SUBANG JAYA: National car maker Proton has rebounded in February with a 107% jump in sales after a challenging January where its production line was badly affected by unresolved flooding issues.
The company sold 9,225 units of combined domestic and export vehicles last month, allowing it to reclaim second position in the automotive sales table and putting it on track to recover lost sales from January.
Proton’s domestic market share for the month is estimated at 20.2% while for the first two months of the year,
the cumulative market share is estimated to be at 15.9%.
For the automotive market in general, total industry volume (TIV) for the year is estimated to have grown by 11.4% compared to the first two months of last year.
With the full resumption of production in Shah Alam and Tanjung Malim, there was a marked increase in Proton’s sales numbers across the board.
However, models such as the Proton Saga only managed half a month of normal production and sales activities, suppressing its full potential.
The Saga achieved 2,951 units in February, and while this is less than its usual monthly average, the numbers
are expected to return to their previous level in the coming months.
Other models fared better in comparison to their sales targets.
The Proton X50 and X70 closed February with 3,002 and 1,119 units sold, allowing both to retain their
hold on first place in their respective segments.
The Proton X50 was also the best-selling SUV in the country and has attracted over 100,000 bookings in just 16 months.
The Proton Exora also returned to the head of the C-segment MPV table while big improvements for the Proton Iriz and Persona saw them ending the month in fourth and second position in their respective segments.
While domestic sales still trail last year’s volume, export sales are trending upwards and have grown by 72.8%
in 2022.
For the first two months of the year, 323 units have been sold in export markets compared to just 187
units of various Proton cars in 2021.
Proton Edar chief executive officer Roslan Abdullah said February’s rebound in sales was a direct result of the company being able to produce more cars.
“This was only made possible by the outstanding joint efforts of our vendors and Proton staff, who worked and continue to work ceaselessly to get us back on track.
“Thankfully, our order bank remains healthy, and we remain hopeful of catching up to our targets for this year.
“As for the Malaysian automotive industry, the first two months of the year has seen strong demand as evidenced
by the growth in TIV compared to 2021.
“This is good news for both car companies and the vendor community and is also testament to the effectiveness of policies set by the government,” he said.
Roslan also said the company would continue to add to its sales and service network to better serve its customers and enhance sales growth.
The 147th 3S/4S outlet was officially opened in Alor Setar today and is the tenth outlet for EON.
It is also the fifth Proton Platinum Showroom facility in the country and is housed at the iconic Souq Albukhary.
By adding to its industry leading number of 3S/4S outlets, the company is also taking steps to improve the quality of after sales service for its customers.
Keyword: Proton sales makes strong comeback in February 2022