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FIRST LOOKS Proton Satria NeoJune 16, 2006 6:01 PM Author: Chips Yap |
The Satria Replacement Model – aka as ‘SRM’ - is a model which the public has known about for at least 2 years and numerous spy shots have been taken of it (strangely Proton’s Head of Legal has never made good the threat to sue anyone showing pictures of its prototypes) and it was to have been launched in the final quarter of 2005. That was what the former CEO had said but 2005 ended with no SRM to be seen in the showrooms. Apparently, the launch date was postponed because a review had been made around the middle of 2005 and changes were needed in certain areas because they had been too ‘personalised’. It was also very clear that build quality was a serious issue with customers and it had to make sure the new Satria would arrive in showrooms without parts getting loose or breaking. So extra effort was put in to ensure higher quality and this required a bit more time. The Savvy had turned one corner in terms of build quality and it was very important that the next model prove that this could be maintained. Today, the SRM finally gets launched as the Satria Neo, eleven and a half years after the first generation made its debut. Actually, the first Satria was not originally a Proton project; it had been developed as an initiative by USPD, then a joint-venture between Proton and DRB (today, USPD is part of Proton and called Proton Edar). The initiative impressed the PM (then) so much and won USPD the right to become a second Proton channel (besides EON) which would sell ‘sporty’ models like the Aerobacks, Putra, Satria and the short-lived Tiara. In fact, USPD was so ambitious that it even made the Satria and Tiara itself at the DRB plant in Pekan, Pahang, rather than at Proton’s factory. Though 3-door hatchbacks generally don’t sell in large numbers in Malaysia (people prefer 4-door sedans), the Satria was popular because of its affordable pricetag and it appealed to many younger buyers who saw it as a sporty car. Its popularity grew further with the addition of the iconic Satria GTI, a hot hatch which had Lotus-tuned suspension and chassis dynamics and more importantly, a powerful 1.8-litre engine. Although only about 8,000 units were built (5,300 sold in Malaysia), that variant of the Satria was among the few respected Proton models that impressed enthusiasts in the UK and Australian markets, enhancing the brand image. The first impression many would get on seeing the Satria Neo is that it has a clean design, the sort one might find from a European carmaker. The spy photos had shown a shape which appeared chunky but the production car has nice curves and pleasing proportions. Panel interfaces are smoother and tighter than what is seen in the Gen2, giving the impression of a high quality product.
The front end has the Gen2 look but in a more refined manner with those ‘tiger eye’ headlight units slightly restyled. A poly ellipsoid system for the headlights casts illumination much further and wider, with a broad patch up to 45 metres ahead of the car. On the 1.6 version, circular foglamps are fitted at the lower extremities of the bumper. A comparison of dimensions between the new Satria Neo and the old one (which was based on the Mitsubishi Colt) is interesting. The new bodyshell is 40 mm shorter, 30 mm wider and 35 mm taller but the wheelbase is exactly the same at 2440 mm. The tracks are also wider than before. COMPARISON OF DIMENSIONS Length: 3905 mm (3950 mm) The previous Satria was a product of the mid-1990s and it’s not surprising that its aerodynamic drag coefficient (Cd) was 0.41 (0.395 for the Satria GTI). Its successor boasts an impressively low 0.35 with almost zero front lift, thanks to the front airdam reaching quite low down to reduce the air getting under the front end. In fact, the airdam extends so far down that owners are warned not to use a jack from the front of the car otherwise damage may occur.
Two DOHC 16-valve engines – 1332 cc and 1597 cc - are available from today and both are from the CAMPRO family. While the 1.6-litre unit is already well known as it is installed in the Gen2 and the Waja, the 1.3-litre unit (which is also available in the Gen2 now) may not be so familiar to many. Unlike the long-stroke 1.6-litre unit, the 1.3-litre is a short-stroke version which shares the same bore dimension of 76 mm. The output is 70 kW/94 bhp with 120 Nm at 4000 rpm while the 1.6 engine produces 82 kW/110 bhp and 148 Nm of torque, also at 4000 rpm, modest figures but high in terms of specific output per litre. For now, there is no ‘hotter’ CAMPRO (many had expected it with this new Satria) although a GTI version is planned and presumably, it will have a more powerful engine. However, the engines for the Satria Neo are said to be tweaked a bit to overcome that known issue of torque inadequacy at the low end that is inherent in the design. The lighter weight (compared to the Gen2, not the previous Satria which was under 1000 kgs) should help improve performance and for the 1.3, the final drive ratio is lower (4.33:1 instead of 4.05) which should give better acceleration from standstill albeit with some reduction in the potential top speed. While there’s not a lot to shout about current CAMPRO ‘engine technology’ (contrary to the claims made by the former CEO), Proton does highlight that the engines can meet emission control regulations up to EURO-4 (necessary to sell in Europe). The engine is designed for a service life of 250,000 kms with no overhaul needed for 10 years. It has already been run 1.2 million kms (25 times around the world) as part of the long-term durability testing program. Unfortunately, both engines need RON95 minimum so cheaper RON92 petrol is not an option and you need to use RON97. As for transmissions, 4-speed automatic and 5-speed manual transmissions are available and it is likely that both will see equal demand. There is no mention about the transmissions being adaptive but they are known to be supplied by Mitsubishi Motors. Proton had no plans to make its own transmissions as such a venture would be very costly so buying them from its partner makes more sense, plus the fact that the Mitsubishi transmissions are already proven units.
