that Total Industry Volume (TIV) for 2022 will set a record and approach 700,000 units as Malaysia’s automotive market enjoyed a fourth consecutive month of more than 60,000 sales.
Individually, five Proton models have already exceeded their total volume from 2021 with two models, the Proton X50 and Exora, leading their respective segments the whole year.
Export sales have also increased by over 2,000 units from the previous year as YTD sales now stand at 5,028 units compared to 3,018 for the whole of the previous year.
Proton deputy chief exeutive officer Roslan Abdullah said November was an eventful sales month as the company experienced some temporary supply issues that prevented it from achieving our full potential.
“We are confident of being able to rectify them in December and remain positive about closing out the year strongly.
“Proton will end 2022 with a fourth consecutive year of sales growth. Aside from benefitting the company, the increase in sales has also increased the volume of parts purchased from local vendors, increased our number of dealers, and created jobs for the automotive ecosystem.
“With new model introductions in the pipeline for 2023, we hope to be able to increase our contribution to the Malaysia economy by making more local investments, selling more vehicles, and further growing our export markets,” said Roslan.
