Proton · 2018–present

Proton X70

The Proton X70 is a compact crossover SUV produced by the Malaysian car maker Proton. Marketed as a C-segment SUV, the car was launched on 12 December 2018, unveiled in a ceremony by then-prime minister and former Proton chairman Mahathir Mohamad. Being the first SUV released by Proton, it is conceived by rebadging the Geely Boyue, following the acquisition of Proton by Geely Automobile Holdings in 2017. The X70 is distinguishable from the Boyue by some design element differences and its right-hand drive configuration. In the beginning, the X70 was fully imported (CBU or completely built-up) from China, but since February 2020 the locally assembled version (CKD or complete knocked down) was made available with several notable mechanical changes.

Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

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Background

=== Pre-launch === On 24 May 2017, DRB-HICOM as the owner of Proton has reached an agreement with Geely for the Chinese carmaker to acquire a 49.9% equity stake in Proton. The acquisition and partnership was urgently needed, since at the time DRB-HICOM cites several problems which were Proton's lack of technological competitiveness, which it claimed could hamper its ability to develop quality products. Through the close partnership, Proton will have access to Geely's technologies to address the problem. In the same day, DRB-HICOM announced a plan to build a crossover SUV for Proton based on the Geely Boyue. The Boyue was picked as the first new product under the Geely ownership to compete in the booming SUV market, which Proton had no presence in. Being the first Geely-based product, the X70 does not share any components with any other Proton vehicle. Proton claimed that pricing the X70 competitively was a great challenge as it lacked parts commonality with other models, and yield smaller scale production relative to its left-hand drive Chinese counterpart. In April 2018, Proton opened up an online poll to the public to vote on the name. Participants could choose between PX7, X7, X70 and X700 or voice in their own input. X70 was later announced as the chosen name for the SUV in September 2018. In June 2018, it was announced that the initial units were going to be fully imported (CBU) from China with latter models being locally assembled (CKD) at Proton's plant. The X70 was previewed at the 2018 Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show. Post-launch. The X70 was officially launched on 12 December 2018 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. In the launch ceremony, then-prime minister Mahathir Mohamad presents the first X70 key to his wife Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali during the la

Etymology

The "-70" suffix is correlated to it being a C-segment vehicle, similar to the Proton S70 while the "X" implies the vehicle being an SUV.

Development

Compared to the Boyue, Proton said it had to reposition and realign several critical parts which include the dashboard assembly, pedals, steering console, door buttons, brakes, gearbox, headlights calibration, wiper orientation, air-conditioning ducts, glove box, and several cables and wires in order to convert it into a right-hand drive vehicle, as the Boyue was not developed to have an RHD version in mind. A total of 761 parts had to be changed to convert the Boyue into the right-hand drive X70, without counting the components that were completely re-engineered. The localisation process also involved several adjustments of the car to suit the tropical climate. Some rubber components and cooling parts had to be redesigned, while the engine management system had to be recalibrated to account for the rougher terrain and altitude. The X70 must be able to withstand Kuala Lumpur's standstill traffic at 34 °C (93 °F) daily, drive up to the mountainous Genting Highlands at over 1,800 metres (6,000 ft) where the air is thinner, as well as survive the treacherous landscape of East Malaysia. After all the changes, the X70 had to undergo a testing process that involved repeating around 25 percent of the 548 tests that was conducted in the development of the donor car, the Boyue. Proton managed to reach 45 percent of local content for the X70 by the time production in Tanjung Malim began in late 2019. It was achieved by sourcing components from local suppliers, which some of them did not initially have the capability to produce several advanced components. Proton and Geely offered a solution by initiating a series of and technical assistance and joint ventures agreements with Geely suppliers in China. The company aims to increase the local component figure to around 53 percent by

Design

There are a few design elements incorporated into the X70 to distinguish it from the Boyue, especially at the front of the SUV. A new grille design is used and it is referred to as the "infinite weave". It is inspired by the batik and Malaysian wood carvings, and the design is also used on the inside for the speaker covers. A chrome surround is added on the grille and is inspired by a hunting bow, one of Malaysia's traditional weapons. To further showcase Proton's identity and evoke the appearance of a tiger, the muscular body surfacing of the X70 is also accompanied by a headlight design inspired by the eyes of a tiger.

Interior

A tonneau cover, air purifier system, rear air vents, dual zone automatic climate control, steering wheel switches, tilt and telescopic adjustment, LCD meter combination, central door locking with auto lock and push start button are all standard interior related features. Across the range, the Proton 'GKUI' head-unit is offered which consists of 8-inch touchscreen display, voice recognition, online music streaming, navigation, smartphone connectivity, Bluetooth connectivity and 4G Wi-Fi. Speaker count is 6 on the Standard 2WD variant, 8 on the Executive 2WD and 9 on the Premium 2WD and Premium X 2WD variant with the additional subwoofer. Note that the Premium 2WD variants gets additional voice recognition functionality. The GKUI Android-based infotainment system is based on the similar system found in the Boyue with adjustments to operate properly in Malaysia. Facelift. The X70 now features a new three-spoke steering wheel and a unique dashboard with a gloss black panel and multi-colour ambient lighting that changes with the music. It also has a larger 12.3-inch “floating” infotainment screen, compared to the previous 10.25-inch version. The major update is the addition of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Moreover, the Proton Link app has been upgraded to allow users to start the engine remotely, enabling them to cool down the vehicle before getting inside. Material wise, new Stone Grey Nappa leather replaces the old brown upholstery, with a new crisscross stitching pattern on the door cards and a black headlining instead of beige.

Safety

=== ASEAN NCAP === Proton X70 had received a full score in ASEAN NCAP crash safety rating for the side impact test as well as for head protection technology in 2018. All versions are equipped with ABS, EBD, brake assist, ESC, traction control, six airbags, ISOFIX child seat mounting points, and seat belts with pretensioners and load limiters.

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Specifications

name: Proton X70
Manufacturer: Proton
Transmission: 6-speed automatic (CBU 2018-2019), 7-speed wet DCT (CKD 2019-present)
Kerb weight: 1585-1675 kg
Height: 1694 mm
Width: 1831 mm
Length: 4519 mm
Wheelbase: 2670 mm
Engine: Petrol:, 1.5 L JLH-3G15TD I3 turbo (2022-2025), 1.5 L BHE15-EFZ turbo I4 (2026–present), 1.8 L 4G18TDB I4 turbo (2018-2024)
Platform: Geely NL
Layout: Front-engine, front-wheel-drive (2018-present), Front-engine, four-wheel-drive (2018-2024)
Body style: 5-door SUV
Class: Compact crossover SUV (C)
Designer: Azlan Othman
aka: Geely Boyue
Assembly: China: Ningbo, Zhejiang (2019), Malaysia: Proton City, Tanjung Malim, Perak (PTMSB, 2020–present), Pakistan: Karachi (Al-Haj Group, 2021–present)
Production: 2018–present