PERFORMANCE CLAIMS 1.3 MT 1.3 AT 1.6 MT 1.6 AT With each new model, the suspension layout that started off in the Waja has been refined and modified. Thus while the layout looks the same, the one for the Satria Neo is not identical to that for the Gen2. There has been relocation and resizing of some of the rear suspension components and a new element in the multilink layout is an upper transverse link which increases rigidity. The rear stabilizer bar has also been relocated to improve body control. For wheels, the 1.3 gets 6Jx15-inch steel units with covers that will give the impression of them being alloy wheels, while the 1.6 has 7JJx16 light alloy wheels. Standard tyres for the 1.3 are 195/55 (Sime Astar Prima) and for the 1.6, 195/50 (Continental Sport Contact). The brake system is the same as the Gen2’s but uses larger front discs for better cooling and stopping power. Since the Wira, Proton has usually provided rear disc brakes as well, rare in this class, and this applies to both versions of the new Satria too. ABS (plus EBD) is also available but only in the most expensive version.
The interior can be described as an ‘evolution’ with some styling elements carried over from the Gen2 as well as the Savvy. Unlike the Gen2, where there seemed to be an aim to be different for the sake of being different, the dashboard of the Satria Neo has a less fussy and clean look. Better attention has been paid to the look and feel although some of the surfaces still appear cheap. Thankfully, a neutral dark grey/light grey theme was chosen rather than some ridiculous colour like beige. Strangely, there are few carryover parts from the Gen2; given Proton’s relatively small production volume, it would be more practical and cost-effective to have as many common parts as possible. Of course, the Gen2 dashboard had also come under some criticism so the designers may have had no choice but to change many parts. For example, in the Gen2, the round buttons on the centre console look so cheap and childish but in the Satria Neo, they are neat squares which are well finished with a rubberised material that gives the look of quality.
The user-friendliness in most areas is better than in the Gen2. So are the air-conditioner controls which are three vertically-stacked rotating knobs below the centre section. The round vents (which look like they came from an Audi TT) are generously sized but their operation is not intuitive enough. Not everyone would realise you are supposed to rotate the outer ring to open and shut the vents and rotating the ring is hard because the material is slippery and the grooves are not deep enough to allow the fingers to ‘grip’ firmly. The instrument panel is also new and again, the question is why Proton must have so many different designs. The one on the Gen2 was fine and in fact, the layout is almost the same except that the calibrations are different and the meters have blue lighting. While the colour may be ‘cool’, it doesn’t offer good contrast in daylight (amber or yellow would work much better). Like the Gen2 and Savvy, the driver can also be informed of fuel consumption, remaining range in the 50-litre fuel tank (effective volume: 47 litres) and also the journey time. There are a few storage spaces around the cabin for small items and the slots beside the vertical stack of ventilation knobs look just right for a handphone. The area between the seats is a bit bare with the power window switches on either side of the handbrake and cupholders for the rear occupants. The switches would be better located on the doors and indeed, during the brief test drives, it was apparent that many people looked for them there. The cupholders are also too shallow and don’t hold cups or bottles well. Feedback from Gen2 owners had indicated that the absence of a glovebox was a strong negative point about the dashboard so for the Satria Neo, a glovebox is provided. It’s not particularly deep but it does have a damper mechanism to give smooth movement and a pushbutton latch. The audio system from Blaupunkt is neatly integrated into the centre console. It’s a 1-DIN unit but looking at the panel design, it would appear that a 2-DIN unit was also considered at some stage. A single CD player is included and the unit can also be hooked up to a CD-changer. For the 1.6 versions, there is MP3 capability included and with an optional cable, an iPOD can also be connected.
