Proton X90 Now On Sale In Three Export Markets

The Proton X90 in Mauritius - one of three export markets the model recently entered this year.

The new Proton X90 three-row mild hybrid (MHEV) SUV is now on sale in three different export markets overseas. In a press statement issued today, Proton confirmed that the model was recently launched in Mauritius, South Africa, as well as neighbouring Brunei.

Island nation Mauritius was the first see the exported version of the X90 debut on 4 Aug, followed by South Africa on 25 Aug to 27 Aug. The latter, done through a special showcase by Proton South Africa, even garnered strong support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the attendance of YB Yap Wei Sein, Acting High Commissioner for Malaysia in South Africa.

The Proton X90 was introduced in South Africa through a special showcase. Present here too was YB Yap Wei Sein, Acting High Commissioner for Malaysia in South Africa (third from left).

Concurrently with its South African debut, the X90 model range was also launched in grand fashion in neighbouring ASEAN nation of Brunei. Moreover, said market, which boasts an estimated annual Total Industry Volume (TIV) of 13,000 units, now stands as one of the fastest growing overseas export markets for the Proton brand.

According to Proton, the first batch of X90 units for Brunei has been selling rapidly, as are sales of other models. In fact, Proton’s August 2023 sales in Brunei hit an all-time high with 100 units registered. “The strong sales performance of Proton cars in Brunei this year is a result of the strength of our model line-up as well as the efforts of our importers,” said Steven Xu, Proton’s Director of International Sales.

The third export market to welcome the Proton X90 was Brunei, with said market standing as one of Proton's best performing export market presently.

The exec further notes these recent efforts by Proton overseas with its new X90 stands as an investment into the future, specifically for the brand to position itself favourably as market conditions improve. This stems from Xu’s admission that 2023 also stands as a challenging year for Proton’s export business, this being largely due to many of these markets experiencing economic challenges.

“Simultaneously, we remain focused in growing our presence in our current export markets. The debut of the Proton X90, the company’s first New Energy Vehicle (NEV), in three export markets took place just three months after its Malaysian launch on 7 May, helping to uplift Proton’s brand image in those markets,” continued Xu further.