Saga
The
Proton Saga was launched in September 1985 by Malaysia's then Prime Minister,
Mahathir bin MohamadTun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad . is a Malaysian politician who was the fourth Prime Minister of Malaysia. He held the post for 22 years from 1981 to 2003, making him Malaysia's longest serving Prime Minister. His political career spanned almost 40 years.Born and raised in Alor Setar, Kedah, Mahathir...
. Before the production of Proton Saga, a contest was held to choose the name of the first national car, and the name
Saga was chosen from the winner of the contest, Ismail Jaafar, a retired military soldier. When asked why he chose this particular name, he replied as "
sagaAbrus precatorius, known commonly as Jequirity, Crab's Eye, Rosary Pea, John Crow Bead, Precatory bean, Indian Licorice, Akar Saga, Giddee Giddee or Jumbie Bead in Trinidad & Tobago, is a slender, perennial climber that twines around trees, shrubs, and hedges. It is a legume with long,...
"
(Abrus precatorius) is a type of soft, fragile but productive seed commonly found in Malaysia, and joked that the Proton Saga 1.3 litre engine "is as strong as the saga seed".
The first known Proton Saga to roll off the production line was presented to the
Malaysian National MuseumNational Museum of Malaysia is a museum located on Jalan Damansara in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The museum is situated in close proximity to the Perdana Lake Gardens and it provides an overview of Malaysian history and culture. Muzium Negara is a palatial structure built in the style of Rumah Gadang,...
as a symbol of the beginning of the Malaysian automotive industry. Tun Dr. Mahathir also drove a prototype Proton Saga fitted with a 4G63 2.0L engine and a Jalur Gemilang across the
Penang BridgePenang Bridge is a dual carriageway toll bridge connects Gelugor on the island of Penang and Seberang Prai on the mainland of Malaysia on the Malay Peninsula. The bridge is also linked to the North-South Expressway in Prai and Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway in Penang. It was officially opened to...
and to Penang Airport during the opening ceremony of the bridge on 14 September 1985.
Initially, Saga supplies were low, with just 700 vehicles produced in time for the launch. The cars sold quickly, and Proton was not able to meet public demand. It was not until July 1986 when Proton gained a majority market share, after production had increased.
Once production had been brought up to speed, the Proton Saga captured 73% of the Malaysian passenger car market. The success of the Saga is attributed to its low price (cheaper than any other car on the Malaysian market) and its appeal to Malaysian patriotism.
In 1986 Proton initiated an ill-fated attempt to sell the Saga in the United States with the help of American automotive entrepreneur
Malcolm BricklinMalcolm Bricklin born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is an automotive entrepreneur. He is best known for his self-named automobile company, and for being one of the few Americans who has successfully introduced foreign cars in bulk to the American public from firms such as Subaru, Fiat and...
. Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, brainchild of Proton, had been impressed had been impressed by Bricklin, who had been advised to work with Proton by former U.S. secretary of state,
Henry KissingerHeinz Alfred "Henry" Kissinger is a German-born American academic, political scientist, diplomat, and businessman. He is a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. He served as National Security Advisor and later concurrently as Secretary of State in the administrations of Presidents Richard Nixon and...
, who had previously taught Mohamad at Harvard University. Soon after the first Sagas had been imported into the United States, Bricklin revealed that he had not gained permission from authorities and sold the import company shortly after. The result was a major financial loss for Proton.
Early Saga models were powered by SOHC 8-valve 4-cylinder petrol engines sourced from
MitsubishiThe Mitsubishi Group , Mitsubishi Group of Companies, or Mitsubishi Companies is a Japanese multinational conglomerate company that consists of a range of autonomous businesses which share the Mitsubishi brand, trademark and legacy...
, available in both 1.3- and 1.5-litre displacements. Both engines were available with a 5-speed manual transmission, but a 3-speed Mitsubishi Tri-matic automatic was available with the 1.5-liter engine in 1987.
