Proton Juara
| Proton Juara | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Proton |
| Also called | Proton RGW |
| Production | Mid 2001–2003 |
| Assembly | Malaysia: Pekan, Pahang (AMM) |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Microvan / Mini MPV |
| Body style | 5-door, 6-seat MPV |
| Layout | Front-engine, rear-wheel drive |
| Related | Mitsubishi Town Box Wide |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 1.1L Mitsubishi 4A31 S4 I4 |
| Transmission | 4-speed automatic |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 2,390 mm (94.1 in) |
| Length | 3,660 mm (144.1 in) |
| Width | 1,535 mm (60.4 in) |
| Height | 1,810 mm (71.3 in) |
| Kerb weight | 1,005 kg (2,216 lb) |
The Proton Juara is a microvan produced by Malaysian automobile manufacturer Proton. It was launched on 22 July 2001 as Proton's first non-saloon, hatchback or coupé model. The Juara was to be jointly developed by Proton and Mitsubishi Motors as an export model under the Mitsubishi badge. However, poor reception and lacklustre sales led to an early end to its production in 2003.
The name Juara is the Malay language equivalent for Champion.
The first sketches of a Proton MPV (multi-purpose vehicle) existed as early as the 1990s, during the dawn of the MPV era. During this period, all of Proton's offerings were either saloon, hatchback or coupé vehicles. Proton began development of their first MPV, then codenamed 'Proton RGW', in late 1999. It was based on the Mitsubishi Town Box Wide platform, of which Proton had intended to re-engineer over the course of 2 or 3 years to suit different tastes.Mitsubishi Motors had also expressed intentions to rebadge the re-engineered Proton version as a Mitsubishi car for export markets. The joint development had aimed to lower costs for both companies, where Proton would be spared from paying royalties to Mitsubishi for the use of their platforms, and Mitsubishi would save on production costs if Proton were to re-engineer cars for them. Proton officially announced their MPV plans to the public in early 2000, and by November that same year, the first prototype had been completed. Production of the MPV began in the second quarter of 2001 at the HICOM Automotive Manufacturers Malaysia (present day DRB-HICOM) plant in Pekan, Pahang.
The Proton Juara was launched on 22 July 2001 at the Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) Esplanade. The launch was endorsed by the then Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad. The name Juara was only revealed on its launch date, and it was intended to pay tribute to the nation's sports champions of that period.
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