Car Persona

The Proton Persona is among the modern vehicles provided by the Malaysian car manufacturer Proton, which has been released to the market not so ago and takes on advanced technology and the long time tried and tested design features and functions on board. The Persona has been on the market since the year 2007. The vehicle has also earned other such names as the Proton Gen-2 Persona and has been in production until 2010. It comes as a compact, 4-door sedan which takes in its portfolio of engines, the 1.6 L Campro engine option. Two transmission options are available for the Proton Persona and these are the 5-speed manual and the 4-speed automatic gearbox. The engine of the Proton persona takes on the 16V format and uses multi point fuel injection system. With four cylinders, the 1.6 L engine has the capacity to generate a maximum 82kW power at 6000 rpm and to realize a maximum torque of 148Nm at 4000 rpm. The engine uses Premium unleaded petrol for the perfect performance wished for by any driver. The Persona utilizes a fuel tank with capacity of 42 Liters, and the engine is capable of a combined fuel consumption of 6.6 L per 100km, which translates to 630km of driving before an empty tank. The vehicle also registers a very good carbon emission ration of 157g/km, placing it among the top environmentally friendly fuel vehicles on the market today. The vehicle takes on the power steering for easy control and handling, while other notable features that provide easy control inside the vehicle are power features: – the electric windows, central locking and the remote control locking system. The suspension of the Persona is regsiters the MacPherson struts and coils springs with stabilizing bar, with the front suspension also registering the rear suspension and the Multi link, coil springs, gas dampers with stabilizer bar. The exterior design of the vehicle takes on sleek designs as the alloy wheels and rims. Further classic appeal of the vehicle is courtesy of the body colored bumpers and mirrors, the chrome rear garnish and the side protection moulds and chrome grille surround. The exterior takes on further definition by features such as the chrome exhaust tip, the reverse parking sensors, the intermittent wipers, rear window demister, roof windows aerial and the blacked out B-Pillar. The interior speaks of great hosting, provided by such wanted features as the AM/FM radio, the CD player – capable of playing MP3 music files, the trip computer, cup holders and carpet floor covering. Inside the vehicle, the driver and passengers enjoy the comfort of the floor mats, while available equipment inside the car includes the trip meter and the tachometer. The great sound system in the car is optimized by 4 speakers which provide powerful sound for the entertainment of the car hosts. For safety and security, the vehicle provides both passive and active features. Features that top the safety of the vehicle and passengers and drivers are the Anti-Lock Brakes, the Electronic Brake-force Distribution system and the driver and passenger airbags. The safety of the vehicle is also provided by the front seatbelt which features pre-tensioners, front & rear fog lights, 2 rear and front seats headrests and the high mounted stop lamp. Top security in the car is provided by an alarm which comes standard on the vehicle, the remote central locking and auto door lock, among other such features as the engine immobilizer and the remote fuel filler release. A comprehensive service plan of 3 years/ 75,000km is on offer by Proton South Africa and additional support is also provided in the standard warranty of 3 year/100,000km. This vehicle is a smart sensible choice for a modern sedan, which when you choose, you are assured of great enjoyment and you won’t miss on any of the modern features you will expect from a modern sedan. Proton Persona Named Best Model Of The Year

Proton Holdings Bhd’s Persona was named as Malaysia’s “Best Model of the Year” at the Frost & Sullivan Asean Automotive Awards 2008, Thursday evening.

Its partner and head of the automotive and transportation practice, Asia Pacific, Kavan Mukhtyar said the achievement was more commendable given the fact that Persona marked a turning point for Proton, which resulted in improved brand image.

It has also enhanced public trust and confidence towards Proton, Mukhtyar said at the award presentation, here yesterday. Also present were Deputy International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Jacob Dungau Sagan.

proton persona

In a separate statement, Proton said Persona, which was launched in August last year, is the fifth model fully built by the company and has become a best seller.

Proton’s chairman, Datuk Mohammed Azlan Hashim said the latest acknowledgement was a significant recognition for a car which over 45,000 Malaysian have endorsed as their car of choice.

Mohammed Azlan said it is also an affirmation of Proton’s commitment to produce quality, value-for-money cars that meet market needs.

Mukhtyar said the Best Value-for-Money category was introduced to recognise the car model with the lowest cost ownership amidst rising oil prices worldwide.

– BERNAMA

persona image
Proton Persona Price

1.6AT H-LINE
OTR – RM 55,800.00

1.6MT M-LINE
OTR – RM 49,800.00
1.6AT M-LINE
OTR – RM 52,800.00

1.6MT L-LINE SOLID
OTR 45,350.00
1.6AT L-LINE SOLID
OTR – 48,350.00
1.6MT L-LINE METALLIC
OTR RM 45,800.00
1.6AT L-LINE METALLIC
OTR – RM 48,300.00

Now the new persona is equiped with IAFM and the price might be slightly differ from the above price.

