PETALING JAYA: Proton Holdings Bhd’s vehicle sales in Brunei rose 87% to 789 units in 2023, which was a new record for the national carmaker.
Proton said the exceptional performance pushed the brand up to fifth overall in the sales table and garnered it a market share of 5.4%, up one spot and an increase of 2.2% over the previous year.
“Total industry volume for the country closed at 14,640 units for 2023, up from 13,000 units for 2022,” it said in a statement.
Proton said its X50 was the best-selling Proton X-series model in Brunei since its introduction in October 2020.
“Over 100,000 units have rolled off the assembly line at Proton’s state-of-the-art factory in Tanjong Malim, which is a testament to its popularity with customers both in Malaysia and overseas.
“Therefore, it comes as no surprise the B-segment sport-utility vehicle (SUV) leads sales for all Proton models in Brunei.”
The national carmaker said 476 units of the Proton X50 were sold in 2023, making up 60% of total Proton sales and driving the model up to third overall in its market segment.
Proton international sales division director Steven Xu said the popularity of the Proton X50 in Brunei can be attributed to clear communications about its value and features, as well as its brand equity.
“Proton worked closely with its importers, PAD Motors, to promote the competitive price and superior features the model had over its rivals while also offering finance packages to make ownership easier.
“This was then bolstered by our on-ground activities to promote the Proton brand, which were assisted by the success of the X50 in Malaysia that helped build the confidence of Brunei customers.”
As a result of the promotional and branding efforts, Xu said other Proton models were also ranked in the top-10 of their respective segments in 2023.