Proton's R3 division has teamed up with Lotus Racing to produce the Satria Neo R3 - Lotus Racing. Only 25 will be built in conjunction with Proton's 25th Anniversary celebrations.
Capable of churning up to 145BHp, the Satria Neo R3 - Lotus Racing has Lotus' DNA imbued in it, such that car enthusiasts are bound to take interest in it. Never mind that it's a Proton and with it comes the bad image of quality control issues.
While I haven't test driven it personally, judging by the video shot by Cars, Bikes & Trucks (CBT), the car's performance is, well, not nearly as impressive as it could have been (click on link below).
On the test track, the car could hardly go beyond 160Km/H+ on straights. This is not surprising, considering that cars with 145BHp under the hood need a bit more road to reach 170Km/H+.
What would have really been impressive is a turbo or compressor to go with the souped up 1.6L engine straddling the front of the Satria Neo R3 - Lotus Racing. The car would have really flown then.
Alas, that is not to be. And what a wasted opportunity.
Consider the fact that only 25 are being built. This means that the buyers are already going to pay premium for the cars. And they are going to be from among an exclusive bunch of people who have more money than they know what to do with.
So, arguably, Proton could have gone all the way by boosting the engine output to 180BHp+ with a turbo or compressor, and still have people waiting in line to buy the Satria Neo R3 - Lotus Racing.
Well, that's Proton for you - getting things both right and wrong at the same time.
For more information, visit CBT's website at http://cbt.com.my/100330/proton-satria-neo-r3-lotus-edition
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