Proton Persona IAFM Hi-Line = RM 56,350.00

Proton Persona IAFM Med-Line = RM 49,850.00

Proton Persona IAFM B-Line = RM 45,499.00

car persona

The Proton Persona Elegance has new bumper, new foglights design, new headlights with black background and the new grille to match the refresh look. Not to forget the new facelift version of Persona comes with new design full bodykit as standard.


From the rear of the Persona Elegance as many claims from spyshot before the launch it has rear LED lights. I was wondering where did i saw similar rear lights design before – Top and Bottom Red, Middle transparent. After digging through my memories of automotive industry – i recall that, The New Mercedes E-Class is also having the similar design. No wonder, it’s call Persona Elegance.


Of course it also comes with a rear bodykit and a nicer finish of tailpipe. A bootlip is also fitted into the New Persona.As a side note, the model with photos here it’s a Proton Persona Elegance Medium Line with manual transmission.


Many wonder is there any improve in the power/engine of the New Persona Elegance. The answer is No. There’s no Campro CPS option still as for now. It is still the 1.6-litre Campro IAFM engine with 110 bhp at 6,500 rpm and 148 Nm of torque from 4000 rpm which is available from the old Persona.


However the dashboard meter design has been change to have a sportier look. We also got to know that this Persona is equipped with a new 32-bit siemens ECU that allows more configuration and integrated to more systems in the car.


The dealer was nice to me and explain almost every single new feature in the new Proton Persona Elegance to me. I was also told that the new fabrics has been fitted in to the B-Line and M-Line model. I had a chance to sit and feel it, in my personal opinion – i think it has better quality than the older one. The older one was softer and more “towel” type. As for the H-Line it is fitted with leather seats.


New side mirrors now come with signal lights fitted to the new Proton Persona.However there’s still no auto folding for the side mirrors. Medium line and High Line get electric adjustable side mirror.


The facelifted Persona, is also equipped with a new audio system by Blaupunkt. The new audio USB jack for thumbdrives and Aux in capabilities. Only the Baseline does not get steering audio controls for the audio system.The Medium Line and High Line gets GPS system from Proton as an external piece.


The Medium Line and Baseline gets rear drums brakes and as for the High Line,disc brakes is fitted front and rear. As for the wheels, Base Line gets steel rims, Medium and High line gets Alloy rims both tyres are 195/60R15 as the specs indicated. Medium Line and Base Line has an option of Manual or Auto Transmission. The High Line Proton Persona Elegance only comes with Auto transmission.


The price of Proton Persona Elegance/facelift as below,

Base Line (M) – RM46,499

Base Line (A) – RM49,499

Medium Line (M) – RM52,999

Medium Line (A) – RM55,999

High Line (A) – RM59,499


I was told that the baseline has a slight reduction, medium line has an increment of RM2000+ as for the Highline, the price remains the same. The sales adviser also claim that it is more value for money to purchase the High Line version. For those who into white cars lately, there’s no white Persona this round, and Red which code name as Brilliant Red is only available if you choose to purchase the High Line Persona Elegance.

On top of that, Proton Persona Elegance come with two new colours which is Bronze Garnet and Chiffon Green. The above photo is Bronze Garnet Proton Persona (more photos check out our gallery below). Of course the all time Malaysian’s favourite colour – Silver is also available and Black too.

The Highline of Proton Persona Elegance gets much more goodies, such as remote trunk release, auto cruise. Notice in the photo there’s one nice luggage tray which is only available for Medium Line and above.

Proton Persona Elegance comes with ABS & EBD for High line. High Line Persona also gets dual air bag & both pre-tensioner seatbelts while Medium Line Persona gets driver side air bag & pre-tensioner seat belt. As for baseline Proton Persona, not of the above is available with it, so drive extra safely.


The Facelifted Proton Persona is available in most of the Proton Showroom. The Proton Persona Elegance comes with with a 2-year or 50,000 km warranty and a 3-year/125,000 km extended warranty program – that’s total of 5 years and 175,000 km.

Car Persona

Proton Persona Elegance

Proton Persona Elegance. Available in three trim levels – Base Line, Medium Line and High Line – the Persona Elegance is powered by the familiar 1.6-litre Campro IAFM engine with 110 bhp at 6,500 rpm and 148 Nm of torque from 4000 rpm. Buyers can choose between a four-speed automatic or five-speed manual, but the High Line model only comes with the auto ‘box.

Although output remains, the Campro IAFM in the Persona Elegance comes with a new 32 bit ECU from Continental, which also supplied the previous 16 bit version. According to a Proton source, the new 32 bit ECU has more capabilities compared to the older 16 bit version – capable of more inputs, you can configure more parameters, and it can also interconnect with more systems such as “talking” to a Body Control Module such as the one in the Exora.

It is more of a future-proofing and cost-effectiveness move. Torque and power output remains the same as before. Firstly, Siemens VDO have been moving their global ECU manufacturing to 32 bit being the minimum, so it is not feasible for Proton to continue ordering 16 bit ECUs when the 32 bit version can be had at a far more competitive price. This move is also in preparation for the new Project Phoenix engine that we will soon see in Protons, which will require the capabilities of the new ECU.

