Proton sales surge 40% with new export market and strong demand

Proton Holdings Bhd, Malaysia’s national carmaker, reported a 40.9% increase in vehicle sales in May 2023 compared to the previous month, selling 13,268 vehicles (domestic and export). This also represents a 35.5% increase over May last year. The surge in sales is attributed to a rebound in the total industry volume (TIV) after a slow start in April.

The company’s sales for the first five months of the year reached 62,970 units, a 38.9% year-on-year increase, making it the highest performer in the Malaysian automotive sales table. The TIV is estimated to have rebounded by 32.2% in May, closing at 61,600 units. Consequently, Proton’s market share is calculated as 21.5% for the month and 20.9% for the year.

In May, Proton entered its first export market for the year and 12th overall, debuting in Mozambique on May 24. The month also saw the company’s best export sales performance in 2023, with 217 units sold, led by the Proton Saga model.

Proton Deputy CEO Roslan Abdullah said in a statement, “May was a memorable month not just in terms of sales achievement, but also because we launched the Proton X90 and celebrated our 40th anniversary in the same month.”

He also mentioned that the strong demand for the Proton X90 was driven by customers taking advantage of the early bird package, which included accessories, a Proton X-Watch, a data package with 4GB free for five years, and enhanced insurance benefits.

Looking forward, Roslan announced that the company will have more new product launches and introduce updates to its existing range while making its debut in the electric vehicle (EV) market through its subsidiary, Pro-Net. This indicates a busy schedule for the company for the remainder of 2023.