The Saga was originally offered as a 4-door saloon, followed by the addition of a
hatchbackA Hatchback is a car body style incorporating a shared passenger and cargo volume, with rearmost accessibility via a rear third or fifth door, typically a top-hinged liftgate—and features such as fold-down rear seats to enable flexibility within the shared passenger/cargo volume. As a two-box...
variant, introduced in 1988 as the
Proton Knight and was later known as
Saga Aeroback. The Proton Knight was designed for the European market as the hatchback was more popular in United Kingdom.
In 1989, Proton sold the Saga in the
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
with the slogan
Japanese Technology + Malaysian Style = Proton. Since then, United Kingdom contributes most of Proton's export sales. The Saga name was not used due to the word's affiliation with the elderly holiday package agency. Instead, it was simply known as the Proton MPI and was offered with a choice of a 1.3 or 1.5 liter engine. The UK models reverted to the dashboard used in the
Mitsubishi LancerThe Mitsubishi Lancer is a family car built by Mitsubishi Motors. It has been known as the Colt Lancer, Dodge/Plymouth Colt, Chrysler Valiant Lancer, Chrysler Lancer, Eagle Summit, Hindustan Lancer, Soueast Lioncel, Mitsubishi Carisma, and Mitsubishi Mirage in various countries at different times,...
, complete with HVAC controls not found in the domestic model.
In 1990, the line-up was revised with the introduction of 12-valve Megavalve engines, which increased power ratings to 75 bhp (from the original 70.5 bhp in the former 8-valve (Magma) version) for the 1.3-litre engine, and 90 bhp for the 1.5-litre engine. On domestic models, the Saga also gained the "Megavalve" moniker. Minor exterior modifications included a new grill and wraparound black trim pieces. In addition, rear seat belts and a third brake light were fitted as standard.
Saga Iswara (1992–2008)
In 1992, the Saga was given a facelift and its name expanded as
Proton Saga Iswara (also known in short as
Proton Iswara), after a species of
butterflyA butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
in
SarawakSarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang , Sarawak is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia followed by Sabah, the second largest state located to the North- East.The administrative capital is Kuching, which...
. Modifications included slimmer headlights, plastic bumpers, side mouldings, coloured door handles, grooved taillight clusters, a more modern interior and rear number plate repositioned to the bumper. In addition, new colors for automatic transmission models were introduced as well. This particular model is used as taxis in Malaysia and many have been converted to
NGVthumb|right|200px|2009 [[Honda Civic GX]] hooked up to Phill refueling system.A natural gas vehicle or NGV is an alternative fuel vehicle that uses compressed natural gas or liquefied natural gas as a clean alternative to other fossil fuels...
. Due to the modification, boot space was reduced by half to accommodate the NGV tank and there are only a few petrol stations by Malaysian oil-giant
PetronasPETRONAS, short for Petroliam Nasional Berhad, is a Malaysian oil and gas company that was founded on August 17, 1974. Wholly owned by the Government of Malaysia, the corporation is vested with the entire oil and gas resources in Malaysia and is entrusted with the responsibility of developing and...
in the
Klang ValleyKlang Valley is an area in Malaysia comprising Kuala Lumpur and its suburbs, and adjoining cities and towns in the state of Selangor. An alternative reference to this would be Kuala Lumpur Metropolitan Area or Greater Kuala Lumpur. It is geographically delineated by Titiwangsa Mountains to the...
that sell natural gas, although there are plans underway to increase the number of stations selling it at various locations around
Kuala LumpurKuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
.
Models exported to
SingaporeSingapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
and the United Kingdom were available with multi-point
fuel injectionFuel injection is a system for admitting fuel into an internal combustion engine. It has become the primary fuel delivery system used in automotive petrol engines, having almost completely replaced carburetors in the late 1980s....
and catalytic converters to meet Euro I emissions standards. This model was known as the Proton MPi in the United Kingdom. The introduction of the
Proton WiraThe Proton Wira was a car manufactured by Malaysian carmaker Proton, released as a four-door saloon and four-door hatchback beginning 1993. The Wira was intended as a newer alternative to the Proton Saga Iswara, a facelifted version of Proton's first model, the Proton Saga, as a flagship compact...
in 1993 replaced the corresponding models in the Saga range in the United Kingdom and this continued until the entire range was replaced in 1996.
