Proton Exora Turbo Now Cheaper at RM69,000

Fancy a turbocharged Proton Exora to haul those 6 passenger in hurry but can't quite afford the Exora Bold Premium? Your prayer has been answered quietly by Proton with the introduction of the Proton Exora Bold CFE Standard, effectively displacing the CPS-powered Exora Bold Executive. The new variant of the Proton Exora slipped quietly to the showroom, and it is priced from RM68,550. The Premium version is priced at RM79,562, while the Exora Bold Executive (CPS) was RM66,762.

Externally, the Exora Bold Standard wears the facelifted body like the rest of the range, but with the fog lamp, rear spoiler and alloy wheels eliminated. Meaning that it will look like the rest f the updated Exora with the bolder (no pun intended) front bumper, updated rear bumper and smoked rear light. Interior-wise, it is on par with the Exora Bold Executive, meaning that it is fabric upholstered, silver-lined centre console, no DVD player and the auto-cruise and reverse camera deleted. Steering wheel-mounted audio switch is gone too. No bid deal though.

Safety wise, the 4,592mm long Proton MPV is still protected by dual SRS, and the ABS and EBD is retained too. There are no mechanical change to the setup offered on the more expensive Bold Premium.

For a reminder, the turbocharged CFE engine produced a healthy 138hp@5,000rpm and 205Nm of torque from 2,000-4,000rpm. Read more about Proton CFE engine HERE.

The only drawback is the color choice. You must like the lighter hue to Proton Exora or else you have to pick up the other variant. For Proton Exora Bold CFE Standard, only Solid White and Genetic Silver are offered. However, at only RM68,550 do you think it is still smart to buy a RM69,503 Perodua Alza Advanced or RM64,203 Alza Premium? Think about it...Proton Exora deserves a bigger share of pie....

Malaysia Motoring News thinks Proton Exora Turbo drives like a dream for an MPV. Read about it HERE.

Photo source: BluePearlAuto
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Proton Exora Bold and Prime enter Indonesian market

Proton Edar Indonesia today launched two updated Exora models to Indonesian market, namely the Exora Bold H-Line and Exora Prime. Both model are powered by the turbocharged 1.6L engine called CFE which is capable of delivering the 2.0L performance upon needs. The pre-updated Exora has been on sale in Indonesia since August 2009, and so far about 2,000 units has been delivered.

For the Indonesian market, only the two highest grade of the facelifted Exora will be sold. This means that the facelifted model with CPS engine won't be available. Hence the differentiation comes in seating configuration where the Bold H-Line is full 7-seater while the more expensive Exora Prime is 6 seater. The reduction in one passenger comes from the courtesy of the captain seat for the second row.

For our Indonesian reader, MMN has written a comprehensive write-up about the new 1.6L turbocharged engine, the CFE so you can read it HERE, while we also has tested the turbocharged 7 seater Exora and we conclude that it delivers a punchy drive thanks to a responsive throttle response and excellence steering feel. The articles can be found HERE. We even think it is gutsier than the newer Preve sedan.

For the Indonesian market, Proton Exora Bold H-Line is priced at Rp 248m while the 6 seater Prime is 10m more at Rp 258m. With today exchange rate the price is not too different from Exora domestic market.

Corrected specs for Proton Exora Bold

Seems that in a space of a week the Proton Exora has gained 2 seconds in its century sprint!! Apparently Proton has revised the specification of its newly launched Exora CFE. As can be seen from the excerpt below, the century sprint has been revised to 11.3 seconds instead of 13.3 seconds. This makes the CFE CVT version actually faster than the manual CPS version on "lightweight" basement spec, which stands at 1401kg instead of 1486kg kerb weight!

The compression ratio also has been re-print as 8.9:1, as opposed to 10.0 similar to the CPS. This clear the confusion as it is very rare for a turbo engine to have that high of compression ratio, even with the turbo boost of 0.75 bar like the CFE engine.

