KUALA LUMPUR: Proton Holdings Bhd sold 100,566 units so far this year, raising expectations the auto company will be able to end the year with positive sales growth

       In a statement, Proton said the overall sales of 14,187 units (domestic + export) in November 2021 have pushed its year-to-date number to 100,566 units.

       “Looking at the month of November, sales improved by 6.2% over October marking the third consecutive month of growth.

       “Compared to November 2020 sales have increased by 24.3%, which is also reflected in the growth of YTD sales by 4.3%. Domestic market share for the month is estimated to stand at 24.5% while YTD market share has grown by 1.9% and currently sits at 22.8%,” it said.

       Proton Edar chief executive officer Roslan Abdullah said November was a good sales month for Proton though overall industry numbers continue to be limited by supply and not demand.

       “Crossing over the 100,000-unit threshold with a month to go is a high point for us after another year disrupted by Covid-19. We are humbled by the achievement and are now confident of ending the year with an increase in total sales.

       “This will make Proton the sole national brand to grow sales and market share this year and give us a strong base heading into 2022 as we look to consolidate and improve our ranking both domestically and overseas,” he said.

       Proton said November had been an active month for the Malaysian automotive industry as new model launches and the news about the extension of the tax-free incentive period brought a sense of excitement to car buyers.

       It noted that component supply issues continued to be an area of concern for all manufacturers but overall, brands with sufficient units did well.

       “Proton was no exception. The evergreen Proton Saga, that combines performance with an attractive design and value, had its best sales month since December 2020 with 5,666 units sold, allowing it to reclaim the best-selling model in Malaysia crown it last held in September this year.

       “It also remains as the champion of the A-segment sedan class, a position the company is hopeful it will retain until the end of the year,” Proton said, adding that Proton X50 had a record month with 4,010 units delivered.

       It said Proton X70 also continued its run of success with 1,901 units delivered this month, keeping it far ahead in the C-segment SUV class.

       The Proton Exora enjoyed a fourth consecutive month of growth and continued to dominate the C-segment MPV market with 434 units sold.

       Component supply issues continue to plague the 2022 Proton Iriz and Persona limiting their production volumes, but both achieved 642 and 1,534 units respectively.