TEST DRIVE FOR 1.8 HAVE DONE

PROTON INSPIRA 1.8L TEST DRIVE REVIEW IMPRESSION

First impression, the 1.8L Inspira is obviously have lower specification than the 2.0L model. From the front – easily noticeable, there isn’t any bodykit fitted with it. Without further inspecting the car, we went for a test drive and see how it goes.

We were told that Proton Inspira is tuned with Lotus handling, so we went fast into some corners and did some snake moves on the straight. We feel that the Proton Inspira ride is comfortable and have no problem absorbing bumps and uneven roads. The Inspira also has sufficient among of grip, the problem is we feel that there’s some amount of body roll with this setup as well as the driver doesn’t not get enough feedback from the car. Later we scan through the brochures to find “Lotus Handling” but what we found was only “Proton Ride & Handling”.

Other than that, we got no complains on the 1.8L MIVEC engine’s power mated with the CVT gearbox. The 1.8L Inspira will have less gadgets for the driver to play with. First to start off, there’s no paddle shift on the steering wheel, no cruise control, no auto light sensor and no rain sensor which all these are features in the 2.0L Inspira.

We also notice that the trim of the dashboard for the Proton Inspira 1.8L are different than the ones in the 2.0L. We actually prefer the one in the 1.8L Inspira of is Carbon-Fibre like effect. There’s also no fully auto aircond control on the 1.8L version and the dials of the air con controls are not in chrome and feels cheap.

Proton Inspira 1.8L or rather known as executive version has all fabric seats. Usually we do not have much comments on fabric seats but we try sitting on the rear seats and it feels too soft. We can feel the metal frame of the car with our buttocks sitting on the rear seats. We did not find this issue on the 2.0L Premium Inspira version.

Lastly, from the rear of the Proton Inspira Executive , you do not get the boot lip, the chrome stripe the rear bodykit and of  course the 2.0 P badge.

Our conclusion for the Proton Inspira Executive would be a good option for a day to day basis car. There’s no much of “Lotus Spirited” Handling in the Inspira, on the other side the Proton Inspira actually gives and good, quiet, comfort ride when cruising on the road – I guess that’s what they call “Proton Ride & Handling”.  The 1.8L Proton Inspira is sufficient to cruise in town and up hills as well. With a similar price on the 1.8L Inspira – the Naza Kia Forte’s Interior is better however the Forte has only a 1.6L engine compare Inspira’s 1.8L. With this note i wish to end this article with,

Proton Inspira – Smart guys get it, dumb guys gets …………….  Well, you fill in the spaces.

Model	Price – On The Road
1.8 MT Executive Solid Colour	RM 78,549.00
1.8 MT Executive Metalic Colour	RM 78,999.00
1.8 AT(CVT) Executive Soild Colour	RM 84,549.00
1.8 AT(CVT) Executive Metalic Colour	RM 84,999.00
2.0 AT(CVT) Premium Solid Colour	RM 91,549.00
2.0 AT(CVT) Premium Metalic Colour	RM 91,999.00

More Info, Follow this link http://www.fastmotoring.com/index.php/2010/11/proton-inspira-1-8l-test-drive-review-impression/

PROTON INSPIRA - A MITSUBISHI COPYCAT??

what do you think about inspira HONESTLY! 

Proton Inspira Vs. Mitsubishi Lancer

Proton has unveiled that Proton Inspira will be the official name for its Proton Waja replacement model, which has until now been only referred to by its internal codename, the Proton P3-90A.

The PROBLEM is --> The Proton Inspira is designed almost 98% from the original Mitsubishi Lancer GT 2.0 with the same engine, paddle shift to the body. What is this????????!!

SPECIFICATIONS DIFFERENCE 

Proton Inspira Vs Mitsubishi Lancer

Proton Inspira

4B10 Specifications
Engine type Inline 4 cylinder DOHC 16v, MIVEC
Displacement 1.8 L (1798 cc)
Bore 86 mm
Stroke 77.4 mm
Compression ratio 10.5:1
Fuel system ECI multiple
Peak power 105 kW (143 PS) at 6000 rpm
Peak torque 177 Nm (130 ftlbf) at 4250 rpm

4B11 Specifications
Engine type Inline 4 cylinder DOHC 16v, MIVEC
Displacement 2.0 L (1998 cc)
Bore 86 mm
Stroke 86 mm
Compression ratio 10:1
Fuel system ECI multiple
Peak power 108-114 kW (147-155 PS) at 6000 rpm
Peak torque 198 Nm (146 ftlbf) at 4250 rpm

Mitsubishi Lancer GT 2.0

Engine:
Code 4B11
Type 2.0-litre 16-valve DOHC MIVEC
Displacement (cc) 1,998
Fuel supply equipment ECI-MULTI (Electronically controlled multi-point fuel injection)
Max. output (EEC Net) - kW(PS) / rpm 114 (155)/6,000
Max. torque (EEC Net) - N-m(kg-m) / rpm 199 (20.3)/4,250

ITS THE SAME ENGINE !!

