Proton expects new S70 sedan to outsell the X50 SUV

The entry-level RM74k Proton S70 Executive – front

Proton expects to the new S70 sedan – officially launched yesterday – to outsell the X50, as declared by VP of sales Edmund Lim in the press conference at the Axiata Arena. That’s some goal, seeing how popular the SUV is in the market.

Lim explained that sales of the B-segment SUV is currently around 2,000 units per month, whereas the target for the S70 sedan – which shares its BMA platform and 1.5L MPI turbo engine with the X50 – is between 2,000 to 3,000 units per month. If successful, the S70 will take over from the X50 as Proton’s second best-selling model after the Saga.

Where does 2,000 units put the S70 – priced from RM73,800 to RM94,800 – in the B-segment sedan arena? Not enough to topple the Honda City from the top of the B-segment mini league based on current figures, as it’s averaging around 2,400 units a month.

The entry-level RM74k Proton S70 Executive – rear

However, there can only be so many car buyers at the same price range every month, and if more people opt for the S70 over the two similarly-priced Japanese-badged sedans in the City and Vios, the Proton may end up outselling them too. Only time will tell.

But sales victory in the C-segment sedan market is virtually assured. With sales of 2,000 units a month, the S70 will outsell current leader Honda Civic by many folds, which is a given when the car is priced like a City. This is pretty much the same scenario as the X70 – Proton put its first Geely product in the CR-V segment with HR-V pricing.

The Proton S70 comes in four variants, and they are the Executive, Premium, Flagship and Flagship X. The entry-level Executive kicks off the range at RM73,800, while the Premium sells for RM79,800. For many, the Flagship is where the S70 range truly starts, and it’s yours for RM89,800. If you want a sunroof, dashcam and the exclusive Quartz Black paint, the Flagship X is priced at RM94,800 on-the-road without insurance.

Full launch report, walk-around video and live galleries of all four S70 variants here.

GALLERY: Proton S70 1.5T Flagship X