2009 Annual Report - ChartNexus

Corporate Developments
Expanding Product Range
Chairman’s Statement
PROTON has during the course of the year under review, carried out various strategic and
tactical initiatives aimed at reinforcing the foundation for future growth.
Within the PROTON Group, Lotus Group International Limited (“Lotus”) unveiled the
much-awaited Evora at the London Motor Show. Working on the concept of “The Practical
Lotus Sportscar”, the Evora is the world’s only 2+2 mid-engined vehicle, powered by a 3.5
litre V6 engine. With almost 300 deposits received prior to the price announcement and
having received rave reviews from international motoring media, the Evora is well-placed
to establish itself as the standard or benchmark in its car segment. To date, the Evora is
in full production and expected to contribute positively to Lotus’ bottom-line in the near
future.
The Evora.
A noteworthy mention is the involvement of a team of Malaysian engineers in key areas
of the Evora project. Their participation not only brought an added dimension to the
development of the Exora but further propagated knowledge sharing, thereby creating
invaluable synergies within the Group. Invariably, the close working relationship between
our Malaysian engineers and their Lotus counterparts will be a significant factor in creating
ever-more competitive and appealing PROTON vehicles, moving forward.
On this score, the Exora is already blazing new trails for PROTON since its official launch in
April 2009. Being Malaysia’s very first MPV and PROTON’s latest addition to its stable, the
Exora is proudly carrying our flag with its well thought out design, good built quality and
robust safety features. To date, the Exora has surpassed even the most demanding market
PROTON 2009 ANNUAL REPORT
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