Satria Neo R3 – Affordable Sporty R3 for Young Petrol heads
Shah Alam, 29 November 2012 – Good news for young driving enthusiasts – Proton just launched the Satria Neo R3, in four bold colours, Red, Silver, Yellow and Black. Early buyers who book their cars from today until 31 December 2012 will get a complimentary set of exclusive R3 signature side stripes and front grille stickers. In addition, there will be discounts of up to 35 percent on enhancements like a set of lowered springs, full exhaust system, belt accessory drive, and many more items for upgrading the Satria Neo R3.
Last year (2011), the Satria Neo S2000 created rally history for Proton by becoming the first manufacturer to win an unprecedented eight individual titles in the Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC), including the Manufacturer’s and Driver’s Championships. This year, the Satria Neo, championed by the Proton R3 motorsport team also enjoyed tremendous successes in the FIA Super 2000 category for Rally, Group N 1600cc and Malaysian touring Car Class 2 (MTCC 2). At the heart of these glorious achievements is one of the best-designed cars, the Satria Neo – known for its flawless handling and being right-sized for motorsport applications such as rallying.
Incredibly, the Satria Neo has elevated the Proton brand is countries all over the world. During the rallies where the Satria Neo appeared, fans have been chanting the Proton name with enthusiastic excitement. The Satria Neo merchandise adorned with the signature colour of the team, canary yellow usually gets snapped up in no time at all.
The secret of the Neo’s success both on the race track and on the rally roads is credited to its fine ride and handling, and sturdy build. Karamjit Singh, our Malaysian multiple rally champion has been campaigning a Satria Neo, not the full works model, but cars built from the road-going Satria Neo base car. Other than changes made to the gearbox, suspension and brake pads, plus safety items such as racing seats, harnesses and roll cages, the Satria Neos competing in Group N are quite close to the road car. Karamjit, who was present at the launch, committed that the Satria Neo is “easy to drive, and easy to turn”, making his job as a driver easier.
Dato Sri Hj Khamil Jamil, Executive Chairman of Proton said at the launch, “Ladies and Gentlemen, the Satria Neo R3 is an extension of our popular model, the Satria Neo CPS that has now been enhanced with an improved overall styling for a fresher and clearly more distinctive sporty style. With the introduction of the Satria Neo R3 today, we are offering to our customers a tried and tested model that comes fully equipped and with (an) added R3 kit that is more sporty and dynamic in personality.”
“We have also made it available in four distinctive colours – the Tranquility Black, Fire Red, and GTi Silver, and for the first time ever, the Satria Neo R3 is also available in S2000 Yellow, which is the colour of the Satria Neo S2000, the rally motorsport car,” he added.
The most appealing aspect of the Satria Neo R3, other than the sporty performance and the bold colours it offers to driving enthusiasts, is of course the price: The manual version is retailed at RM61,250, while the automatic is offered at RM64,250 – something very affordable.
With 125 horsepower on tap, renowned Lotus ride and handling, plus an array of R3 upgrades available, the Satria Neo R3 can take up where the Satria GTi left off.
Editor’s note:
The Satria Neo is just about the only 2-door sporty hatch that will take to motorsport like a duck takes to water. For the young driving enthusiast, it is therefore an affordable car that has ready-made ‘plug and play’ parts easily available for R3.
The Satria R3 is perhaps our best bet to promote motorsport in Malaysia, to be the springboard for our budding young drivers to move onto bigger things in the world of international motorsports.
However, having the car and customizing it is one thing – What we sorely need is a series of competitions both on track and in our Malaysian rallies perhaps using Group N competition rules so that our young drivers can race against each other on a ‘level playing field’ with cars of identical specifications. Just as in the old days of Series Production Cars, it is ultimately the driving skill of the individual that determine the winner or the loser of each race, a similar series in rally and race will separate the men and the boys.
Personally, I think that Proton should spearhead some sort of motorsport activities – perhaps as part of its CSR to encourage healthy motorsport in the country, perhaps as a CSR to promote the level of driving skills, or on a more commercial basis, create a new segment of young driving enthusiasts whose first love is the Satria Neo R3.
