KUALA LUMPUR: Proton Holdings Bhd closed 2023 by posting its best sales performance since 2012, achieving a fifth consecutive year of sales growth.
In December alone, 12,711 units were sold, bringing the total number of sales (domestic and export) to 154,611 units at the end of the year.
According to a statement from Proton, this is a 9.3 per cent increase over the 141,432 units sold in 2022.
Based on a second record-breaking year for the total industry volume of estimated 794,948 units, or roughly 10.3 per cent more than the previous year, the company's overall market share is estimated to be 19.4 per cent.
Proton consequently finished the year ranked second in overall sales, marking the fifth consecutive year that it has held this position.
Li Chunrong, the chief executive officer of Proton, said that 2023 was yet another record-breaking year for the automotive sector, with total sales rising by 10.3 per cent over the previous volume high, which was reached just a year before.
He added that factors such as fulfilling orders for tax-free cars until the end of March undoubtedly fueled the volume increase in the first quarter of the year, but it was also an active year for car launches with minimal disruptions caused by parts shortages.
"Proton is truly thankful for the warm reception of Malaysians towards our products. This success is a testament to our commitment to delivering more than just affordable vehicles, as we also emphasise stylish design, advanced technology, and a strong commitment to safety in all Proton models.
"Looking ahead to 2024, we are confident that we will sustain this momentum, supported by the introduction of our new model, the S70," he noted.
The launch of its three-SUV lineup, consisting of the Proton X50, Proton X70, and Proton X90, has added more than 200,000 units to the company's total sales since December 2018.
However, it was the rebound in demand for the PIES models (Persona, Iriz, Exora, and Saga) that powered sales growth in 2023.
The Proton Saga started and ended the year as the best-selling Proton model, notching an impressive 70,184 units sold, its best performance since 2012, and positioning it as the fourth best-selling vehicle in Malaysia for 2023.
Volume growth was a remarkable 25.6 per cent for the year, consisting mainly of first-time car buyers who want a safe and reliable car that is also fun to drive.
Proton noted that the Proton Persona was the top-performing model in their lineup, which comes as no surprise.
After suffering severe delays due to chip shortages in 2022, Proton said sales for the B-segment sedan rebounded by 48.9 per cent to 24,362 units, placing the model second in its class.
Its B-segment hatchback sister car, the Proton Iriz, was equally affected by the chip issue last year and posted a tidy 33.8 per cent increase in sales to 7,639 units in 2023.
In its final year of production, the Proton Exora signed off with a sales increase of 4.6 per cent, ending the year with 4,473 units sold and showing that demand amongst target market buyers remains strong.
To date, over 194,000 units have been sold, making it the most successful C-segment MPV in Malaysia's automotive history.
As for the X-series SUVs, the Proton X50 and Proton X90 ended the year as market leaders for their respective segments.
Even after more than 100,000 units have been produced and sold, demand for the Proton X50 remains strong, with 31,829 units sold in Malaysia and export markets in 2023.
The Proton X90, meanwhile, continues to be the dominant force in the D-segment SUV market and ends the year with 4,815 units sold since its launch on May 7, 2023.
Finally, the Proton X70 was the second most popular C-segment SUV in 2023, with 11,200 units sold.
As for the Proton S70, customer deliveries will begin in 2024, and to date, more than 5,000 bookings have been received; thus, Proton expects the model to contribute considerably to sales numbers this year.