Another item revised is the fuel tank capacity, which now quoted as 55 litres instead of 60 litres. 

Turbocharged Proton Exora Bold CFE - driving & design impression

The updated Proton Exora MPV has been announced to the public on last Friday, 16th December 2011. The home-grown MPV is very much-awaited, as countless spyshots of the so-called "Exora Turbo" were spied around the Klang Valley and it is, no beat behind the bush here, a known fact that the CPS-powered Exora main Achilles point is, well, its CPS engine. MPV of this size, in any part of the world, is rarely been powered by a small capacity engine. For comparison, Proton Exora is longer than Honda Stream and Toyota Wish. Those Japs stalwart were powered by a minimum 1.8l lump. I am going to start my Proton Exora Bold Premium review with a conclusion. It is worth to note that the Exora is barely 2.5 years old. The significant aesthetic updates and the entirely new drivetrain it received signify Proton intent to improve its product based on increasing customer expectation.


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Conclusion/Verdict

There isn't a need to scroll down the article to find out how the Exora Bold has been summed up. In a nutshell, in a sense, the updated Exora is what  people (carrier) love the most. It is spacious for 5 adults, plus 2 more can be seated in the 3rd row without major complaints. The storage space is abundance. Practicality is second to none at this price. Driving it is a breeze. It feels very car like, with none of van-like kind of blind spot and cumbersome dynamics. However, it now comes with fangs. No more sluggish mid-range engine speed. It can be easily hustled to merge with faster traffic seamlessly. In a phrase, Proton Exora Bold Premium is now a complete MPV. Period. Check out the driving impression down the articles.

At RM79,998, it is very hard to find a rival worth mentioning. The packaged of spacious interior, full supply of aircond in the cabin, good handling, well-suppressed NVH and a very well-equipped cabin amenities makes the Exora Bold punched well above its price. With the new, more powerful heart, Proton has makes the other competitors (Perodua Alza, Toyota Avanza and Innova, Nissan Grand Livina) appear half-bake. Other than the brand, there's no single aspect of these competitors where the new Exora can't matched.

Exterior Design

This is not the first time the Exora styling was updated. The first one was in July 2010, just 15 months after the lunch where the Exora was given a tweak in its styling. Skirting was added on all model, bar the Base, to enhance the look, reducing the ungainly appearance from certain angle. The light grey of the cabin too has make way for more traditional Tempest Grey based on public feedback on their launch model.

For 2012, the Exora has been given a full styling makeover. The front end has been spiced up with the new front bumper, featuring a very prominent vertically placed air intakes on each outer edge, flanking the slight-smiley lower radiator grille. The headlamps, while continue to be housed in the same casing, has been given a smoked treatment. The previously floating aerofoil upper radiator grille has been ditched, and making an appearance is  the new signature grille for Proton, a formal-looking unit with hard-edge surrounding panel and a chrome garnish mounted close to the leading edge to the hood. The same grille outline was spied in the leaked P3-21A photo, so this is what we can expect in the future after all.

While some manufacturer (local rivaling brand included) sometimes goes crazy with creating "air-intake" with blanked, non-see through, plugged-off panel, the air intakes in the Proton cars has always been functional. Check-out the meshed grille in Proton Satria Neo rear bumper if you don't believe me. In the Exora Bold, the vents fed the radiator behind it. Both sides are not blanked off.

The rear end of the current Exora is a hit and missed affair. While it is tastefully done with nice placing of garnish and squared-off, low loading height bumper, the tail light detailing marred the experience. While there is a need to insist on the presence of LED in there, there's simply too many different arrangement in there, the chrome is loud too. For the Bold range, Proton simply smoked the whole thing, muted the entire "overdone touch" in one go. Great.

While the rear bumper is retained, it has been wrapped with lower skirting fitted with contrasting valance, similar in concept in Inspira, and has been visible in P3-21A spied car too. The squared-off front bumper fascia and rear bumper valence are complemented by the side skirting, and in the case of Premium version of Exora Bold, a new design 16" alloy wheel too.