In 2001, to regain sales and be competitive with
PeroduaThe ' , usually abbreviated to Perodua , is Malaysia's second largest automobile manufacturer after Proton. It was established in 1992 and launched their first car, the Perodua Kancil in August 1994. 'M2’ was refers to the codename which was used when the project to establish Perodua was still Top...
, Proton introduced a special edition of Saga Iswara Sport based on the Aeroback version which included a new bodykit, metallic rear wing, jewel-effect headlights and
Altezza lightsAltezza lights are vehicle tail lamp clusters consisting of one or more internal lamp units, covered with a clear acrylic cover made popular by Lexus...
, among other changes. It was only available in silver, with a manual transmission and a 1.3-litre engine. The original Saga Iswara Aeroback was still available in a 1.5-litre engine.
While the Iswara Aeroback underwent further modifications in the domestic market to become the Saga LMST in 2003, the saloon variant remained on sale unchanged.
Saga LMST (2003–2008)
As a loose successor to the Saga Iswara Sport, Proton gave the Iswara a new facelift and renamed it back to
Saga in 2003. This generation is known as Saga LMST. The interior had an entirely new dashboard, door panels and an instrument panel with a digital display consisting of an
odometerAn odometer or odograph is an instrument that indicates distance traveled by a vehicle, such as a bicycle or automobile. The device may be electronic, mechanical, or a combination of the two. The word derives from the Greek words hodós and métron...
, a
fuel gaugeA fuel gauge is an instrument used to indicate the level of fuel contained in a tank. Commonly used in cars, these may also be used for any tank including underground storage tanks.As used in cars, the gauge consists of two parts:...
and a temperature gauge. Meanwhile, the exterior received new headlights and taillights and colour-coded bumpers and wing mirrors. Proton retuned the 1.3-litre carburettor engine, and fitted a new exhaust system and extractors, increasing its power rating to 83 bhp. It was only available with the 5-speed manual transmission.
On March 5, 2007, Proton launched the
50th MerdekaHari Merdeka is a national day of Malaysia commemorating the independence of the Federation of Malaya from British colonial rule in 1957, celebrated on August 31 each year. It is not to be confused with the formation of Malaysia...
Anniversary Promotion in
Malaysia, where they announced new price for the Proton Saga which were sold at RM26,999. Advertising campaigns for the Saga Aeroback used a notable rendition of
Justin TimberlakeJustin Randall Timberlake is an American pop musician and actor. He achieved early fame when he appeared as a contestant on Star Search, and went on to star in the Disney Channel television series The New Mickey Mouse Club, where he met future bandmate JC Chasez...
's hit single
SexyBack"SexyBack" is a song by American recording artist Justin Timberlake from his second studio album, FutureSex/LoveSounds . It was released on July 7, 2006, by Jive Records as the lead single from the album...
, with the lyrics changed to "AeroBack". The promotion was made as a support to Malaysia's 50th
Merdeka Day and also to thank Proton's customers for their support since Proton Saga was first launched, receiving several minor cosmetic changes. The move was also an attempt by Proton to steal potential sales from
PeroduaThe ' , usually abbreviated to Perodua , is Malaysia's second largest automobile manufacturer after Proton. It was established in 1992 and launched their first car, the Perodua Kancil in August 1994. 'M2’ was refers to the codename which was used when the project to establish Perodua was still Top...
's then-forthcoming budget supermini, the
VivaThe Perodua Viva is a city car manufactured by Malaysian automaker Perodua since May 10, 2007. It was originally planned to be the replacement of Perodua's current city cars - the Perodua Kancil and the Perodua Kelisa. Once launched, Perodua decided to market it as a Kelisa replacement only, and...
