Proton Sales Soar 51% To 40,287 Units In Q1

National car maker Proton sold 40,287 units in the first quarter of 2023, a 50.9% increase over the same period last year, and is confident of maintaining its sales momentum in the coming quarters. It sold 14,573 units in March, a 3.8% increase over February, giving it an estimated market share of 18.7% and keeping it in second place in the sales table rankings. According to a statement issued by the company on Wednesday, its market share for the quarter is expected to be 21.2%.

Proton's Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Roslan Abdullah, stated that a more accurate reflection of market sentiment would emerge by the end of the second quarter.

“We remain confident of maintaining our sales momentum. We will be launching the Proton X90 soon and will also have more additions to the range later in the year."

The automaker recently announced that it would be expanding into New Energy Vehicle (NEV) offerings. "This will expand the brand into new market segments as we seek long-term growth to meet our 10-year plan." Yes, the road to Malaysia becoming a hub for Next Generation Vehicles (NxGV) remains long, but PROTON is eager to lead the automotive industry to new heights in the future," he added. The Proton Saga remains the company's best-seller, with 6,313 units sold in March.

Proton Persona is the best-selling B-segment sedan in Malaysia, with 2,421 units sold in March, while Proton X50 is the best-selling SUV, with 3,414 units sold. The Proton Exora, the company's final segment leader, remains the best-selling C-segment MPV, with 426 units sold in March.

Malaysian car sales set a new monthly record in March, with Total Industry Volume (TIV) estimated to have reached 78,000 units, breaking the previous high of 76,657 units set in December 2022.