Medium and High Line cars get a GPS navigation set stuck on the windscreen, driver’s seat height adjuster and electric side mirrors. Only the High Line gets leather seats and trim (Base and Medium Line sports a new fabric material), cruise control and remote release for the trunk.

Safety kit wise, the High Line comes with ABS and EBD, two airbags and two pre-tensioner seatblets. Out of this, the Medium Line only gets a driver’s airbag and pre-tensioner seatbelt, while the Base Line gets none of the above.

Here is the price list for the Persona Elegance:

Base Line (M) RM46,499
Base Line (A) RM49,499
Medium Line (M) RM52,999
Medium Line (A) RM55,999
High Line (A) RM59,499

Facts you need to know about Car Persona

Here's my thoughts about car persona

The Proton Persona is a compact car introduced by Proton in 2007 for the same model year. Being an in-house design by Azlan Othman, the Persona replaced the saloon variant of the successful Proton Wira, whose export name is not confused with this model's same name, as Proton's compact car.

It is available as a sedan and is based upon the platform also shared with the Proton Gen-2 and the Proton Satria Neo. Also available is a Special Edition variant. All Personas are currently manufactured at Proton's Tanjung Malim plant in Tanjung Malim, Perak.

Body

The Proton Persona is essentially a saloon based on the Gen-2 hatchback introduced in 2004, and inherits the Persona name from rebadged Wiras sold in certain countries. It addresses several main flaws of the Gen-2, although the Gen-2 itself remains in sale.

The most noticeable difference of the Persona from the Gen-2 is the a separate, larger boot, making it better suited to the local market, as Malaysians prefer saloons (an obvious fact overlooked by Proton's former management).[citation needed] More importantly, the roofline slopes less, addressing the many complaints on the lack of rear headroom.

Interior

The interior was redesigned to incorporate a glovebox at the dashboard, an accessory that was not available in the Gen-2. The obtrusive analog clock present in the Gen-2's dashboard has also been replaced by a digital one that now resides in the digital display on the instrument panel. In addition, the door trims and panels were modified to feature more ergonomic window switches and door handles, and the pseudo-racing seats were replaced by more conventional and comfortable ones. Fit and finish is noticeably improved a lot and so are the suspension setting as well because it is tuned more to comfort.

A revised version of the Gen-2 launched on March 3, 2008 also incorporates the interior trims of the Persona.

Engine

The 1.6 litre Campro engine in the Persona is the same 82 kW (110 hp) unit used in other Proton models but with an improved cast aluminum oil pan design that reduces the chances of damage. A transmission control unit re-calibration on models with automatic transmissions reduces the hunting of gears and improves gear changes in an attempt to mask the dip in the torque curve in the lower and middle rev ranges. It has been announced that in early 2008 the Persona will be equipped with new Campro engines that incorporate a new variable-geometry intake manifold module (Campro IAFM engine) which improves low-end torque and high-rev breathing.

Reception

With a more attractive price tag that ranges from RM44,999 to RM55,800 (about RM10,000 cheaper than the equivalent Gen-2), demand of the Persona continues to outstrip supply. Over 2,000 pre-launch bookings were made.Within two weeks after launch, the figure increased to 11,000 bookings. Demand hit close to 19,000 bookings barely 2 weeks later. Originally intending to produce Personas at a rate of 4,000 cars per month, Proton has pledged to ramp up the production to 8,000 units per month to meet the unforeseen demand.

As a result of the Persona's debut, sales for the Proton Waja and the Proton Gen-2 significantly slowed down, causing Proton dealers to offer large amounts of discounts up to RM 9,000 to sell off the remaining models of Waja and Gen-2. This has been somewhat offset by the release of the new CPS engine in the Waja and Gen-2, which attempts to place the latter two models in a slightly higher market segment.

Export market

On 10 March 2008, Proton UK announced the new addition of the Proton Persona sedan to the British market, which is known as the Proton Gen-2 Persona, while the Personas sold in other countries (such as Singapore and Australia) retain the name Persona. Besides the United Kingdom, Proton also uses the Gen-2 Persona name for the Indonesian market, and had also been launched in Saudi Arabia on November 22, 2008 and in Egypt on November 24; the Gen2 model was also jointly launched in Egypt.

While officially marketed in the UK, Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders sales figures for 2008 revealed only 4 units of the Persona were sold in that year, ranking the car as one of the least sold car models in the country in 2008.

Awards

During the 2008 Asian Auto - Bosch Fuel Efficiency Awards, the Proton Persona won the first place of the Family Car category, with the reported average fuel consumption of 6.6 L/100 km (43 mpg-imp; 36 mpg-US). It also won the 2008 Frost & Sullivan Best Model of the Year.

Proton Persona replacement

In November 9, 2009, the Italian design company Italdesign-Giugiaro has been contracted to develop a C-segment sedan that will meet tougher European and North American standards, as well as utilizing Proton Exora's platform.