MORE PICTURE, PLEASE LOOK AT MY 1ST POST..

Or go to this link http://paultan.org/topics/cars/proton-inspira/

Malaysia's Mitsubishi Lancer : Proton Inspira Rolls Out!!

Proton Inspira vs Mitsubishi Lancer?

Just the Facts:

• Mitsubishi Lancer twin, called the Proton Inspira, launches in Malaysia this week.
• Inspira has Mitsubishi powertrains with 1.8- and 2.0-liter MIVEC engines paired with CVTs.
• Proton and Mitsubishi continue to have a close relationship.

If the new Proton Inspira — launching in Malaysia last November 10 — looks strangely like the Mitsubishi Lancer, that's because it is essentially the same car. Intended to replace the Proton Waja, which the company developed itself and sold over the past eight years, the Inspira shows that reality has set in for the Malaysian national carmaker. 

The business case for the replacement model showed that the potential volume did not justify Proton's spending millions to develop a car on its own; cloning one would be more sensible. This, of course, is now commonplace in the industry as manufacturers share platforms or buy models from each other and rebadge them so as to be able to be present in a segment.

But for Proton, which is owned by the government, the move was criticized by some politicians as a national embarassment because it suggested that the company was incapable of developing its own model, never mind the business considerations. Perhaps the attitude was because Proton, under its previous management, had arrogantly declared itself fully capable of developing its own cars and had no further need to take others' models, as it had done in its earlier years when it had Mitsubishi Motors as a partner.

So Proton has been putting in a lot of effort to educate Malaysians about how the industry really works and why taking a model designed by someone else is not embarrassing. Actually, the majority of Malaysian buyers share the negative view, and in fact many are delighted that they can buy a Japanese model at a cheaper price. To prove this, 1,100 orders were received within the first 10 days after dealers began accepting bookings for the Inspira.

On Mitsubishi's part, it's just business, and they get the extra volume for the Lancer, not to mention selling many parts to Proton for the model. The two companies still have a close relationship, although the Japanese carmaker is no longer seen as a mentor but more as an equal. Proton would like to do more with Mitsubishi, but in many discussions, it wants more control of things — something that Mitsubishi and other potential partners have not been keen to allow.

The Inspira has Mitsubishi powertrains with 1.8- and 2.0-liter MIVEC engines paired with CVTs. The engines have not been retuned for Proton, but the suspension settings are different from the Lancer. Grudgingly, Mitsubishi engineers have acknowledged that the tuning done by Proton's engineers has given the car sharper handling without sacrificing ride comfort. That's not surprising, since Proton has learned much from Lotus Engineering, which it has owned since 1995.

Price-wise, the Inspira will cost significantly less than the Lancer in Malaysia because it is made locally, whereas the Mitsubishi is imported as a CBU from Japan. Not only are import duties lower, but the investment Proton has made to produce the model locally entitles it to financial incentives that allow it to bring down retail prices. Such incentives are offered to any company that makes its vehicles in Malaysia, but Proton gets a big chunk because it has the biggest investments, including R&D.

Over the next 12 months, Proton will start increasing Malaysia-made parts in the Inspira and aims for 60 percent local content by November 2011. Production numbers are in the region of 1,500 to 2,000 units a month for domestic sale. 

Mitsubishi is not against Proton exporting the Inspira in the ASEAN region later on but reportedly wants to see substantial differentiation in exterior looks before this is allowed to happen. There's also talk that if Proton can make the cars meet Mitsubishi's quality standards, it may be possible for the Malaysian factory to be an offshore production base for Mitsubishi.

This latest Proton-Mitsubishi deal does not signal any long-term arrangement, and Proton is known to be talking to a few companies about a replacement model for its larger Perdana, which was originally cloned from the 1994 Mitsubishi Eterna.

