PROTON cars may soon relaunch in Australia with a new model range as part of a joint venture with Chinese automotive giant Geely.
Proton was established in 1983 with an image as a strongly Malaysia nationalistic brand. Their first cars were based on Mitsubishi products.
They launched the brand in Australia in 1995.
In 1996, Proton acquired an 80% stake in the Lotus company in an effort to take on sporty engineering but the cars mainly sold at the cheap end of the market.
They sold just one car here last year.
Geely already owns Volvo and Lotus and acquired a 49 per cent stake in Proton in 2017.
David’s boyhood passion for motor cars did not immediately lead to a professional role in the motor industry. A qualified Civil Engineer he specialised in traffic engineering and transport planning.
What followed were various positions including being seconded to a government think-tank for the planning of transport firstly in Sydney and then for the whole of NSW. After working with the NRMA and as a consultant he moved to being an independent writer and commentator on the broader areas of transport and the more specific areas of the cars we drive.
His half hour motoring program “Overdrive” has been described as an “informed, humorous and irreverent look at motoring and transport from Australia and overseas”. It is heard on 22 stations across Australia. He does weekly interviews with several ABC radio stations and is also heard on commercial radio in Sydney.
David has written for metropolitan and regional newspapers and has presented regular segments on metropolitan and regional television stations. David is also a contributor for AnyAuto
At the Asia Pacific Rally Championship held in China Proton won the driver’s and manufacturer’s titles. This capped off a dominant season for the Malaysian car maker. [Read More]