And what about the power windows in this new Proton? Proton states that there is an improvement to the mechanism since the Gen2 and provides some details of the improvements. It now has a scissors-type regulator ‘for greater reliability’ and load-bearing materials are of ‘stronger materials’ with additional roller bearings to reduce stresses. The motor is also said to be upgraded and the balance rails are extended for a more secure fit with the glass pane (a common problem in Protons has been the glass pane dropping down). To be fair, Proton’s persistent power window failures could be finally fading away because the Savvy does not seem to be as severely afflicted as the Gen2 and Waja. The nicely contoured front seats not only look good but have some interesting technology in their design and construction. Multi-Hardness Foam Moulding Technology has been used and this gives each section of the seat two different types of foam to conform to the contours of the body. The result is good support during spirited driving and also elimination of fatigue on long journeys. No mention is made of the rear accommodation so presumably Proton doesn’t see this area is being of great importance. Nevertheless, the rear seats are reasonably comfortable and with three 3-point seatbelts, there is supposed to be space for three persons. The ceiling is a bit low but given the type of car this is, it should be acceptable to most people. In the safety department, Proton will again draw criticism for not making airbags standard throughout the range. Only the most expensive version (1.6 H-Line) gets two front airbags and even seatbelt pre-tensioners are not standard except on this version; likewise with ABS which isn’t even offered for the standard 1.6. Proton must still be facing a big challenge to keep its costs down but with Naza offering airbags as standard on the Sutera and Bestari, it will be hard for the Malaysian public to understand why Proton can’t do likewise for the Satria Neo(customers overseas won’t have this issue since they will have the features as standard for sure).
So like the Savvy, the emphasis is on body strength which, undeniably, is also very important for occupant protection. In this area, the Satria Neo certainly scores high marks with its body which is said to be two times stronger than the previous Satria’s. The long side doors have double impact trapezoidal beams in them to resist intrusion and additionally, there is a ‘side impact catcher’ which is a sort of hook under the door panel that prevents the door from buckling inwards. This feature is said to be found only in expensive high-end models. This time, Proton has made it clearer that although the new Satria has not actually been subjected to any crash tests by the independent EuroNCAP organisation, the company’s own crash tests have been conducted using the requirements and procedures specified by EuroNCAP. Earlier, with the Savvy and the Gen2, many people had felt misled by the reports written and also the advertisements which seemed to suggest that the two models had already gone through the tests by the organisation. For the record, only the Waja (known as the Impian in UK) has been tested by EuroNCAP and it scored 3 stars (with airbags installed).
However, while Proton says that its own crash tests used EuroNCAP standards and procedures, it does not indicate how many stars the car could get - but that’s probably of no use to Malaysians since without airbags, a car can’t score well anyway. Nevertheless, there are some claims of exceeding the ‘regulation requirement’ mentioned. For example, the steering wheel has 30% better impact energy absorbance than required; the seat anchorage strength is 25% better and the seatbelt anchorage is 13% stronger. So be sure to always belt up properly and your chances of survival in a Malaysian-spec Satria Neo should be fairly good! PRICES The 1.3 versions seem a bit bare for the money being asked for and don’t even have a rear wiper but they do come with standard power windows and central locking. They are equipped with an alarm system but not the engine immobilizer which the 1.6 has. But you get the same choice of five colours as the more expensive versions. As an overall initial assessment, the new Satria Neo looks like another commendable effort by Proton. The build quality in the cars tested was high and from what we understand, the TUV is not involved in the Satria Neo QC so you don’t see a TUV sticker on the glass. Apparently, the TUV was engaged (at enormous cost) for the Savvy as well as to assess Proton’s suppliers and to provide training to Proton QC personnel and not as a long-term thing. Thus, it is suggested that the Proton LULUS sticker now carries with it higher standards than ever before. BRIEF DRIVING IMPRESSIONS Having never experienced a CAMPRO 1.3 before, I chose this version first and the only one I could grab had automatic transmission. From the rolling start, it was clear that it has the same character as its bigger brother and you need to use high revs (3500 rpm onwards) to get some sizzle out of the car. This means using lower gears more, which can affect fuel economy. Past 5000 rpm, the engine starts to make a lot of noise although most people are unlikely to spend much time in that range, especially with an automatic. The 1.6 felt pretty much like what I remember it to be in the Gen2 – fine when you are cruising along at a steady speed but requiring frequent downshifts when you need to accelerate to overtake. Without the Gen2 to compare, it’s hard to say that the performance in the Satria Neo is better although logically, with a better weight-to-power ratio, you should get an improvement. Like the 1.3, the 1.6 also gets noisy after 5000 rpm and unless you are deaf, you are likely to be discouraged from reaching the redline at 6500 rpm!
In the handling department, both versions showed good balance and the responsiveness was appreciated when the car did things like snapping into oversteer on sudden lift off in a tight turn. This happened in both cars I tested although it was only in one particular tight corner. In the other corners, once you set up your line, the car tracks through the corner fairly smoothly and if you enter too fast, then the understeer helps to scrub off speed. Of course, this is not a Satria GTI so don’t expect it to be a hot hatch. Talk about the new Satria Neo in the MTM Forum 
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