Proton has successfully launched its new model

Proton Inspira which is the result of technology sharing between Proton and Mitsubishi. With additional and improved features such as Proton Ride and Handling, nicely tuned suspension system for comfort, this new model is simply better than the other car model with the price range between RM78,999 – RM91,999.

ALL ABOUT PROTON INSPIRA – SPECIFICATION & PRICE

Proton Inspira produced in 3 different choices of transmission and engine which is 1.8 litre MIVEC 4b10 manual transmission, 1.8 litre MIVEC 4b10 CVT Continuous Variable Transmission and the Proton Inspira Premium model 2.0 litre MIVEC 4b11 CVT Continuous Variable Transmission with paddle shifter and leather finishing.

Proton Inspira kerb weight is from 1300kg (1.8 manual) to 1335kg (2.0 cvt).
The dimension of Proton Inspira is 4570 mm length , 1760 mm width , 1490 mm height.
Fuel consumption of Proton Inspira ( Inspira FC ) will be around 6.3 Liter per 100 km which is around 15.87 km/l or RM0.1166 or 11.66 cent per kilometer (RM1.85 per litre RON95) at 90km/h constant driving.

MONTHLY PAYMENT OF PROTON INSPIRA WITH 10% DOWNPAYMENT

RM78999
FROM RM 895.32 MONTHLY PAYMENT / INSTALLMENT FOR PROTON INSPIRA 1.8 MANUAL FOR 9 YEARS (4.0%/year)
RM 84999
FROM RM 963.32 MONTHLY PAYMENT / INSTALLMENT FOR PROTON INSPIRA 1.8 AUTO CVT FOR 9 YEARS (4.0%/year)
RM 91999
FROM RM 1035.76 MONTHLY PAYMENT / INSTALLMENT FOR PROTON INSPIRA 2.0 AUTO CVT FOR 9 YEARS (3.9%/year)

PRICE OF PROTON INSPIRA IN PENINSULAR MALAYSIA

Proton Inspira 1.8 M/T – RM78,999
Proton Inspira 1.8 CVT – RM84,999
Proton Inspira 2.0 CVT – RM91,999

PRICE OF PROTON INSPIRA IN EAST MALAYSIA

Proton Inspira 1.8 M/T – RM80,999
Proton Inspira 1.8 CVT – RM86,999
Proton Inspira 2.0 CVT – RM93,999

PRICE OF PROTON INSPIRA IN LANGKAWI

Proton Inspira 1.8 M/T – RM71,999
Proton Inspira 1.8 CVT – RM75,999
Proton Inspira 2.0 CVT – RM82,999

 ADDITIONAL INFO AND NEWS UPDATE OF PROTON INSPIRA

Even before its launch, Proton’s latest Inspira sedan was the subject of controversy with some quarters accusing the national car maker of back pedaling towards the early Proton days of rebadging Mitsubishi models as its own.

At a special media briefing held at Proton’s Centre of Excellence last week, the Inspira’s project manager Zulkifli Bidin took the opportunity to clarify several matters.
He said the Waja replacement model originally started out as a joint development project between the national car maker and Mitsubishi Motors Corp some three years ago.
The project was supposed to be on a joint platform development and sharing basis.
“Under the project, Mitsubishi and Proton will then use their very own upperbody designs on the new platform which will result in two very distinctive models.

“But because of the economic downturn, Proton decided to defer the project but Mitsubishi carried on with the platform and upperbody development which became the Mitsubishi Lancer,” he said.
Rather than to restart the project from scratch, Proton decided to use the Lancer as a new start point while adding value to an already good design.
Zulkifli said Mitsubishi was willing to allow Proton to rebadge the Lancer as the Inspira without changing any key features.

“We felt that our engineers who had trained under our subsidiary Lotus Engineering were able to improve the driving dynamics and handling of the Lancer,” he said.
After convincing Mitsubishi that Proton could improve on Lancer’s driving performance, Mitsubishi gave the green light to the suspension tweaking.
Among the improvements were revised suspension rating and bushings for a more comfortable ride and the incorporation of thicker anti-roll bars for better cornering stability.
Others improvement work include closer body gaps of 2.5mm compared with 3mm in the Lancer, and reduced levels of noise, vibration and harshness.
“Even when our products are good, people will still say they are not good enough because we are Proton. So, we have to be better,” Zulkifli said.
Proton had shipped five Inspira sedans produced by its factory for crash testing in Japan to ascertain its crash worthiness and safety features.

