Proton Inspira Was Inspired by Lancer

THE above picture shows a sneak preview of an all-new Proton saloon, the mid-sized four-door Inspira. If you thought you were looking at a Mitsubishi Lancer, you're not wrong.

The Inspira was developed from a Mitsubishi Lancer and are the fruits of Proton's relationship with Mitsubishi Motors. It will replace the Proton Waja saloon. There will be a choice of two engines -- a Mitsubishi 1.8-litre or a 2.0-litre engine. A CVT box with six virtual gears or a five-speed manual can be chosen with the 1-8-litre variant. The 2.0-litre range-topper will get the same CVT box as well. Clearly the collaboration had benefited Proton. Proton Group's managing director Datuk Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir told Bernama that the collaboration helped Proton save a lot of funds and time. He said of the relationship, 'It's cheaper from the company's point of view.' Developing a new car would cost up to RM700million (S$295 million), he added. With a starting price of RM79,888, the Inspira will come with either a 1.8- or 2.0-litre Mitsubishi engine. You can choose to pair it with a five-speed manual or a six-speed continuously variable transmission.

Presumably only the 2.0-litre variant will also get the innovation vehicle electronic control system. Other features customers stand to gain from include auto cruise, automatic light and rain sensors, welcome and coming home light system, climate control for both front and rear occupants, and all-round airbags for passengers' safety. Proton aims to sell 1,600 units of the Inspira a month. 'The market for the C-Segment cars is about 5,000-6,000 units a month. So, we are looking at 1,600 a month as it is value for money,' Syed Zainal said. He also added that there are plans to export the Inspira. Prices start from RM79,888.

Inside, the differences are minimal. The three-spoke steering design has a Proton badge of course, and the instruments look the same. However, we just noticed that the “left speedo, right tacho” layout of the Lancer has been reversed for the Inspira, which has its rev meter on the left side. The multi-info screen is the orange one as per the Lancer sedan, not the full colour version on the Lancer Sportback. The wood trim in the P spec Inspiras are dark brown coloured (Lancer EX has greyish wood) while the 1.8 E gets a matte silver trim that’s nice to touch. All else is identical to these eyes, including the grade of plastics.

The 4B10 1.8 litre pot found on the two Executive variants offers 140 hp at 6,000rpm and 177 Nm at 4,250rpm, while the 4B11 2.0 litre block in the Premium has 150 hp and 197 Nm at the same rpm as above. Performance-wise, the 1.8 manual has a claimed top speed of 202 kph and a 0-100 kph sprint time of 10.0 secs, while that of the 1.8 CVT is 191 kph and 11.4 secs. As for the 2.0 Premium, it gets to 198 kph and does the century sprint in 10.5 secs. As for kerb weight, the manual rolls in at 1,300 kg, while the 1.8 CVT and 2.0 P are 1,325 kg and 1,335 kg respectively.

Other items on the features list across the board are trunk lid remote release, front fog lamps, welcome home light system, driver’s side anti-trap/auto up-down power window, height adjustable driver’s seat and a MP3/Bluetooth-enabled CD player audio system with Arkamys 3D DSP. As befits its Premium suffix, the Inspira 2.0 gets a number of differentiation points and features compared to the two 1.8 Executive models, and these are:

• Cruise control (with steering wheel-mounted switches)
• Column-mounted paddle shift controls
• Automatic climate control
• Auto headlamp and rain sensors.
• Body kit and rear spoiler.
• Leather seats and door trim finishing (the 1.8 versions are in fabric)
• A GPS navigation system.

Peninsular Malaysia Prices

• Proton Inspira 1.8 M/T – RM78,999
• Proton Inspira 1.8 CVT – RM84,999
• Proton Inspira 2.0 CVT – RM91,999

East Malaysia Prices

• Proton Inspira 1.8 M/T – RM80,999
• Proton Inspira 1.8 CVT – RM86,999
• Proton Inspira 2.0 CVT – RM93,999

Langkawi Prices

• Proton Inspira 1.8 M/T – RM71,999
• Proton Inspira 1.8 CVT – RM75,999
• Proton Inspira 2.0 CVT – RM82,999  

Proton Lekir concept based on Lotus Europa

The Proton Jebat might be a car enthusiasts would consider buying if the company decided to put it on the market. Sporting much of the same DNA as the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, the Jebat would be an outright bargain. The parent company of Lotus might be offering another sports car to its Malaysian market too, in the form of this new Proton Lekir concept.

