Details of the upcoming Proton Compact Car (PCC) have emerged from official sources, with Proton chief technical officer Abdul Rashid Musa releasing juicy bits of info to Malay language dailies.
We've previously called the B-segment five-door hatchback Global Small Car (GSC), and the P2-30A is rumoured to carry the model name "Iriz". After such a long period of testing and teasing, the PCC's debut is now just around the corner.
According to a Berita Harian report, Proton focused on two main areas when developing the PCC - top level safety and fuel efficiency, at an affordable price.
Sitting on a new platform, the PCC will be powered by new engines, 1.3 and 1.6 litre units with variable valve timing (VVT). Not just the Campro with VVT bolted on, the PCC's engines feature a new block, pistons and valves, and is the first of a new series of engines that will power future models and replace the long-serving Campro family.
The new mill is 10% more fuel efficient compared to the Campro, and the use of electric power steering (EPS) further aids the cause. Abdul Rashid Musa told Utusan Malaysia that the PCC can travel from Bukit Kayu Hitam to Johor Bahru (the length of the North South Expressway) with one tank of fuel. With 110 hp and 148 Nm (quoted figures likely to be for the 1.6), the PCC has a top speed of over 180 km/h.
The new engines will be paired to both manual and automatic transmissions. Will Proton continue on the CVT path (both the Preve and Suprima S come with the stepless 'box) or will the PCC ship with a torque converter auto? Which do you prefer?
On the safety front, the PCC is five-star rated in both the ASEAN NCAP crash test and the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP). The hatchback comes with ABS, EBD, Brake Assist, ESC stability control and hill hold assist, as well as ISOFIX mounts for child seats. Airbags? Six in total, including front, side and curtain bags.
"Safety is very important and customers should know which car is safe and which is not. ANCAP differs from ASEAN NCAP as it takes everything into account, and we got five stars for that, so there is no issue for us," Proton manufacturing and production COO, Khairudin Datuk Haji Yusoff told paultan.org in a recent interview.
Three trim levels will be available - Standard, Executive and Premium. The Utusan report adds that the PCC will be priced lower or equivalent to comparable models such as the Perodua Myvi. Perodua's upcoming new model, the Axia, is an A-segment hatchback that sits below the Myvi. Not long now.
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