NEW MODELS

In 1993 proton started new model proton wire in the market. Based on mitsubishi lancer.
More than 220,000 units were sold between 1996 and 1998.
Proton Perdana, based on the Mitsubishi Galant/Eterna, was first produced in 1995, intended for higher end market
By 2002 Proton held a market share of over 60 per cent in Malaysia, which was reduced to barely 30 percent by 2005 and is expected to reduce further in 2008 when AFTA mandates reduce import tariffs to a maximum of 5%.
Proton Waja (Proton Impian in UK) is the first car model designed internally by Proton. It was launched in early 2001.
With the acquisition of Lotus technologies in 1996 from ACBN Holdings (a company owned by the same person who owned Bugatti), Proton has gained an additional source of engineering and automotive expertise.
This lead to the production of Proton Gen-2 which was code name Wira Replacement Model (WRM) before the launch. The Gen-2 is the first of cars to be manufactured and assembled at the new manufacturing plant in Tanjung Malim, Perak which is part of Proton City development project.

The plant was opened in 2004. On June 8, 2005 Proton introduced the second model to be manufactured in Tanjung Malim, the 1,200 cc 5-door supermini, the Proton Savvy. Both the Gen-2 and Savvy, were models that MG Rover was looking to rebadge when the British firm entered into collaboration talks with Proton. However these joint-venture talks were unsuccessful and MG Rover subsequently collapsed.