It’s based on the Lotus Europa, quite obviously, and it features the same black and white colour scheme as the Proton Jebat we saw last week. Behind the cabin the Lekir does not feature the same 2.0-litre turbocharged engine as the Lotus counterpart though. Instead it gets a 1.6-litre turbocharged unit by Proton/Mitsubishi. It still outputs a reasonable 164kW of power.

Although it does lack oomph compared with the Lotus, the Proton still shares the same suspension and, more importantly, the Lotus suspension geometry as the Europa sports car. So it will handle outstanding like all Lotus vehicles.

The best part about it if it were to hit the market would be its price. It’s suspected, if Proton does release it, the price would be considerably less than the Lotus brother. Unfortunately, if it does hit the market, it is very unlikely it will make it to Australian shores as costs to surpass Australian Design Rules would defeat its purpose. Still, it’s an excellent proposition for its local market.

Modern And Affordable

MID-SIZE family sedans are the backbone of any automotive market and usually it is broken up into price categories with the smaller cars forming the entry level, Asian brands and their well known model lines taking up the midrange, while European marques fill up demand for upmarket family transport. Proton is an established player in the entry level and lower midrange market segment but it needed to get out of that rut and start offering quality vehicles that could carry a premium price tag and it had to get that model into the market without breaking the bank.

Realistically Proton could probably sell between 2,500 to 3,000 units in the midrange family sedan segment where prices would begin at around RM70,000 and cap at the RM100K mark. This is a small number and if it is spread evenly throughout a five-year model cycle, it represents between 170,000 to 200,000 units. A carmaker cannot sell such low volumes of a product that carries little or no premium in its price tag so the solution was to buy into an established and proven model and make it their own. The Inspira was the result of this commercial consideration.

Camped out in the Toyota Corolla Altis, Honda Civic, Nissan Sylprhy and Kia Forte size category, the Mitsubishi Lancer was a car that had potential but hampered by limited availability and price tag that limits its sales so it made the perfect model for Proton to adopt and give its family name. Proton's bread and butter model in this class is the Inspira 1.8 CVT and so far the Malaysian automotive Press have given it a rather glowing report, if for nothing else other than offering an improved version of an existing product but at a far more palatable price. The truth is, the Inspira 1.8 is a different animal from the Lancer donor model. It has a far more mature ride characteristic, that is to say the suspension soaks up bumps and irregularities like cars that are at least one size class above.

Interestingly Proton had not sacrificed driver enjoyment. Instead the engineers in Shah Alam had given the Inspira a more composed chassis that relishes brisk weekend drives along twisty back roads. The national carmaker is a rather accomplished player when it comes to chassis tuning, a result of their years of association with legendary British sports car manufacturer, Lotus and they had laid their magic really thick on the Inspira. Bear in mind that the Inspira is still a family car so they could not overstep the market boundary for safe, comfortable cars so the resulting compromise is still a car that under steers safely at the limits but is generally unflustered when drivers make mistakes or sudden adjustments mid corners or when driving hard. The 1.8-litre MIVEC power unit provides decent thrust throughout the range while the continuously variable transmission does a good job of seeking out the engine's best torque position and gives the driver energetic response every time the throttle is pressed.

The result is a family car that is relaxing to drive because the engine never has to work overtime to deliver the performance that most drivers expect out of a large 1.8-litre sedan. There is only so much that one can write about when it comes to the ride and handling of a family car because most buyers are focused on comfort, convenience and cabin size when looking for a vehicle to transport the clan. The Inspira's cabin dimensions are comparable to the Proton Perdana despite its compact and sporty appearance so this makes it a sensible family car option. Proton has also thoughtfully kitted the car out with the usual necessities of a family car such as twin airbags, automatic transmission, four power windows, rake adjustable steering wheel and the usual array of cupholders and storage compartments. Shah Alam has also developed quite a reputation for packing a decent sound system in their cars. If you are an average listener, the factory-fitted sound system is sufficient for providing crisp and clear voice and music to make your favourite radio station or artiste sound good.

We had skeptic who came all the way from Sungai Petani to test the Inspira and he gave it a thumbs up. Our skeptic is Hisham Shuib, a 40-year-old teacher, car buff, classic car fan, dirt-biker and lover of anything mechanical who basically thinks that Proton cars are sold to people with no passion for driving. After a few minutes of silent and considered driving he finally said it: "Now this is a Proton I can recommend to anyone". At RM84,999, it is a good purchase and given the strong interest in the model, concerns such as depreciation would be a minor issue.

Mitsubishi-Evo-2.0T-FQ-300-GSR-SST

For Precise steering, strong brakes, outstanding levels of grip and traction agains Scratch-prone interior, lack of adjutsment in driving position, fuel range.

