ROAD TEST - PROTON SATRIA NEO CAMPRO CPS:
Proton who? I wouldn’t blame you for not being aware that this Malaysian motor brand is even available South Africa, and has been for several years. Proton, which is part of the Imperial group, doesn’t disclose sales figures but it’s safe to say it’s not often you see one of their cars on the road, and even when you do it’s easy to mistake it for any number of Japanese, Korean or Chinese cars.
But the long-windedly named Proton Satria Neo CamPro CPS might just change all that. Like its namesake Neo, the “chosen one” played by Keanu Reeves in The Matrix movies, the CPS oozes image.
The limited-edition three-door hatch, available in any colour you like as long as it’s black or white, has thrown subtlety out the window and looks like it’s just been through Autostyle’s extreme makeover department, at the hands of some overly enthusiastic bling-blingers on sugar highs.
There’s no way you can miss the CPS in the traffic. With its surfboard-sized boot spoiler, black mags, lowered ride height and muscular wheelarches (to go with some very extravagant exterior bling), the car conforms to the Subaru STI school of subtlety.
Unfortunately, unlike an STI, that’s where it ends and there’s little real pace to go with the styling sizzle. Where the sporty facade suggests a suitably barking and flame-spitting engine under the bonnet, motivation comes from a yapping little 1.6.
It’s a tweaked version of the 1.6-litre 16-valve engine powering the standard and more humble-looking Satria Neo, adding 11kW by using a variable intake valve system and variable intake manifold, pushing performance up to 93kW and 148Nm of torque. The Cam Profile Switching (CPS) system switches between two different cam profiles at different engine revs.
Though it feels reasonably perky, it’s no quicker than any regular 1.6 of the Polo or Fiesta ilk. Our Proton test car managed 0-100km/h at Joburg altitude in 12.2 seconds (Proton claims 10.5 seconds at sea level) which is quite standard for a 1.6 car.
It’s an engine that requires quite vociferous revving and frequent gearchanging to keep it on the boil. Very little happens at low rpm, and at around 4 200rpm there’s an added urgency as the cam profiles change, much like the old-school V-Tec systems of old Honda Civics.
As for fuel consumption, the car averaged 8.7 litres per 100km which is okay if not spectacular.
I like the good balance between ride quality and handling sharpness and the Lotus hand (Proton now owns the iconic British brand) is clearly evident here. The engineers have resisted the temptation to give this Satria a super-stiff, teeth-chattering ride to go with its over-the-top sporty styling. The car feels nicely poised through the corners and the suspension tackles bumpy roads with impressive comfort.
Pity the body isn’t more taut, though. The Proton hasn’t the torsional rigidity one has become used to in modern hatches like the Fiesta, Jazz and Polo. The Satria has the body flex of a car that’s one or two generations older, and you can feel this in the way the passenger doors sag on their hinges, requiring a gentle lift before pushing them open.
The refinement’s also not up there with the class-leading hatchbacks, particularly the loud engine which doesn’t sound at all like it enjoys being revved hard as you search for that powerband.
This would be easier to accept if the R169 990 Neo was significantly cheaper than its rivals, but the price difference is small. The car does, however, come with a 3-year/100 000km warranty and 3-year/75 000km service plan.
I also find the driving position a tad too high, even with the height adjustable seat set to its lowest position. That said, I did quite like the comfort and support of the punched two-tone leather seats.
VERDICT
A sardine in shark’s clothing. The car’s radical image will appeal to young (or young at heart) drivers who want to make a statement, just a pity there’s no real bite. Every boy racer in town will want to dice the Satria Neo CPS, only to find it has rubber teeth. -Pretoria News Motoring.