In just two months following the local launch of the Proton brand, some 1 000 cars have been shipped from Malaysia to meet the demand – and local distributor, Combine Motor Holdings (CMH), is also expanding the dealer network.
“The quick take up of our vehicles in South Africa is proof of the appeal of Proton as a brand and our model range to car buyers there. We have a strong working relationship with CMH Group, and they have initiated many on-ground activities to give a taste of our current range to as many South Africans as possible,” says Steven Xu, Director of International Sales, Proton.
Proton’s journey back to South Africa after a 10-year hiatus began with the appointment of the CMH Group as its distributor. Currently, only Proton SUVs are in the country showrooms, but customers can look forward to exciting new additions in 2023.
Despite being a mature and competitive market, both Proton and CMH are optimistic about sales prospects in the country. And with the strong sales performance thus far, the target is to double the sales volume in 2023.
“Surpassing the 1 000 mark of vehicles received from Proton Malaysia shows confidence in the market and proves the need for SUVs such as the Proton X50 and Proton X70. We have seen a steady increase in sales across South Africa at all our nationwide dealerships, and it makes us excited to bring in the new vehicles,” explains Marius Smal, Managing Director of Proton South Africa.
After doubling its volume in 2021, Proton’s export sales increased in 2022 and will continue to grow in 2023. Total exports up to the end of November 2022 stood at 5 028 units.
South Africa is the second-largest market in terms of volume despite being new. As for model rankings, the Proton X70 nearly doubled its size in 2022, and the Proton X50 has grown its year-to-date by three times thus far.
With new vehicles soon to hit the South African showrooms in 2023, Proton plans to cater for all driving preferences at affordable prices.