BACKGROUND

So, the Evo is back, and the old rivalry, Subaru Impreza vs Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, is back on. It’s a strange coincidence that, after more than 10 years of simultaneous development, both the Impreza and the Evo should go through such a major model change at the same time. ubaru’s Impreza has gone from saloon to hatchback just as the Lancer saloon, from which the Evolution is as ever derived, begins its ninth generation since 1973. The Evo itself, conceived as a rally homologation model for the faster-paced world of motorsport, is here notching its 10th iteration since only 1992, though there have been rally-derived hot versions of Lancers since the car’s launch in 1973. The STi and Evo are one of the more intriguing pairings of the moment. Perhaps the fascination with rally replicas is not what it once was, however. When Mitsubishi executives talk about rivals for the Evo, there’s almost an air of resignation about the inevitability of its comparison with the STi. They now think, “Our car shapes up to the likes of premium German brands.” And that’s a taller order. So just how good is the new Evolution X?

DESIGN

If the inevitable Subaru/Mitsubishi scrap includes an aesthetic judgement then the Evolution X will steal an early victory. The Evo is based on the Lancer, itself a sharply and neatly styled car. Design changes to make it an Evo are all functional, but they end up seeming cohesively integrated into the basic, quite aggressive design. The Evo X’s torsional rigidity is up 39 per cent over its Evo IX predecessor, it has a 25mm longer wheelbase and 30mm wider track and the battery has been relocated to the boot to improve weight distribution. Once again, the Evo has an aluminium bonnet, wings and roof. Suspension is by MacPherson strut at the front, multi-link at the rear. Previous generations of Evolution have used derivatives of the same 4G63 engine, but the latest model’s is all new. The 4B11 unit has an aluminium head and block and floating pistons and sits 10mm lower than an Evo IX’s engine. In the standard form tested here it has similar power to the IX (291bhp at 6500rpm) but more torque at low revs (300lb ft at 3500rpm). It drives through either a five-speed manual or, as here, an SST, twin-clutch, robotised gearbox, then to all four wheels via a transmission controlled by Mitsubishi’s latest generation of Super-All-Wheel Control (S-AWC). S-AWC incorporates all of the electronically controlled transmission aids: an Active Centre Differential (varying front-rear torque split), Active Yaw Control (a limited-slip rear differential), stability control and ABS. The mode selector that controls S-AWC once again allows it to be put in Tarmac, gravel or snow settings, which adjust its operation to suit how much traction and grip are available.

ON THE ROAD

New engine or not, there is no escaping the fact that even in its most docile form the Evo X produces 291bhp from an engine of just 1998cc. So it’s no surprise that the Evo still needs to be worked to deliver its best. It’s best to keep it beyond 2500rpm, from where the momentum builds before hitting full stride at 3000rpm. Peak torque of 300lb ft is produced at 3500rpm, but in practice the torque curve is flat from 3000-5000rpm, and it’s within this range that the Evo feels most urgent. What of Mitsubishi’s dual-clutch gearbox? Unless it is set to the most extreme of its three shift patterns those seeking mechanical involvement will find there is just too little. But it does provide the Evo with a more adaptable character, and with it, we imagine, a broader audience. Yet with the engine at its sweet spot and the gearbox delivering swift changes, the Evo feels so much quicker than the figures suggest. So effectively did it dispatch our cross-country test route we retested the 0-60mph sprint and yet it went no faster. Take the Evo down a B-road and several things will be revealed. First, that 20 miles will pass as if they were 10; it’s so easy to maintain speed without really trying. Second, and more importantly, it is not necessary to drive the Evo at full pelt to get a buzz. We’d be remiss if we didn’t tell you that at slow speeds the X rides really quite poorly, with a lot of cabin intrusion. But this drawback aside, the Evo rides and handles exceptionally. The body control and primary ride at speed copes with most compressions without troubling its bump stops. The steering is quick, without being nervous, and strong on feedback. Wieldy and nimble, the X turns into a corner with a keenness that excites, but then provides a seam of information so strong that it breeds confidence.

