The first generation Proton Saga is the first car produced by Malaysian automobile manufacturer,

Proton A proton is a stable subatomic particle, symbol , H+, or 1H+ with a positive electric charge of +1 ''e'' elementary charge. Its mass is slightly less than that of a neutron and 1,836 times the mass of an electron (the proton–electron mass ...

. It is based on the 1983 Mitsubishi Lancer Fiore as a result of a joint venture between HICOM and

Mitsubishi The is a group of autonomous Japanese multinational companies in a variety of industries. Founded by Yatarō Iwasaki in 1870, the Mitsubishi Group historically descended from the Mitsubishi zaibatsu, a unified company which existed from 1870 ...

. The Proton Saga was officially launched on 9 July 1985. It was produced in both 4-door saloon and 5-door hatchback styles. The first generation Proton Saga is the longest produced Proton model, having been in production for over 22 consecutive years until it was finally succeeded by the second generation Saga in early 2008. More than 1.2 million units of the first generation Proton Saga were sold, making it Proton's most successful offering to date. __TOC__

Proton Saga (1985–1992)

The concept of a 'Malaysian car' was conceived in 1979 by

Mahathir Mohamad Mahathir bin Mohamad ( ms, محاضير بن محمد, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset; ; born 10 July 1925) is a Malaysian politician, author, and physician who served as the 4th and 7th Prime Minister of Malaysia. He held the office ...

, then the Minister of Trade and Industry. Mahathir actively encouraged the development of heavy industries in Malaysia as part of a long-term vision for self-sufficiency and progress. The

automotive industry in Malaysia The automotive industry in Malaysia consists of 27 vehicle producers and over 640 component manufacturers. The Malaysian automotive industry is the third largest in Southeast Asia, and the 23rd largest in the world, with an annual production out ...

was established in the late 1960s. Six automobile assembly plants were set up to assemble cars with complete knock-down (CKD) kits imported from various car companies from Europe, America, Japan and Australia. However, inadequate economies of scale and local content regulations drove up prices of new cars in Malaysia over the course of the 1970s, with most if not all locally assembled CKD models generally costing more to produce than an equivalent CBU import. By the dawn of the 1980s, the Malaysian government concluded that direct involvement was necessary to reverse losses and spur future industrial growth. Mahathir Mohamad became the fourth

Prime Minister of Malaysia The prime minister of Malaysia ( ms, Perdana Menteri Malaysia; ms, ڤردان منتري مليسيا, label= Jawi, script=arab, italic=unset) is the head of government of Malaysia. The prime minister directs the executive branch of the fede ...

in July 1981. The National Car Project was approved in 1982, with the objective of accelerating technology transfer, increasing and rationalising local content, and involving more

Malay Malay may refer to: Languages * Malay language or Bahasa Melayu, a major Austronesian language spoken in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore ** History of the Malay language, the Malay language from the 4th to the 14th century ** Indonesi ...

entrepreneurs in the then largely

ethnic Chinese The Chinese people or simply Chinese, are people or ethnic groups identified with China, usually through ethnicity, nationality, citizenship, or other affiliation. Chinese people are known as Zhongguoren () or as Huaren () by speakers of s ...

dominated Malaysian automotive industry. Mahathir had invited

Mitsubishi Motors is a Japanese multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. The decision to collaborate with a Japanese car company was part of Mahathir's ' Look East Policy'. By January 1983, Mitsubishi had prepared two prototypes in Japan, codenamed LM41 and LM44. On 7 May 1983, Perusahaan Otomobil Nasional (

) was established. HICOM held a 70% stake in Proton, while Mitsubishi Motors and

Mitsubishi Corporation is Japan's largest trading company (sogo shosha) and a member of the Mitsubishi keiretsu. As of 2022, Mitsubishi Corporation employs over 80,000 people and has ten business segments, including finance, banking, energy, machinery, chemicals, an ...