“At our Shah Alam factory production lines, Mitsubishi have stationed its engineers to ensure that the Inspira were produced in accordance to Mitsubishi’s quality standards,” he said.
Even Mitsubishi Motors Corp’s top management team, consisting of its head of research and development, DCGM of Asean and master vehicle evaluator who came to Shah Alam to test the Inspira, have praised Proton for work done on returning the suspension system for better comfort and handling.
“They told us that Inspira offered better ride handling characteristics and noise, vibration and harshness isolation compared with the Mitsubishi Lancer,” Zulkifli said.

Proton's Inspira Is Not a Rebadged, It's OEM Collaboration!

There are quite a number of angry Malaysians when Proton introduces their newest family member, the Proton Inspira. Many say that Proton has taken 2 steps backward and Proton didn't learn anything from their 25 years of prestige history. To clear things up and clarify the matters, the Group Managing Director of Proton Holdings Berhad, Datuk Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir came forward and gave his comments.

He said that Proton did not take baldly the whole designs of the Lancer, but Proton did bring in their own values onto the car. He also added that the word 'rebadging' is not the suitable term to be used, but instead 'OEM collaboration' is more proper and best describes the situation. According to him, 'rebadging' is when the current logo is replaced with a new one and this is currently being done by a number of global OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturers) worldwide, and there's nothing wrong with it.

The Proton Inspira's technology and handling have been given the golden touch from Proton which it will have better and superior performance and capability. If you ask anyone that have test drove the Proton Inspira and his cousin Mitsubishi Lancer on which have the better handling, you might be surprise with most of their answers.

For me, I don't mind if it's really a rebadging, seriously! As long as Proton can provide with good, reliable, affordable and cheaper car, why not? It will offer Malaysians to have their own executive car at the best price. As to date, Proton already received 1,100 bookings for their inspirational Inspira and this shows there are a lot of Malaysians that agree with me.

The Hot News About Proton Inspira

Proton launched the car with much fanfare this morning to a packed hall at its Centre of Excellence in Puchong near here.
Last month, Proton had a soft launch for the Inspira by revealing only the front portion of the car to the public.
Mustapa getting a feel of the Inspira as Mahathir speaks to Proton Holdings chairman Datuk Sri Mohd Nadzmi Mohd Salleh.

The Inspira, the result of an OEM collaboration between Proton and Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, has been enhanced further by Proton in terms of its performance and ride comfort.
According to Proton Holdings group managing director Datuk Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir, “we have further enhanced the car with several new features including the Lotus DNA of exceptional ride and handling and now, what we present to you here, is a product that is more affordable for Malaysians.”
Public response has been encouraging, he said.

“Since our soft launch on Oct 14, we have received 1,800 bookings nationwide as of yesterday,” he said of the new model that has 40% local content, which is expected to be raised to 60% in future.
The Inspira is available in three variants – a 1.8-litre with a five-speed manual transmission, 1.8-litre with a INVECS-III six-speed continuously variable transmission (CVT) and 2.0-litre with CVT.
The Inspira, whose name is derived from the Malay word “inspirasi” (inspiration in English), differs from the Lancer model with a revised front end featuring a grille with the Proton logo and a winged chrome bar.

The car will be available in maroon, silver, white and black.
The Inspira interior revealed at last. This is the 2.0-litre variant.
The vehicle is positioned as a high C-segment/low D-Segment vehicle.
The Inspira  is a model that has been jointly-developed by Proton with its Japanese partner under a new strategic alliance that is based on the global ideology and benefits of product sharing.

The automatic CVT or Intelligent & Innovative Vehicle Electronic Control System (INVECS-III), is an advanced system that automatically selects the optimal gear ratio based on road and driving conditions with a self-learning ability to match an individual’s driving style.

While sporting significant aesthetic enhancements, the Inspira is being further improved with the unmistakable Lotus ride and handling, enhancing the car’s driving experience and comfort.
Elsewhere, changes are not easily noticeable.
The engines, meanwhile, are Mitsubishi’s all-aluminium MIVEC type with variable valve timing.
The suspension system has been tweaked for a “Lotus handling and ride” with changes to spring and shock absorber ratings, as well as bushing stiffness.

Features include a strong body with a five-star crash rating, airbags, anti-lock braking system, 16-inch wheels with all-round disc brakes, remote trunk release, steering wheel audio control buttons, cruise control, wipers with rain sensor and fully automatic climate control.
The high-end 2.0-litre variant gets additional features such as steering column-mounted paddle shifters, leather seats and a portable GPS unit.