LIVING

This is one of the areas of the Evo X that follows a similar theme to its predecessors: large and comfortable, but developed seemingly as a tertiary consideration after the oilier parts and dynamics. Still, the boxes are ticked; the boot is reasonably sized, there’s room for adults in the rear seats and although cabin plastics are no more than reasonable, they’re still better than an Impreza’s and are seemingly well assembled. The driving position is good, too. The nicely sized steering wheel could do with a wider range of adjustment but the standard Recaro front seats are excellent and the major driving controls move with well weighted precision. The switchgear and dials are clear and, on our test car, the comprehensive entertainment systems were easy to navigate. Evos have never been cheap cars to buy and run, and the X is no exception. The £27,499 list price for base the FQ-300 GS manual exceeds an Impreza STi’s by more than £2000. GSR trim adds £2500 and the SST gearbox another £2000. At this level, though, it is at least very well equipped. Only the ‘300’ variants escape a group 20 insurance tag, though only by one group. The car needs a 1000-mile first oil change, though after that servicing is required once every 10,000 miles. Evolutions tend to hold their value well, but if you use your Evo hard it will consume a lot of fuel; we returned 6.9mpg in hard driving, but 27.1mpg at a cruise.

VERDICT

You only need to look at the Evo X to know that the rebel has grown up, but can it really rival the German sports saloons and coupés? No, not really. While interior quality is better there remains a sizeable gap to premium competition. It’s good news, then, that the chassis, both in its set-up and its torque-shuffling gadgetry, is as impressive as ever. It is with the engine and gearbox that the X differs most from its predecessors. While the new engine has lost some of the tuned feel of old, and some character, in its place comes more flexibility and refinement. Although outright acceleration times are slightly disappointing, this is more the to do with the SST gearbox’s aversion to launches. In real-world driving the Evo remains crushingly effective and still very much justifies its FQ tag.

DATA

How much ?

• Price as tested £33,454
• Price as tested £31,999

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How fast

• 0-30mph 2.4 sec
• 0-60mph 5.7 sec
• 0-100mph 14.3 sec
• 0-150mph no data
• 0-200mph  no data
• 30-70mph  no data
• 0-400m  17.1 / 83 sec/mph
• 0-1000m  31.1 / 103 sec/mph
• 30-50mph in 3rd/4th  2.4 / 2.5
• 40-60mph in 4th/5th  3.5 / 6.3 sec
• 50-70mph in 5th  4.3 sec
• 60-0mph  2.8 sec
• Top speed  127 mph
• Noise at 70mph  71 dbA

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How thirsty?

• Test average  14.3 mpg
• Test best/worst  27.1 / 6.9

Government figures

• Combined/urban  26.2 / 19.1 mpg
• CO₂ emissions  256 g/km

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How big?

• Length  4495 mm
• Width  1810 mm
• Height  1480 mm
• Wheelbase  2650 mm
• Weight  1590 kg
• Fuel tank  55.0 litres

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Engine

• Layout 4 cyls Inline , 1998 cc
• Max power 290 bhp at 6500 rpm
• Max torque 300 ft at 3500 rpm
• Specific output 145.1bhp per litre bhp per litre
• Power to weight 183bhp per tonne bhp per tonne
• Installation F
• Bore/stoke 86.0x86.0 mm
• Compression ratio 9.0:1
• Valve gear 4 per cyl
• Ignition and fuel Electrically controlled, sequential multi-point injection , Unleaded

Gearbox

• Type 6-speed Automatic
• 1st 3.54 / 5.2
• 2nd 2.01 / 8
• 3rd 1.33 / 10.7
• 4th 1.03 / 14.2
• 5th 0.82 / 18.7
• 6th 0.78 / 24.3
• Final drive 3.7

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Suspension

• Front McPherson strut suspension with inverted Bilstein shock absorbers, EIBACH springs and stabiliser bar
• Rear Multi-link suspension with Bilstein shock absorbers, EIBACH springs and stabiliser bar.

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Steering

• Type Electrically assisted rack and pinion steering
• Lock to lock 2.30

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Brakes

• Front 350mm Brembo Ventilated discs
• Rear 330mm Brembo Ventilated drum-in-discs

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Wheel & tyres

• Size front 18'' x 8.5J Enkei Alloy in
• Size rear 18'' x 8.5J Enkei Alloy in
• Made of Enkei Alloy
• Tyres front 245/40 R18 93Y
• Tyres rear 245/40 R18 93Y

Proton Jebat concept based on Mitsubishi Lancer Evo

Proton has revealed this Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X-inspired sports saloon concept at the Kuala Lumpur motor show in Malaysia. The recently launched Proton Inspira is a re-badged version of the Mitsubishi Lancer four-door saloon with lightly modified front-end styling, and this Jebat concept version by Proton Design borrows its styling from the Evo X.

Powering the Jebat concept is a 237bhp, 253lb ft 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine petrol engine, although Proton hasn't said whether the car uses the Evo's all-wheel drive system. It can get from 0-62mph in 5.6sec and reach a top speed of 144mph. Evo-inspired styling changes over the standard Inspira include a matte black finish at the front and rear, LED daytime running lights, 18-inch alloys, flared wheel arches, a new rear spoiler, bonnet louvres and a narrow rear diffuser. Inside, the concept gets Recaro sports seats with red stitching and a new in-car entertainment system. Proton hasn't said whether it intends to put the sports saloon concept into production.