All in all, the facelifted Exora is less ungainly looking than its forebear. The new front bumper design has actually removed the visual mass associated with the old Exora front styling with its angular bumper edge. The new radiator grille also make it presence felt, making the front end appears more elegant, with slight sporting intention projected by those great looking bumper and smoked headlamp. The rear end meanwhile appears lithe, and less visual mass at the lower section. The tail lamp is no longer distracting as the smoked effect has makes it more seamlessly integrated with the whole rear end design. Commendable effort here is indeed praiseworthy. 

More details after the jump including Interior Design, Drivetrain and Driving Experience.

Proton Exora Bold and Prime launched

Proton has unveiled their much awaited Exora BOLD and PRIME today. The updated Proton Exora can now be have in 5 versions. The Standard model is essentially the base-line model, which is devoid of the updated styling package (except that it still gets the smoked head and tail lamps) and is manual-geared only. Next-up in the line is the Exora Bold range, which kicks from Executive (5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic). The Exora Bold is the real facelifted model, as it gets the updated styling package consists of new front bumper and full skirting including rear valence. These three models soldiers on with the proven Campro CPS engine as per current Exora. The range starts to get interesting with the Proton Exora Bold Premium, which is powered by the new CFE engine, and drive its new-found power through the now-customary CVT gearbox. The range is topped by Exora Prime, which is a luxuriously-trimmed 6 seater version. 

As for the price, the manual Standard model now costs RM59,998, Bold Executive MT at RM70,998, Bold Executive 4AT at RM74,998, Bold Premium (CFE + CVT) at RM79,998 and finally the Prime at RM88,998. For direct comparison with the current Exora, the Standard model is only RM1,000 dearer. Meanwhile the Bold Executive MT is  RM5,450 more than current M-Line manual, while Bold Executive 4AT is RM4,450 dearer than the M-Line AT it succeeds. It is unfair to draw a comparison between Exora Bold Premium as it gets a host of improvement consisting of new soft-turbo engine, CVT, 4 wheel disc brakes and electrically folding side mirror.

Proton Exora BOLD Premium front end - a complete fascia makeover

The enhanced styling for Bold model onward deserved special mention here. The new front bumper has successfully removed the visual bulk that has long defecting the frontal appearance of the current model. The boxy bumper lines has been punched by the vertical air intakes on the outer edge of the front bumper. The lower radiator grille adopt a wide horizontal opening, which virtually widened the car look. The new grille is more formal looking than the current one, and blends really well with the new front fascia. This new grille is set to be a signature grille for current crops of Proton cars, starting from P3-21A. Smoked headlamp completes the frontal makeover.The Prime model gets a chrome housing for its fog light. 

Proton Exora Prime features additional touch of class over the BOLD model

Since the launch of current Exora, I have always felt that the rear light is overdone. In an effort to signify the presence of LED lighting, and in the midst of creating the so-called character in the constraint of space, the designer was probably fighting among his own ideas and ended up implementing all his ideas! Fortunately, all those tacky detailing has been blurred by the dark smoked effect. The bumper is c/o item, but has been given a new lease of live by the fitment of lower garnish which,due to the contrasting black color, has removed the visual mass from the rear. It appears lighter to the eye.Kudos to Proton for really transforming the look of their MPV in this styling exercise!