Proton Inspira launched

 
 

We are now back from the Proton Inspira launch this morning at Proton’s Centre of Excellence and are ready to share with you what we have digested (the info, not the lunch). Here it goes….

At a glance, there’s almost zero difference between the Inspira and Lancer save for Proton’s unique front end design, which is of a V-shape as opposed to Mitsubishi’s trademark trapezoidal “jet fighter” grille. Besides the obvious fact that the change is needed to differentiate the cars, Proton deliberately wanted to move away from the Lancer “too aggressive” look, according to the engineers.

At the rear, you’ll find 2.0 P or 1.8 E to mark the variants, the latter available in both manual and CVT versions. As mentioned in our preview drive, P stands for Premium and E stands for Executive in Proton’s new naming scheme, P being the higher spec. There’s a chrome strip at the bottom edge of the boot, like on the Lancer EX. The Proton’s bumper is unique as it has a black painted “diffuser style” design, as opposed to the straightforward item on the Lancer. The reflectors sit within the black area.

Like the Lancer EX, the Inspira wears 16-inch wheels with 205/60 rubber. With the Proton, you get unique Continental Comfort Contact CC5 tyres with compounds that were specifically developed for the car. The rim design looks much better without the black disguise tape on the pre-production cars. Suspension tuning also differs from the Lancer, as detailed in two rounds of preview tests we did. Click here and here to read them.

Inside, the differences are minimal. The three-spoke steering design has a Proton badge of course, and the instruments look the same. However, we just noticed that the “left speedo, right tacho” layout of the Lancer has been reversed for the Inspira, which has its rev meter on the left side. The multi-info screen is the orange one as per the Lancer sedan, not the full colour version on the Lancer Sportback. The wood trim in the P spec Inspiras are dark brown coloured (Lancer EX has greyish wood) while the 1.8 E gets a matte silver trim that’s nice to touch. All else is identical to these eyes, including the grade of plastics.

The 4B10 1.8 litre pot found on the two Executive variants offers 140 hp at 6,000rpm and 177 Nm at 4,250rpm, while the 4B11 2.0 litre block in the Premium has 150 hp and 197 Nm at the same rpm as above. Performance-wise, the 1.8 manual has a claimed top speed of 202 kph and a 0-100 kph sprint time of 10.0 secs, while that of the 1.8 CVT is 191 kph and 11.4 secs. As for the 2.0 Premium, it gets to 198 kph and does the century sprint in 10.5 secs. As for kerb weight, the manual rolls in at 1,300 kg, while the 1.8 CVT and 2.0 P are 1,325 kg and 1,335 kg respectively.

IFRAME Embed for Youtube

Four colours are available for the Inspira, and these are Plum Red, Solid White, Genetic Silver and Tranquility Black. In terms of specifications and equipment levels, the Inspira gets a fair bit of kit, though the 2.0 Premium version does naturally get more in the way of added gear.

Nonetheless, all three variants come with dual SRS airbags, leather steering wheel, front pre-tensioner seatbelts, ABS with EBD, immobiliser and alarm system, central door locking, Isofix point, reverse sensor, solar and security tinted film and steering wheel-mounted audio controls.
Other items on the features list across the board are trunk lid remote release, front fog lamps, welcome home light system, driver’s side anti-trap/auto up-down power window, height adjustable driver’s seat and a MP3/Bluetooth-enabled CD player audio system with Arkamys 3D DSP.
As befits its Premium suffix, the Inspira 2.0 gets a number of differentiation points and features compared to the two 1.8 Executive models, and these are:

• Cruise control (with steering wheel-mounted switches)
• Column-mounted paddle shift controls
• Automatic climate control
• Auto headlamp and rain sensors.
• Body kit and rear spoiler.
• Leather seats and door trim finishing (the 1.8 versions are in fabric)
• A GPS navigation system.

Peninsular Malaysia Prices

• Proton Inspira 1.8 M/T – RM78,999
• Proton Inspira 1.8 CVT – RM84,999
• Proton Inspira 2.0 CVT – RM91,999

East Malaysia Prices

• Proton Inspira 1.8 M/T – RM80,999
• Proton Inspira 1.8 CVT – RM86,999
• Proton Inspira 2.0 CVT – RM93,999

Langkawi Prices

• Proton Inspira 1.8 M/T – RM71,999
• Proton Inspira 1.8 CVT – RM75,999
• Proton Inspira 2.0 CVT – RM82,999