It is just a concept at this stage but it’s sure to kick up some fuss in the car’s local market because it still features a turbocharged engine, like it’s bigger brother, the Evolution. Only the engine isn’t quite as potent as Mitsubishi’s offering. The Jebat features a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder – also seen in our Mitsubishi Ralliart Lancer – offering 177kW of power and 343Nm of torque, so it would still be a bit of a cracker. Something distinct to the Proton version though is the bodykit and two-tone colour scheme. It almost looks like it comes from one of those European tuning factories, complete with matte black details incorporated into the front bar and along the doors. The rear bumper bar is also much chunkier than the Mitsubishi, and also features matte black highlighting.

Inside the car is also treated to Evo-esque features such as Recaro front seats with red stitching and a touch-screen in-car entertainment screen. Unlike the Evolution Lancer though, the Jebat gets some pretty ordinary tyre-shop special 18 inch chrome alloy wheels. It’s unknown if the Proton Jebat Concept will actually go into production at this stage. It could be a great marketing plan for the company though as its local market would surely swallow it up, whole.

Inspired by the Mitsubishi Lancer, the newly-launched Proton car offers lots of incentives and value for the buyer.

IT IS a little after two weeks since the launch of the Proton Inspira, and I have had no less than 25 phone calls from people I know on whether it is a good buy.

If you think that paying between RM79,000 and RM92,000 for what is essentially a Mitsubishi Lancer, with slightly different looks and some changes to the ride and handling, is certainly worth the money, then the answer should be clear. While the Mitsubishi Lancer offers only a 2.0-litre engine, the new Proton Inspira offers three different variants, a 1.8-litre manual, a 1.8-litre CVT, and a 2.0-litre CVT – which certainly caters to a wider spectrum of potential users. The same goes for its price.

I had the opportunity to do a pre-launch test drive on the Inspira and found it quite satisfying. The Proton people have an agreement with Mitsubishi not to touch the drive train and engine components of the car. So, there should be no difference in performance regarding these parts. You still get 150PS of power with the 2.0-litre engine, and whatever performance figures that the Lancer gives. For the 1.8-litre, it is 140PS, and performance with the CVT variant is slightly lower than that of the 2.0-litre job with the same CVT.

The 1.8-litre manual, with its five-speed gearbox never made it here in Mitsubishi guise, so there is no comparison to make. However, this variant of Mitsubishi Lancer is sold in Japan, and technically, it is the same. The 1.8-litre, if it’s the manual, is fun to drive, and will appeal to those who like manual transmissions. Members of the media who drove it were impressed by its responsiveness. Instead of waiting for the speed to climb up while the engine roars at a constant rpm, you actually get to feel the speed pick up in direct response to the engine revolutions building up – something which people are used to. I have not been a real fan of CVT drive trains, and personally I prefer the characteristics of the manual. A manual version of the 2.0-litre would be interesting, although I do not envisage that this would ever become a reality.

According to Proton R&D head Tengku Azizan Tengku Ahmad, his team tested the standard Mitsubishi Lancer and did not quite like the suspension, which he said was tuned more towards the ‘enthusiast’ style of driving and tended to oversteer at high speeds. There was also too much body roll for his liking. Thus, the team worked on both the damper and stabiliser bar settings. By increasing the size of the front and rear stabiliser bars, Tengku Azizan says they have managed to reduce the roll, and they have stiffened the damper settings to give a more stable ride.

The overall result, he claims, is a much better handling of the car, with the Inspira sitting flatter through bends and with less yaw while going over undulating surfaces. When I drove all the three models, I couldn’t really feel the difference, perhaps because it has been some time since I drove a Mitsubishi Lancer. 

What is more pertinent is the fact that I did not feel insecure or unsafe at any time during our drive that went from Proton COE to Genting Sempah via the Karak highway and back to the COE via one of my favourite driving roads, the Ulu Yam-Batu Caves stretch. The cars were all disguised with pieces of cardboard and black masking tape, which attracted quite a lot of attention, as we whizzed by the winding roads and sharp bends up and down the hills. I have only good comments about the Inspira and my comment on its handling characteristics would be that it is not worse off than the Lancer, and the two are so close to each other that I would be nit-picking if I wanted to look for any differences. 


 



Without going into the justifications and explanations over the Proton-Mitsubishi  collaboration, I would say that if you have the money and want a good car, go for it!