PROTON ENDS 2021 WITH THIRD CONSECUTIVE YEAR OF SALES GROWTH

Subang Jaya, 4 January 2022 - Following 12 pandemic affected months, national car maker PROTON ended 2021 on a high note. By selling 14,147 units in December, total sales for the year closed at 114,708 units (domestic + export), the highest closing figure since 2014. This represents an increase of 4.5% over 2020 and is the third consecutive year of volume growth for the company. The achievement is particularly noteworthy as overall Total Industry Volume (TIV) for Malaysia is estimated to have shrunk by 4.6% to just over 505,000 units.

- 14,147 units sold in December brings final tally to 114,708 units

- Export sales double to make PROTON Malaysia’s top car exporter

PROTON’s market share in December is estimated to be 20.6% but for the whole of 2021, market share is estimated to stand at 22.7%. This marks an increase of 2.0% over 2020 as the company continues to strengthen its hold on second place while further closing the gap to the top of the sales rankings.

Proton leads the market in four model segments and export sales

After launching its first SUV in December 2018, the vehicle type has become increasingly important to PROTON’s sales numbers, particularly after the launch of the Proton X50 in October 2020. By selling 45,149 SUVs in 2021, Proton was crowned as the best-selling SUV brand in Malaysia, with the number accounting for nearly 40% of total sales volume.

Individually, the Proton X50 ended the year with 28,774 units, making it the best-selling SUV overall, and posted its best-ever month in December with 4,310 units. This is the second consecutive month the model has achieved more than 4,000 units, pointing towards an uptick in production volume and units being delivered to customers. The Proton X70 garnered 16,375 units in 2021 with a final month figure of 1,616 units. This ensured it led the C-segment SUV class and placed it third in terms of overall SUV sales.

PROTON’s best-seller last year was the Proton Saga, which closed the gap to its main rival to jointly lead the Asegment sedan market. 42,627 units were sold including some that were shipped as CKD packs and assembled in other countries. The enduring popularity of the Saga shows car buyers remain impressed by the performance, safety and value offered by a Malaysian made model that is also finding new fans in export markets.

554 units of the Proton Exora were sold in December, bringing total volume for the class-leading C-segment MPV to 4,035 units. The Proton Persona and Iriz also performed well in December with 2,187 and 884 units respectively as the chip supply issue improved slightly. This brought their total sales for the year to 16,153 and 6,708 units, ensuring they finished third in their segments.

International sales were also a major highlight for the company. With 3,018 units exported in 2021, total volume grew by over 100% leading to Proton being the number one automotive brand for exports last year. With local assembly operations ramping up in overseas markets coupled to a hopeful loosening of trade restrictions, there is optimism the upward trend will continue in coming years.

“2021 was tough for the automotive industry as a whole and this is reflected in the reduction in TIV compared to the previous year. From a global chip shortage to a spike in Covid-19 numbers that lead to another lockdown to skyrocketing transport costs, there were many challenges for industry players to overcome. That is why PROTON’s sales growth in a year where the market contracted is significant as it is the result of careful planning and juggling of available resources.

“Regarding export sales, we are equally proud about being the brand with the highest export volume in 2021 as it proves we are gaining traction overseas thanks to the joint efforts of our International Sales division and our foreign partners. While increasing shipping costs are a growing concern, our planned activities in 2022 means we expect export sales growth to accelerate in the coming years,” said Roslan Abdullah, Chief Executive Officer, Proton Edar.

Proton Commerce achieves record year as more 3S/4S outlets added
Aside from sales, other areas that grew within PROTON include financing and the number of outlets. For 2021 Proton Commerce ended the year with 14,550 disbursements, a new record that was punctuated with 2,132 disbursements in December, an all-time high. Along the way, PROTON’s in-house financing arm also became the leading OEM finance company and the most popular choice for Proton Saga customers.

With regards to the number of 3S/4S outlets, the company started 2021 with 140 outlets and despite the challenges faced in terms of financing and construction works, added to this total to end the year with 147 such outlets now in operation.

“The growth of PROTON’s ancillary businesses such as Proton Commerce and the increase in the number of outlets is directly linked to the number of vehicles we sell. As sales have grown so have our facilities to cater to an increased number of customers. I would also like to announce we have extended the warranty for the sixspeed automatic gearbox used by the CBU Proton X70 to 5-years with unlimited mileage. This is to further benefit our customers and give them added peace of mind,” added Roslan Abdullah.

-End-

PROTON December 2021 – Individual Model Performance (including export)

Model	No of units sold	Total Sales 2021	Sales achievement for 2021
Saga	4,656	42,627	Highest volume A-segment sedan
Persona	2,187	16,153	3 rd highest volume B-segment sedan
Exora	554	4,035	Highest volume C-segment MPV
Iriz	824	6,708	3 rd highest volume B-segment hatchback
X70	1,616	16,375	Highest volume C-segment SUV
X50	4,310	28,774	Highest volume B-segment and overall SUV sales
Total	*14,147	114,708