When it rains, it pours. Last week, news emerged that global car culture site Speedhunters has shut down. Goodbyes are never easy and the latest one hits much closer to home… and the heart. Social media posts by personnel related to the outfit indicate that the motorsports division of our national carmaker, Proton R3 (Race, Rally, Research), has ceased operation permanently.
A now-deleted Facebook post by former R3 employee Suriya Sankaran had a photo of staff clocking out for the final time from R3’s facility at Proton’s Centre of Excellence on 11 July 2025.
If Suriya’s name sounds familiar, local petrolheads will recognise him as the co-founder of Dream Street Restoration (DSR), a Proton restoration specialist. He continues to work closely with the now-defunct R3 outfit and its team members.
Proton was very much in the deep end of rallying under the Petronas EON Racing Team (PERT) banner. Following the team’s disbandment, R3 was established in 2003 to continue Proton’s motorsports legacy and expand it to circuit disciplines on an international stage.
R3 was meant to be a catalyst for the Proton marque to prove its mettle on an international platform and spur the brand’s growth. Back then, the ‘Race on Sunday, sell on Monday’ mantra proved to be a winning method and drove recognition for the national carmaker.
Continuing to kick up gravel and dirt, the Satria Neo S2000 rally car developed by Mellors Elliot Motorsport competed in the Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) from 2010 to 2012, as well as other rallying championships.
Its magnum opus came in the 2011 APRC season as it won the overall championship and occupied second spot, simultaneously handing Proton the overall manufacturer’s title.
The Satria Neo S2000’s dominance didn’t just raise Proton’s reputation internationally, it granted entry into the Japanese market, notorious for loyalty to local brands. The Satria Neo was exported there, a true achievement for Proton. This even led to a collaboration with renowned Japanese tuner Cusco that modified the hatchback for rallying.
On the circuit swing, R3 emerged victorious overall in the Merdeka Millennium Endurance race in 2004 and 2005 in a Lotus Exige 300RR.
Success continued in the Malaysia Super Series Malaysia Touring Car (MTC) class with R3 proving to be an unstoppable force, winning in 2007, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2019. Keeping those trophies company on the mantle were the ones from the Sepang 1000km (S1K) Endurance Race in 2012, 2014, 2017, 2018 and 2019.
RELATED: Team Proton R3 clinches double victory at last weekend’s Malaysia Championship Series
Every victory in the local championships were done in Proton machinery that R3 built, comprising popular models such as the Satria Neo, Preve, Suprima S, Iriz and Saga.
After a hiatus, R3 made a return to the S1K last year in two Proton S70 sedans. While general motorsports enthusiasts were elated with the outfit’s return to the track, little did we know it was a bittersweet endeavour, marking their final foray in racing.
RELATED: Proton reveals S70 R3 race car ahead of 2024 Sepang 1,000km endurance race
Away from the chequered flags of racing, R3’s road car division was imperative in forging the lifestyle and performance culture for the brand. Simply put, R3 made Proton cool.
The division developed a number of limited-edition vehicles based on existing models. Petrolheads will remember desiring the Satria R3 and Satria Neo R3 Lotus Racing. We’ll take a closer look at this in a following article. Aside from that, the mandatory performance parts and accessories and merchandise followed as well.
Since the Geely takeover, R3 was parked under Proton Global Service (PGS) with plans to gradually reignite their services with accessories and minor performance components comprising engine oil and oil filters. That plan appears to have permanently stalled now.
Suriya is keen to meet current Proton management to ascertain the future of R3’s race cars. Independent race teams could purchase the current race cars and continue fielding them while the historic models in their care could be relocated for preservation.
RELATED: Proton R3 unveils new range of engine oil and motorsports-inspired merchandise
Current R3 employees will be re-designated to plant operations in Shah Alam before being relocated to their Tanjung Malim plant once production is fully transferred there.
Proton has yet to release a statement regarding R3 being shut down.
