Car advice report on Proton Inspira

[vr]

Will it come to Australia ?

Proton also says the car features specially-tuned suspension by Lotus; something the Lancer version doesn’t get.

http://www.caradvice.com.au/91202/2011- ... -malaysia/

[Nick07]

It says down the bottom in the last paragraph, that it will not be coming to Australia.

[tjoz]

I want the right hand side of the steering wheel, no buttons!! Never use cruise control so I want to get rid of it. Dont have the audio ones and that one has the cruise control ones on the audio side (left side). I want no buttons on my steering wheel

[ofey]

I really like their lip spoiler. Does have abit more of the DO-LUCK Lip don't you think?

The Proton badge is huge on the trunk!

And what about that rear diffuser!? WOW!

[Dire]

That huge bagde makes the boot look cross-eyed to me

[JaCe]

It says down the bottom in the last paragraph, that it will not be coming to Australia.

Pretty sure there is minimal reason (if any) for the exportation a rebadged car made in a protected market. Even the normal cars which they produce have limited economic reasons for export (beyond driving volume growth to lower average costs) as it means that the local market is subsidising inferior products for the benefit of overseas customers.

[Nick07]

Generally if a company announces that they will not be doing something, it generally means they wont be, I know this is not always the case, but it is at least 90% of the time, as if they were going to export it to Australia they most likely would have said so to increase popularity in the company and increase the share price of the company.

[JaCe]

Generally if a company announces that they will not be doing something, it generally means they wont be, I know this is not always the case, but it is at least 90% of the time, as if they were going to export it to Australia they most likely would have said so to increase popularity in the company and increase the share price of the company.

Well reading back on the development of the Inspira from various sites (e.g. paultan) the Inspira was always going to be a badge engineering exercise for Proton to cater for the upper end of the local market over there. The only reason it's "competitively priced" over there is due to the industry protection (i.e. additional taxes/levies on cars manufactured outside of Malaysia or in countries which don't have free trade agreements).

In Australia, without the significant volume, there is little incentive for people to buy it nor would there be much opportunity to sell it when the original product (i.e. the Lancer itself) is readily available at an already competitive price, and is from a more reputable manufacturer.

Proton is far more likely to bring over more of it's cheaper cars over here and target the budget segment (e.g. Proton Saga -> Proton S16) where it stands a chance of being competitive. That, and I'm pretty sure Mitsu wouldn't want Proton to be competing with itself in what is obviously a good market for Mitsu.

[Nick07]

Yeah, there's a proton for 11k drive away

Soon brand new cars will be selling for under 10 grand, you wonder what will be sacrificed.

[JaCe]

Yeah, there's a proton for 11k drive away

Soon brand new cars will be selling for under 10 grand, you wonder what will be sacrificed.

Don't need to wonder- I'm willing to bet anything which isn't tangible or immediately obvious goes first (e.g. R&D), then safety features, then anything electric which can be switched to manual (e.g. mirrors, etc?), and maybe even the switch back to *gasp* cars without airconditioning standard.

That being said, Proton which is already at the lower end of the price spectrum does seem to include quite a few features (e.g. airconditioning) standard which is good.

[spunkybob]

I think it looks better then a lancer.... even better then a VRX
I see people contacting proton for that front/read bar lol, just got to take off the proton badge.

[JaCe]

... or simply replica designs. Yep, a replica of a Proton!

[dannyboi]

I think it looks better then a lancer.... even better then a VRX
I see people contacting proton for that front/read bar lol, just got to take off the proton badge.

It looks pretty bad-ass, despite not being a sports version. The VRX over here just doesn't look that tough any more, especially since the Ralliart became available and the ES started getting some add-ons as the Activ and SX.

[tjoz]

The rear bar looks familiar, Ive seen it somewhere before. The rear lip is similar to the one on the 380 minus the tail light bits. If you could get a mix of the one peice grille RA/Evo and the side air dams from the Proton you got a better looking Lancer. Mitsubishi only wanted 3 faces for the Lancer but that would be a good refresh for the MY12 cycle Lancers

[customundo]

Some pictures taken at the local dealer today.

I myself am not too fussed with it but I just so happen to walk past the dealer so I dropped in to have a look. This is the 1.8L CVT model. It was the only one on display.