. That year, the Proton Saga became the second best selling car behind
Perodua MyViThe Perodua Myvi is a supermini/subcompact hatchback manufactured by Malaysian car maker Perodua since 2005. Based on the second generation Daihatsu Sirion/Boon and Toyota Passo, the Myvi is the result of Perodua's collaboration with both Toyota and Daihatsu...
and the best selling saloon car in Malaysia, with over 15,000 orders. This version is quite notably the fastest and the lightest version of the Saga series Proton has ever produced. However, many public complaints have been filed to this version including interior quality problems such as broken power window switches and uncontrollable flow of the air-conditioning system.
Saga / S16 (2008-2010)
On January 18, 2008, Proton unveiled the successor to the 2007 Saga, which was planned to be phased out in June 2008. Retaining the Saga name, the new car is an indigenous design, designed to outperform and outengineer the old Saga compact sedan and aeroback in every way. Its bodywork is essentially based on a stretched
Proton SavvyThe Proton Savvy is a supermini hatchback produced by Malaysian car manufacturer Proton. The car was introduced in June 2005 as a successor to Proton Tiara.- History :...
. The new model is an in-house design developed in collaboration with Korea's
LGLG may refer to:*LG Corp., a South Korean electronics and petrochemicals conglomerate*LG Electronics, an affiliate of the South Korean LG Group which produces electronic products* Lawrence Graham, a London headquartered firm of business lawyers...
CNS and Lotus Engineering. This model enables the Malaysian company play to its strength in the home market i.e.
three-boxThree-box design is a broad automotive styling term describing a coupé, sedan, notchback or hatchback where — when viewed in profile — principal volumes are articulated into three separate compartments or boxes: engine, passenger and cargo....
sedan. The Proton Saga is not planned for U.S. launch but will be sold throughout Southeast Asia, in China, India and Australia.
As of February 2008, approximately 23,000 customer bookings had been made for the car since its launch and the corresponding waiting time for delivery during that same period stretched up to 5 months.
On July 16, 2009, an electric version of the Proton Saga was demonstrated at the University Sains Malaysia, Penang.
Specifications
The Saga comes in 3 different specifications with the choice of manual or auto transmissions starting from the base specced N model to the fully kitted M model. Aichi Kikai supplies the 5-speed manual while Mitsubishi makes the 4-speed automatic. The basic N model retails from RM31,500 to the RM39,800 high specced M model. The new Saga would be the cheapest Proton once the RM26,999 original is retired. Proton dubs the new Saga as "The People's Car".
Engine and performance
The new Saga is powered by the same 1.3-litre
Campro engineThe Campro engine is the first automotive engine ever developed together with Lotus by the Malaysian carmaker, Proton. The name Campro is short for Cam Profiling. This engine powers the Proton Gen-2, Proton Satria Neo, Proton Waja Campro, Proton Persona, Proton Saga and Proton Exora...
(co-designed with
LotusLotus Cars is a British manufacturer of sports and racing cars based at the former site of RAF Hethel, a World War II airfield in Norfolk. The company designs and builds race and production automobiles of light weight and fine handling characteristics...
). The same engine is also fitted to the
Gen-2Sometime after the launch of the standard Gen-2, comes the special edition. It is fitted with a full body-kit, leather seats and lightweight sport rims. Handling is slightly better with the broader tires fitted and it is more aerodynamic...
. The 1.3-liter engine is rated at 94 hp at 6,000 rpm and 120 newton metre at 4,000 rpm. The engines feature the new Integrated Air-Fuel Module (IAFM) which varies the airflow into the engine to improve efficiency, smoothing torque dips in the lower and middle rev ranges. The ignition system has also been updated with coil-on-plugs instead of the traditional ignition cable system to eliminate power loss. Compared to the (non-IAFM) 1.3-litre in the Satria Neo, power delivery characteristics are remarkably different. Based on opinionated review, noticeable torque is felt after 2,500 rpm to 4,000 rpm. The suspension setup consists of MacPherson struts and a stabilizer bar up front with a torsion beam in the rear. The Lotus-designed torsion beam suspension aims to reduce understeering. Fuel economy has been improved with approximate rating of 6 L/100 km for the manual transmission.
