Normally we, the motoring media will be sharing the specifications and details of a new vehicle with you, the readers. It is our job to share information for you, the reader to get a better understanding of what is being launched and decide what is best for your motoring budget or needs.
Well, this time around we are in the ‘dark’ about the ‘new’ local assembled Proton X70 which was launched by YB Datuk Darell Leiking, the Minister of International Trade and Industry together with Dato’ Sri Syed Faisal Albar, Chairman of PROTON, Mr An Conghui, President and CEO of Geely Auto Group as well as senior management members of PROTON.
The event was held on Friday the 13th of December at the refreshed Proton factory in Tanjung Malim.
The attending media were not allowed to take any pictures at this event and also no video recording was allowed.
The event pictures were shared to us the same evening at about 8pm together with an official press release. Curiously there was no specification sheet of the local assembled (CKD) Proton X70 or its selling price and its variants shared with the attending crowd and us media.
Even when we looked at the press folder that was emailed to us, only pictures of the unveiling of the Proton X70 CKD with the attending dignitaries and pictures of the factory production was included for us to share to our readers. A quick check with other media attending, they also received the same press pack.
There were no pictures of the interior, the engine and the possible new features of this CKD Proton X70.
After we published the given press release and pictures we received quite a few questions from readers via facebook and also email asking about the selling price, the possible variants, the engine and gearbox and the interior features.
All questions that we were unable to answer and which we got some nasty replies (saying that some other online media sites had details) and with some others there were actually speculative information shared with us.
Here below are some of the speculative information that was shared with us by some readers which we believe to be just speculation for now.
- The CKD Proton X70 will be powered by a 1.5L Turbo Direct Injection engine providing 130kW of power and 255Nm of torque.
- It will use an automatic wet dual clutch seven speed gearbox (7DCT)
- It will be equipped with ‘ICC’ Intelligent Cruise Control made possible through a combination of millimeter wave radar and high-definition cameras. ICC will allow the X70 to safely travel at the driver’s desired speed, follow vehicles at speeds up to 150km/h, and even change lanes automatically.
- It will have ‘APA’ which is automated parking assist to allow for automated parallel parking or to park in lot with just a push of a button.
- It will also have Geely Auto’s newest generation ‘GKUI’ Geely Smart Ecosystem.
We also visited a number of Proton showrooms to request information about this new CKD Proton X70 and the sales people who attended to us were all very polite and they professionally answered us that the new CKD price will be lower…..no indication on how much and the CKD X70 will be better equipped……no indication with what new features and finally, no information on variants. They all politely asked for our contact details in order to inform us once they got the required information.
So, if anyone of you reading this has information on the CKD Proton X70 that you can share with us, it will be appreciated. Since this will be a hot selling SUV for the first quarter of 2020.
