Proton’s New Car Open For Booking Tuesday

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 31 (Bernama) — Proton's new sedan, codenamed BLM, is open for booking at all its showrooms and authorised dealers nationwide beginning Tuesday.

The model is scheduled to be unveiled in mid-January and is set to be a hit with Malaysians, the national carmaker said in a statement here Monday.

BLM will become the sixth vehicle fully developed and built ground-up by Proton after Waja (2000), Gen.2 (2004), Savvy (2005), Satria Neo (2006) and Persona (2007).

The new car is the second new model introduced by the national carmaker in less than six months.

Proton Holdings Bhd managing director Datuk Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir said the national carmaker considered it apt to make it a truly Malaysian celebration of the New Year by opening for booking a car built for the people.

"We are confident that the BLM will be the ideal New Year's gift to the nation. The model combines simple, contemporary design with dynamic driving performance, practical features, affordable price and economical ownership costs, which we strongly believe will be the right car for the right market, at the right price and time," Syed Zainal said.

Syed Zainal also expressed his confidence that the new car would attract much interest that will subsequently be translated into bookings even before it is unveiled at its official launch.

The 1.3-litre BLM will be priced between RM30,000 and RM35,000, with the variants available in seven colours – Zircon Green, Metallic Black, Solid White, Mountain Blue, Genetic Silver, Chilli Red and Granite Gray.

"We are very excited. Just like the very first car that rolled out from the Proton factory in 1985, this will mark a very momentous occasion for Proton," he said.

Syed Zainal also pointed out that it will be the beginning of a new saga, with the car being another source of national pride and an icon that every Malaysian will be proud to own or be in one.

— BERNAMA