Besides the 1.3L engine option, the 1.6-liter Campro version is also available as an exclusive engine option for taxi operators. It also features IAFM and produces 114 hp at 6,500 rpm and 148 newton metre at 4,000 rpm. Top-of-the-line versions (currently the M-Line) are fitted with a set of 14-inch rims and 185/65 R14 tyres for added traction, providing the car with increased braking force and improved road holding. However, the car is not equipped with ABS.
Cabin and interior
The new Saga is bigger and has ample room for 5 Malaysian adults of average height. One airbag for the driver is fitted to the M-line models.However, the signal and wiper switch levers are located at opposite directions. The signal switch lever is located at the left hand side of the steering wheel where as the wiper lever switch is located at the right hand side of the steering wheel, similar to European car models. As the Saga is designed as a city car, the air conditioning system has been made even more powerful and efficient, even at engine idling speeds.
Like its predecessor, it is expected to be standard among Malaysian taxicab operators. The car is not designed to accommodate a
compressed natural gasCompressed natural gas is a fossil fuel substitute for gasoline , diesel, or propane/LPG. Although its combustion does produce greenhouse gases, it is a more environmentally clean alternative to those fuels, and it is much safer than other fuels in the event of a spill...
tank. A Malaysian Orange Taxi Company, Innovasi Timur Sdn Bhd installed a superior NGV System with a modified NGV Cylinder Bracket, giving larger boot space for luggage.
Awards
Since the official launch of the second generation Proton Saga in January 2008, the car has won 3 major automobile awards. The Malaysian edition of Autocar Asean magazine has awarded the new Saga "Winner of the Small Sedan/ Hatchback Category" for 2008. Shortly after that, the car was voted as the "Best People's Car" at the Asian Auto - VCA Auto Industry Award 2008. In November the same year, the new Saga won yet another major Malaysian automobile accolade when it was declared the "Winner of the Entry Level Car Category" under the New Straits Times/ Maybank Car of the Year Awards for 2008. On 13 May 2010, Frost & Sullivan awarded 'Best Passenger Model Car of the Year' for the Proton Saga for its excellence and reliability.
Saga FL (2010-2011)
On November 30, 2010, Proton unveiled a mid-life facelift version of the Proton Saga at the Thai International Motor Expo 2010, featuring substantial changes to the exterior sheet metal. The new features introduced in the Saga FL include
power windowPower windows or electric windows as well as electric or power window lifts are automobile windows which can be raised and lowered by depressing a button or switch, as opposed to using a hand-turned crank handle.- History :Packard introduced the first power windows in the 1940 Packard...
s for all 4 doors (previous Sagas only have front power windows), new
Clarionis a Japanese manufacturer of car audio, automotive navigation systems, AutoPCs, visual equipment, bus equipment, and communication equipment.Up until the end of 2005, products in Japan were marketed under the brand name AddZest, while outside of Japan the same product typically carried the Clarion...
audio system with USB ports, rear LED lights, steering wheel audio switches, and dual
airbagAn Airbag is a vehicle safety device. It is an occupant restraint consisting of a flexible envelope designed to inflate rapidly during an automobile collision, to prevent occupants from striking interior objects such as the steering wheel or a window...
s. The technical specifications for the Saga FL is unchanged from the pre-facelift Saga.
Saga 1.3 FLX (2011-present)
Only 8 months after the launching of Saga FL in improving the cars and listening to the users feedback, Proton relaunched its Saga line-up with Saga FLX, which X stands for extra. The car internal code is P2-11C. The new line-up was launched in July 2011 with a fine tuned Campro IAFM + variety engine, minor update on plastic usage especially the tone of the dashboard, new graphics for the instrument cluster meters. It also get new suspension setup which features stiffer springs, a thicker front anti-roll bar and revised shocks, offering 20%-30% more stiffness which then reduced body roll and more neutral handling pitching into corners. Most important change is the usage of 6 speed
CVTA continuously variable transmission is a transmission that can change steplessly through an infinite number of effective gear ratios between maximum and minimum values. This contrasts with other mechanical transmissions that offer a fixed number of gear ratios...
