Following a successful October when sales grew by 28.7% compared to the previous month, Proton has now exceeded the cumulative volume that was achieved for the same period of 10 months in 2020. With 13,362 units sold in October, the cumulative volume has reached 86,379 units, 1.6% higher than the same period in 2020 when 84,999 units were sold.
“Proton’s sales in October can be summarized as a story of strong buyer demand and unrealized sales potential. While we are happy with the continued popularity of the Proton Saga and our achievement with the two SUVs, we missed out on adding more units to our final tally as we continue ramping up our supply of components. Market demand however is expected to remain strong towards the end of year, so we are working diligently towards closing 2021 on a high note,” said Roslan Abdullah, CEO of Proton Edar.
Proton’s performance is in contrast to the overall market which has fallen by an estimated 4.7% despite selling more than 65,000 units for the first time in 2021 in October. Proton’s total sales volume in October is expected to be represent a 20.5% market share, while the cumulative volume should put the brand’s share at 22.7%.
As has been the case for every month in 2021, the Saga has been the bestseller. 5,107 units were sold in October, the third time the model’s sales volume has exceeded 5,000 units during the year. According to Proton, the Saga has been the A-segment sedan volume leader in 2021.
Two other volume leaders for the company are both the SUVs, the X50 and X70. The B-segment X50 managed achieved its best month since launch with 3,839 units sold, while the larger X70 had its best month of sales since March this year with 2,165 units sold.
As for the rest of the model range, the evergreen Exora continued to dominate the C-segment MPV market with 359 units sold. However, the latest Iriz and Persona were badly affected by microchip shortages that limited their production volumes and delaying deliveries.
Proton, like other companies, is happy that the government has made the decision to extend the exemption of Sales and Service Tax (SST) another 6 months until June 30, 2022. This benefits both the car companies which are still recovering and need every sale they can get, as well as car-buyers who can save money.
“Customers who have been patiently waiting for their vehicles no longer need to worry about missing out on the incentives if their deliveries can only be made next year. The extension gives us a chance to fulfil the bookings we have already received and doesn’t unfairly penalize customers who are waiting due to circumstances beyond their control,” said Encik Roslan. “We predict the extension will also help to spur sales through the first half of next year when there could be more new models introduced to the market.”
