Badrul Sham Mizan

3-9, Clydesdale St, Como WA 6152

badrul987@gmail.com / 04 321 67 488

Race Rally Research, Redefine The limit

I was forced into this write-up just as I was reading the May 2008 issue of
MOTOR magazine. This is the 1st copy I bought as I am just being here in WA for
less than 2 months. I just completed my reading on the ‘HOLDEN in Australia‘
magazine (which is my 1st automotive-based reading).

My 3hrs ride inside the Perth Motor Show was fantastic. It was an honoured
(for me) to see a Proton Satria Neo R3 being displayed. Proton is a 24yrs old
Malaysian national car company started with joint ventured development efforts
with Mitsubishi. However, they are now struggling in financial and product
quality. Thanks to the low nationalism esteem by the pathetic Malaysian drivers
who are being sarcastic and more into those expensive imported European,
Japanese and Korean cars to look cool. It’s sucks! But that’s the cliché.

I am an R3 owner back in Malaysia, driven a Proton Waja R3 #034. Only

50s of them were ever built. I was working so hard to drive and live with one of
those magnificent cars. I love that car. It had been a complete year time that I
had live with it since. It just smoothly powered by 1.6L inline-4 cylinders Campro
engine, with standard fuel injection and other specifications. However, with a
little touch up and bodyworks styling by Proton Race Rally Research (R3)
Department, they somehow engineered cars that’s really flying. It also Clarion
Sound system equipped with I-pod-nano Bluetooth dock to play your favorite
mp3s. The bad news is, their R&D and racing scene had been turned down by
limited financing.

It was like never paddled onto the brake while driving up and down the
mountains, before and after the Karak Highway, Genting Sempah tunnel (but
sometimes I do have to). I challenged myself and my ride into hundreds of
dangerously sharp corners, through the snaky mountains route to Kuala Lumpur
from Jerantut, Pahang. Maintained to the 5th gear at the speed of 120 to 170
km/h, I just step onto the throttle, released it before corners and tapping it back
during cornerings.

The car just stick to the tarmac with its 16 inches Zepokit alloy wheels,
195/50/R16 Sport-Contact 1 Continental tyres and R3 sport suspensions. It wills
never slip or being over-steered. It rounds the corners smoothly at really high
speed until the silhouette of the famous Petronas Twin Towers came out between
the mountains. I just let myself deeper into the Proton Waja R3, thrillingly went
though the last sharp corners on the 3 lanes mountains highway. The HID head
lamps cleared my way as other motorists turned on their left signals when my
high beam blinked. Cigarettes never gone from my breath during driving, which
sometimes I was into fast cornering single handedly while tapping the ashes out
side the windscreen.

1
 And now “it’s city highways time!” which is 40 km more driving to Shah
Alam, west of Kuala Lumpur (I lived there). City highways are the best! They
consist of long straights and very very sharp round corners mostly at the
interchanges. Beside more options of routes, you also have to deal with a lot of
cars!

The just appx. AUD $22,000 Waja R3 roars smoothly side to side of the city
highways lanes, taking over from left to right at speed of 140 km/h or amazingly
full throttled if I was being chased by others. I completed the nearly 200km
journey at just 1¾hr plus a recharge and refueling stop. RM30 of petrol (AUD $10)
@ 16L for that tiring ride is worth. I was lucky of never get the speed-trap tickets
for the once in two months routine back from my wife’s hometown.

The Proton Waja R3 done it well! My Mrs. always helps me, giving
instructions and sights during over-takings in the two lanes country roads.
Dropped into the 3rd gear, the car roars, overtake trailers and get back into the
left lane just before oncoming opposite cars can blink their high beams and
horns. It was an enjoyable ride for an amateur couple.
The R3 Department of Proton should get huge appreciation for re-
engineered a normal 2 ton family sedan into a decent driving machine. Mine is
just a standard Proton Waja R3. I can’t imagine what would it be after being into
the R3 2nd stage and yet R3 3rd stage upgrading packages. The standard stage 1
N-A version of mine runs at max 240 km/h on highways. How far they can go
after the 3rd stage upgrade? You have to try it yourself.

Unfortunately, I had left my Proton Waja R3 to my in-law and be here in

WA for more important matters. I am really missed the car. I lived with it and
proud of it. Worsen than that, it heard in the rumours that the R3 department will
be closed down due to Proton’s financial problems.

The Proton Satria Neo R3 displayed at Perth Motor Show

2
 The good news is, the overwhelmed looking Proton Satria Neo R3 will be
launched in Australia by end of this year. It was also being featured at the
Melbourne Motor Show recently. Furthermore, they will be re-engineered by
Australian local engineers and to be equipped with turbo-charges. They said it
will be priced at AUD $28,000. The pistons of 1.6L inline-4 cylinders turbocharged
Campro power plant will blown ups and downs as the camshaft spins to thrust
you into your favorite Gs.

Even the standard Proton Gen-2, just being upgraded with adjustable
cam-pulley can keep them at the back of an R3 at highway straights and
performs a lot of pick-ups when the traffic light turns green. Ask the Linear
Platinum guys in section 27, Shah Alam, Malaysia for that. Mine haven’t done it
yet. I was never let anybody touch those metal parts under the hood except by
them. They had really well taken care of mine.

The Proton Satria Neo R3 displayed at Perth Motor Show

There are four Proton models being re-engineered and re-styling by R3

which are Proton Waja, Satria Neo, Gen-2 and even the little 1.2L Savvy. The R3
Program had started with the old black version Satria, with 1.8L DOHC inline-4
engine which had been out of the production line. Only 100 units of them were
built. R3 actually are Protons further joint ventured R&D developments with Lotus
as they had produced 1.8L SOHC Proton Satria GTi (used by U.K. police
department) and 2.0L Proton Perdana V6 models in the past. He…he….

Dear aussies, sometimes we don’t need a huge alloy blocks under the
hood to get faster. It sounds great, but a highly priced V8 does come with
wasteful dollars of high maintenance and fuel consumption as the fuel price is
keep rising. Turbos and supercharges are expensive unless you are among those
spoilt-brats or successful young execs. Small N-A blocks do also works! If you are
not the money for nothing guy, change your perspective on cars. Please try to
do so and support them! The Proton Race Rally Research (R3) Department had
done their jobs very well. Live R3! T.Q.

3
Badrul Sham Mizan
3-9, Clydesdale St, Como WA 6152
badrul987@gmail.com / 04 321 67 488