Proton had earlier said that its first vehicle to premier on the Indian roads would be a small car based on the EMAS concept that was showcased at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show. “We are mindful that time is of the essence. We want to enter the Indian market as soon as possible,” Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir, group managing director had said. We now hear that the car will enter India in another two years.
Proton is believed to be using the EMAS platform to create an exclusively new small car for markets like India and China. Designed by Italdesign Giugiaro of Italy, it will probably be a 3,550-mm long four-seater, five-door hatch and will certainly epitomize style. At the Geneva auto show, the EMAS concept was presented as a global concept car. However, now, the company says that this concept will be adopted for the new Proton model in the small car segment, with focus on India, China, Asian and the Middle East, as four key markets in the company’s long-term business plans.
The news of the hybrid supermini with sports car DNA seems to be back with a bang at the moment. It will be pitted against the MINI. The new car is internally known as the Lotus Global Small Car and the latest headlines in this regard say that the Proton-badged five-door version would go on sale in Malaysia while a more premium three-door Lotus variant in other markets around the world, including the UK.
Lotus is decking up its upmarket models including the new Esprit and two front-engine GTs at the Paris Motor Show. We are yet to see how well these models are accepted; the reason being, the company has deviated from its core philosophy of ‘simplifying and adding lightness’. Moreover, this new EMAS-based car is neither a performance nor a sports car. The supermini is happens to be the firm’s boldest move yet.
The new MINI rival reveals a trapezoidal front grille having triangular vents with LED running lights on either side. The frontal design makes the car look real furious and the slot-like headlights add to the car’s aggressive character. The finishing touches are given by an aero kit and alloys that fill the arches.
In the interiors, snug Recaro seats boost the Lotus’ splendid hatch characteristics. The most striking aspect of the new car, however, is its engine. The ground-breaking plug-in hybrid powertrain has the potential to return economy of over 42.51 kmpl. It has a depository of batteries under the floor and an electric motor on the back axle, powering the rear wheels. Crammed in between is a fuel tank which supplies a Lotus-designed 50-bhp 1.2-litre 3-cylinder range-extender engine in the front.
The car will be capable of running around 48 km on electric power alone. Many users would require just that much of commuting on a single charge, and thus, the car will be a zero-emissions drive for certain users. The batteries can be fully charged in 3 hours through a 240V socket and for greater distances, the 3-cylinder combustion engine kicks in and keeps the batteries topped up via a generator.
Lotus, which currently sells around 2,000 units a year, is expecting sales of around 8,000 units this year, thanks to the new model launches that are boosting the car maker’s hopes. The EMAS-based new car is sure going to assist significantly in sales. A prototype of the new car can be expected at this year’s Paris Motor Show and we may see a production version as soon as 2012. India may not get the 3 door hybrid version, but the more practical 5-door hatch with a 1.2 or 1.0-liter petrol engine would be a great way for Proton to re-enter India.