held 15% each. The Proton Saga was launched on 9 July 1985. It is based on the 1983 Mitsubishi Lancer Fiore platform, and powered by the 1.3-litre ''4G13'' Orion II engine. The first known Proton Saga to roll off the production line in

Shah Alam Shah Alam () is a city and the state capital of Selangor, Malaysia and situated within the Petaling District and a small portion of the neighbouring Klang District. Shah Alam replaced Kuala Lumpur as the capital city of the state of Selangor in ...

is preserved at the

Muzium Negara The National Museum ( ms, Muzium Negara) is a museum located on Jalan Damansara in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The museum is situated in close proximity to the Perdana Lake Gardens, Kuala Lumpur, Lake Gardens and it provides an overview of Malay ...

as a symbol of the beginning of the Malaysian automotive industry. The Saga quickly became a

national symbol A national symbol is a symbol of any entity considering and manifesting itself to the world as a national community: the sovereign states but also nations and countries in a state of colonial or other dependence, federal integration, or even an ...

of Malaysia, and Mahathir drove a prototype Proton Saga fitted with a 2.0-litre Mitsubishi Sirius 4G63 engine and a

Jalur Gemilang The national flag of Malaysia, also known as the Stripes of Glory ( ms, Jalur Gemilang), is composed of a field of 14 alternating red and white stripes along the fly and a blue canton bearing a crescent and a 14-point star known as the ''Bin ...

across the

Penang Bridge The Penang Bridge is a dual carriageway toll bridge and controlled-access highway in the state of Penang, Malaysia. The bridge connects Perai on the mainland side of the state with Gelugor on the island, crossing the Penang Strait. The brid ...

during its opening ceremony on 14 September 1985. Initially, Saga supplies were low, with just 700 vehicles produced in time for the launch. The cars sold quickly, and Proton was unable to meet public demand. However, by mid-1986, the Saga had captured a 64% domestic market share in the ''Below 1600cc segment''. Proton first ventured into export markets in 1986, with

Bangladesh Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...

receiving the Proton Saga on 26 December 1986, followed by

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

Brunei Brunei ( , ), formally Brunei Darussalam ( ms, Negara Brunei Darussalam, Jawi alphabet, Jawi: , ), is a country located on the north coast of the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. Apart from its South China Sea coast, it is completely sur ...

Malta Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...

and

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...

in 1987. The 10,000th Saga was also produced in 1986. Proton attempted to sell the Saga in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

with the help of American automotive entrepreneur

Malcolm Bricklin Malcolm N. Bricklin (born March 9, 1939) is an American businessman, widely known for an unorthodox career spanning more than six decades with numerous prominent failures and successes — primarily manufacturing or importing automobiles to t ...

. Mahathir had been impressed by Bricklin, who was advised to work with Proton on orders from the former U.S. Secretary of State,

Henry Kissinger Henry Alfred Kissinger (; ; born Heinz Alfred Kissinger, May 27, 1923) is a German-born American politician, diplomat, and geopolitical consultant who served as United States Secretary of State and National Security Advisor under the presid ...

, who had previously taught Mahathir at

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...

. Sales were expected to begin in October 1988 Soon after the first Sagas were imported into the United States, Bricklin revealed that he had not gained importation approval from the authorities and that the Saga didn't pass emissions testing. This resulted in the termination of all investments between the involved parties and proved a major financial loss for Proton. The attempt to export the Saga to the United States angered Mitsubishi; it is believed that they intervened to sink the Bricklin deal as they didn't want a lower-priced, lower quality clone of one of their own vehicles as a competitor in what was then considered the world's most important car market. Mitsubishi subsequently fired all of Proton's management and replaced them with Japanese executives who clamped down on Proton's export initiatives. In January 1987, the Proton Saga 1.5-litre saloon was introduced. It was powered by the 1.5-litre ''4G15'' engine, but remained largely unchanged exterior-wise to the 1985 Saga. Later in October 1987, a

hatchback A hatchback is a car body configuration with a rear door that swings upward to provide access to a cargo area. Hatchbacks may feature fold-down second row seating, where the interior can be reconfigured to prioritize passenger or cargo volume. ...

