Proton Selects S70 for New Challenge in Sepang 1000km Endurance Race.
Proton has officially unveiled the highly anticipated Proton S70 R3 race car, which is set to compete in the upcoming Sepang 1000km Endurance Race (S1K) this November. Roslan Abdullah, Deputy CEO of Proton, explained why the company chose to develop a new car instead of relying on its previous race-winning models. He emphasized that the decision was made to maintain excitement in racing and increase the challenge by introducing the S70 R3 to the S1K.
“If we continue using our race-winning models that consistently secure victories, the excitement diminishes and the competitive spirit wanes. So, we gave ourselves a new challenge,” Roslan stated in Proton’s latest video presentation. He further expressed confidence that the engineering expertise behind the development of the S70 R3 by Proton R3 would undoubtedly contribute to the car’s success in the S1K race.
"As we all know, the S70 is built on a Geely platform co-developed by Proton and Geely. This platform’s capabilities, combined with the expertise of Proton R3’s engineers, form a smart and capable partnership, especially in preparing a car for the S1K," Roslan explained.
He also shared that the decision to race the S70 R3 came from R3 engineers, who proposed the idea while Proton was still developing the Proton S70 with Geely. Notably, the S70 R3 is powered by a naturally aspirated 1.6-litre Campro 4-cylinder engine, similar to the engines used in the Iriz and Suprima race cars.
The interior of the S70 R3 has been completely stripped and fitted with essential racing components, including a Motec digital dash display, a Recaro racing seat, a roll cage, an AP Racing pedal box, and an ATL racing fuel cell with quick-fill capability. These modifications, among others, ensure that the S70 R3 complies with M Production (MTC) class regulations, making it eligible not only for the Sepang 1000km Endurance Race (S1K) but also for the Malaysian Championship Series (MCS).
11 Oct 2024
