KUALA LUMPUR, 5 JULY 2023 – Proton Holdings Bhd (Proton) marked a successful first half of 2023 by posting its best cumulative sales numbers since 2012, the national carmaker said in a statement today.
With 14,351 units sold in June for both its domestic and export markets, total sales in the first half of 2023 now stand at 77,321 units.
“This was equivalent to an increase of 28.6 per cent year-on-year and outpacing total sales growth for the industry by more than three times,” Proton said in a statement today.
According to Proton, total industry volume (TIV) for June is estimated to be 61,900 units and as a result, market share for Proton is estimated at 23.2 per cent while the year-to-date market share figure has increased again to 21.3 per cent, an improvement of 3.2 per cent over the corresponding period from 2022.
“This is the highest growth figure amongst the top five brands in Malaysia’s automotive market, which also grew by 9.4 per cent in the first half on the year,” it said.
According to Proton, its models performed outstandingly in June with five models leading sales in their individual market segments.
“The Proton Saga retook the lead for A-segment sedans by going over the 6,000-unit threshold for the third time this year and ending the month with 6,111 units. Cumulatively, 33,325 units have been sold thus far, which is the model’s best performance since 2012,” it said.
Proton also said that 1,082 units of its Proton X90 were delivered in June, which vaulted the model straight to the top of the D-segment sport utility vehicle (SUV) category.
Another model to finish at the top of its market segment in June is the Proton Persona, with 2,254 units sold.
The company said that Proton Persona retook the lead for B-segment sedans while also retaining its position as the overall segment leader after six months.
“The Persona is Proton’s best performer in terms of individual sales growth, posting an impressive increase of 79.4 per cent despite the introduction of newer and more expensive rivals from other brands,” Proton said.
The Proton X50 meanwhile retains not only its overall lead for B-segment SUVs but also its position as the most popular SUV in Malaysia, a distinction held since its market launch in October 2020. “2,449 units were sold in June while cumulatively, 17,562 units have been delivered this year, an increase of 9.9 per cent over 2022,” it said.
Proton’s fifth overall segment leader, the Proton Exora, remains unchallenged in the C-segment multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) market with 368 units sold in June, leading to a cumulative 21.5 per cent increase in sales.
Chief executive officer of Proton Edar Roslan Abdullah said Proton’s performance in the first half of 2023 is noteworthy as it achieved its best start to a year since 2012 and is also on track for fifth consecutive year of sales growth.
According to Roslan, the numbers show demand for Proton’s products remain strong despite projections of a reduction in liquidity for consumers, and this is proven by its growth rate outpacing the overall market by over three times.
“For the second half of the year, Proton is confident we have the products and promotional strategies in place to continue our growth trajectory.
We will also execute our plans to update our range, launch our entry into the Malaysian EV market with PRO-NET and further improve the quality of our products via investments announced this year to improve our production capabilities,” added Roslan.
— Akses Malaysia