Proton has just announced that the S70 – yes, not the ‘S50’ as heavily rumoured – has now officially begun production at its Tanjong Malim manufacturing plant. An official launch is not too far away now, and if you want to be the first few in the country to get your hands on the national carmaker’s latest and greatest, Proton outlets nationwide beginning today are now taking customer bookings at a fee of RM500.
The Proton S70 will be the national carmaker’s first sedan model since the Persona, which was introduced back in 2016. Ahead of its launch, the all-new Proton S70 will be going on tour for customer previews in major state capitals around the country starting November 11.
Like the X50, X70, and X90, the all-new Proton S70 is also based on an existing Geely model – more specifically, the fourth-generation Emgrand. It’s built on the marque’s B-segment Modular Architecture (BMA) platform, although its actual size is more comparable to a C-segment sedan, hence the 70 suffix in its name.
Proton is still keeping a tight lip on the S70’s specifications, merely mentioning that it’ll be powered by a “1.5-litre turobcharged engine with dual clutch transmission”. Since it’s a similar 70 suffix to the X70, we can expect the upcoming sedan to feature the same powertrain configuration as its SUV counterpart, with the 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine sending 177 hp and 255 Nm to the front wheels via a seven-speed wet-clutch DCT gearbox.
Its “Intelligence that Evolves” tagline also means that the Proton S70 will come equipped with advanced driver assistance features, alongside enhanced connectivity in the cabin. We hope the latter means we’re finally getting Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity in the central infotainment display – Proton did say it’ll be coming soon, after all.
Speaking at the production line-off ceremony, Proton CEO Li Chunrong said: “The Proton S70 marks a new chapter for Proton as we return to the family sedan market with a model that is the next step in the evolution of our offerings.
“We have high hopes it will prove to be popular with current and new Proton fans and help return us to the top of a market segment that was previously led by models such as the Proton Wira, Waja and PrevĂ©.” Tough shoes to fill, eh?
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