gearbox which comes from Belgian manufacturer Punch Powertrain and the manual variant of the FLX also sees a change, this being in drivetrain choice, the Aichi Kikai five-speed tranny making way for a
GetragGetrag is a leading manufacturer of automobile manual transmissions. The company was founded on 1 May 1935, in Ludwigsburg, Germany, by Hermann Hagenmeyer; as the Getriebe und Zahnradfabrik Hermann Hagenmeyer GmbH & Cie KG...
five-speeder. For safety feature,
ABSAn anti-lock braking system is a safety system that allows the wheels on a motor vehicle to continue interacting tractively with the road surface as directed by driver steering inputs while braking, preventing the wheels from locking up and therefore avoiding skidding.An ABS generally offers...
is a standard specs and coupled with
EBDElectronic brakeforce distribution ', Electronic brakeforce limitation ' is an automobile brake technology that automatically varies the amount of force applied to each of a vehicle's brakes, based on road conditions, speed, loading, etc...
feature. The price remains competitive with a minor RM1000 increase. The car is a serious money-for-value new car in Malaysia. The Saga FLX provide the closest competition to the
Perodua MyviThe Perodua Myvi is a supermini/subcompact hatchback manufactured by Malaysian car maker Perodua since 2005. Based on the second generation Daihatsu Sirion/Boon and Toyota Passo, the Myvi is the result of Perodua's collaboration with both Toyota and Daihatsu...
which previously reign the top spot for almost 5 years.
Saga 1.6 FLX SE (Dec 2011-present)
Similar to FLX 1.3 but with a 1.6 fine tuned Campro IAFM + variety engine from Saga FL 1.6 and 6 speed
CVTA continuously variable transmission is a transmission that can change steplessly through an infinite number of effective gear ratios between maximum and minimum values. This contrasts with other mechanical transmissions that offer a fixed number of gear ratios...
gearbox from Saga FLX 1.3 which comes from Belgian manufacturer Punch Powertrain. Which is four percent better acceleration, and reduces fuel consumption by an additional four percent compared to the current 1.6-litre Saga FL. Priced RM2,900 above the current selling 1.6-litre automatic Saga FL, the Saga 1.6 FLX SE features eight and three exterior and interior changes. The car is fitted with 15” inch alloy wheels, an all round factory-fitted body kit, fog lamps and smoked finishing rear lights. The cabin is trimmed in leather which comprises the seats, steering wheel, door ornament, parking brake and gearshift lever. Available in two colour choices - Solid White and Fire Red.
Awards
- 1991 What Car?
What Car? is a long-running UK monthly automobile magazine and website, currently edited by Steve Fowler and published by Haymarket Motoring. First published in 1973, it is intended primarily as a magazine for consumers rather than dedicated automobile enthusiasts...
Best Value Car of the Year (Proton Saga 1.5E Aeroback)
- 1992 Auto Express
Auto Express is a weekly motoring magazine sold in the United Kingdom published by Dennis Publishing. The Editor-in-Chief is Steve Fowler.Launched in September 1988, its 1000th issue was published on 20 February 2008. It's only weekly competitor in Britain is the long established Autocar...
Best Value Popular New Cars
- 1993 What Car?
What Car? is a long-running UK monthly automobile magazine and website, currently edited by Steve Fowler and published by Haymarket Motoring. First published in 1973, it is intended primarily as a magazine for consumers rather than dedicated automobile enthusiasts...
Best Buy Family Car up to £10,000
- 2008 Best Compact/People's car of the year - Asian Auto-VCA Auto Industry Awards
- 2008 Entry Level Category Winner - NST/Maybank COTY Awards 2008
- 2009 Best Model of the Year (Malaysia) - Frost & Sullivan Asia Pacific 2009 Automotive Awards
- 2010 Best Passenger Car Model of the Year
- 2011 Best People's Car and Best Value for Money Family Car Awards - Asian Auto - Auto Industry Awards 2011.
External links