Identical rear end for BOLD and Prime. Rear combi drastically better than the overdone item on current Exora

The biggest news that public has eagerly waited all this while is the much lauded turbocharged engine. Dubbed CFE, stands for Charged Fuel Efficiency, the new powertrain started its life some years back as Project Pheonix. The major objective of this project was to create an engine for high-torque application, while at the same time have to be fuel efficient and environmentally friendly. The engine is not merely a turbo-charged Campro, as adding a turbocharger results in higher combustion pressure in the cylinder, thus necessity a total revision to the cranktrain systems, coolant and lubricant circuit, as well as stronger cylinder head, block and bedplate. Even the stroke is 2mm shorter at 86mm, resulting in 36cc less in capacity at 1,561cc while maintaining a high (for turbo engine) compression ratio of 10.0. The engine is rated for Euro 4 and 5 too. The results is 138bhp@5000rpm and 205Nm is available between 2000-4000rpm. As can be seen below, there a fat chunk of maximum torque available between the afore-mentioned engine speed, and this range is precisely what the driving rpm is for most drivers. So one can imagine the CFE-equipped Exora can be more move around more swiftly at around town driving.

The new heart gives the Exora Bold Premium the extra pace to accelerate to 100 km/h in 13.3 seconds, much faster than the CPS 4AT Exora which sprint (or crawl?) to the similar speed in pedestrian-like 15.7 seconds. Top speed for this turbo version is 185 km/h, compared to 165 km/h for the auto-geared CPS. Fuel consumption however has suffered a little bit, at a constant 90 km/h, the claimed figure for CFE CVT is 7.8 l/100km compared to 7.4l/100km achieved for non-turbo engine. Complementing the added performance, the Premium version is equipped with rear disc brake. The Premium version rides on larger 205/55 R16 as opposed to 195/65 R15.

Proton Exora Bold Premium interior. More brightwork than current model

There are some variation in the interior trim among the 5 model on offer. There's not much to talk about regarding the Standard Line, which soldiers on its black door inside handle and platingrau color in its centre console. The Bold like gets a liquid silver door inside handle, while the Executive model centre console is finished in same liquid silver replacing the platingrau scheme found on Standard model. The seats are finished in refreshed fabric scheme too. As for entertainment systems, the Executive version is now equipped with the DVD player which was only found on Hi-Line previously. The Premium version of Exora Bold gets all the bells and whistles in the form of leather upholstery for the seat and door trim, electric folding side mirror, rear camera projected in rear view mirror, cubic motif on centre console, auto-cruise, leather wrapped steering and liquid silver finishing on aircond vent surround. The Premium version meanwhile gets individual captain seat for the second row seat, whole occupants can enjoy the DVD integrated in front seat headrest. The liquid silver centre console finishing on the Premium has been replaced with simulated walnut in the Prime, together with different leather finishing on the seats and door trims. All model, bar the Standard, are equipped with ABS and EBD. The Standard model gets driver airbag, while other model are dual-SRS equipped. Read more after the jump.

Proton Exora FL - specs for BOLD and PRIME revealed

The anticipation for the launch of the facelifted Proton Exora range is running high. The soft launch is rumoured to be done on 16th December, with the official launch in January 2012. Perhaps this is to ignite the public interest in the model and holding them back from buying other rivals, which could be heavily discounted during this year end sales promotion.

Proton-Sales website has revealed the full specs of all version for the 2012 Exora. The current Exora shape will stay in the form of Baseline model, essentially the model we have had on our road right now (with material-coloured door handles, moulding, rear garnish and front grille, deviod of fog lamps and rear headrest etc..). The facelifted range starts from Medium-Line onwards, up to the range-topper 6 seater Exora Prime. It remained to be seen if the Exora will adopt the latest Proton trimming systems namely Standard, Executive and Premium Line. Below are the details of the line-up of 2012 Proton Exora.

Proton Exora Baseline

1. No aesthetic change

2. Powered by Campro CPS

3. 5 speed manual gearbox only

Proton Exora BOLD M-Line

Features of Exora BOLD M-Line:

1. Aesthetic enhancement covers new front bumper with Proton's new corporate grille, smoked headlamp, new rear skirting incorporating black lower garnish, smoked rear combi.

2. Powered by Campro CPS, transmission option both 5 speed manual or 4AT

More detail of the the variant,features and Campro CFE specs after the jump.