2009 Annual Report - ChartNexus

Operations Review
Product Development
The Group’s financial year under review was punctuated by a historic milestone when we
introduced the Exora, the first PROTON multi-purpose vehicle (MPV). In addition, the past
year also saw a series of product refreshments to our existing line of vehicles that were
tailored to appeal to an even broader market segment.
Exora
The Exora is a testament to the coming-of-age of the Group’s R&D and engineering
capabilities. The model is the first in the Company’s 26-year history to be built without the
feasibility prototypes and in a record time span of 18 months, which was a feat in itself.
The Exora is PROTON’s answer to the booming Malaysian MPV market and it was built
around our very own well-received CamPro CPS 1.6 liter engine. It features a hydro-formed
sub-frame and lightweight front-end module as well as tailored blanked body parts which
are able to reduce the overall vehicle weight while significantly improving its safety
performance. Having surpassed all European crash regulations, the Exora is at par with the
other MPVs in the market.
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At the same time, the Group’s R&D homologation team worked tirelessly to keep abreast
of regulatory and certification requirements in key markets. Collectively, the information
gathered will be integral to ensuring that we develop products that are well in line with
the markets’ needs.