variant called the Proton Saga Aeroback was launched. It shared the same 1.5 L engine found in the saloon variant, but featured a redesigned rear end which is unique to Proton. 1987 also witnessed the production of the 50,000th Saga. The Proton Saga Magma was introduced in mid-1987, offering mild mechanical and cosmetic upgrades. The Magma suffix denotes the updated engine, and the Magma-powered Saga can be differentiated from the original Orion II-powered models by its slightly different front grille design and the inclusion of bumper protector mouldings. Additionally, the first Saga models with automatic transmissions were made available in 1987. The Proton Saga made its

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...

an debut on 11 March 1988 with its launch in

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

. Both saloon and hatchback models were made available at a cost of between £8,999 and £10,799. Proton managed to launch the Saga in Ireland before the United Kingdom as only minimal changes and modifications were necessary to pass Irish automotive and safety regulations. Additionally, the Irish automotive market was small at around 50,000 units a year at that period, as opposed to the much larger U.K. market at 2 million units. Proton launched the Saga in several small

Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...

countries while they prepared for their large scale launch in the U.K. with over 100 dealers. In October 1988, the Proton Saga made its

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

debut at the 1988

British International Motorshow The British International Motor Show is an annual motor show held by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders between 1903 and 2008 in England, and as The British Motor Show since 2021 by Automotion Events. Initially held in London at Th ...

, where it won three Prestigious Awards (two gold medals and one silver) for quality coachwork and ergonomics. The Saga was also voted among the Top 10 best cars at the show. 1988 witnessed Proton's entry into the

Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...

n market, along with the 100,000th Saga produced. 1991 Proton Aeroback SE automatic (8700712865)

On 16 March 1989, Proton officially launched the Saga saloon and hatchback duo in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

. The saloon models were renamed Proton 1.3 and Proton 1.5 respectively according to their engine displacement in addition to a suffix such as S.E. or G.L. which denoted trim levels. The U.K.-market models also differed slightly from their

Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...

n counterparts. All U.K.-market models were equipped with the original Mitsubishi Lancer Fiore dashboard and rear reflector lamps to pass U.K. safety regulations. Britain also received many limited edition models such as the Proton Puma, Lynx, Emerald, Prism and SE Le Mans, which featured higher trim levels and unique equipment. Proton advertised their models with the slogan "Japanese Technology, Malaysian Style" in the United Kingdom. Proton later set the record for the 'Fastest selling make of new car ever to enter the United Kingdom', exceeding their 12-month sales target within 6 months. Prior to its launch, the Saga underwent a strict

homologation Homologation (Greek ''homologeo'', ὁμολογέω, "to agree") is the granting of approval by an official authority. This may be a court of law, a government department, or an academic or professional body, any of which would normally work fr ...

process to be allowed entry and sale in the U.K. market. The process included various quality, safety and emissions tests and over 400 modifications where necessary, as well as a 1,000 mile-trial on British roads and weather conditions. The Saga also went on sale in

Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...

in October 1989 under

Cycle & Carriage Cycle and Carriage was a company, founded in 1899, and based in Singapore and Malaysia. Cycle and Carriage was one of the premier automotive groups in Singapore and was engaged in the retail, distribution and provision of after-sales service of M ...

distributorship. On 12 August 1990, the Proton Saga Megavalve was launched in Malaysia. The Megavalve nameplate represents the third engine update after the Orion (1985–1987) and Magma (1987–1990). The Megavalve engines feature 12-valves or three valves per cylinder, which is an upgrade over the older 8-valve engines. The four additional valves made the new Megavalve engines between 11% and 15% more powerful than the previous Magma plants. The Megavalve engine was produced in both 1.3-litre and 1.5-litre configurations and both were fitted with

carburettors A carburetor (also spelled carburettor) is a device used by an internal combustion engine to control and mix air and fuel entering the engine. The primary method of adding fuel to the intake air is through the venturi tube in the main meterin ...

. In addition to the updated engines, the Proton Saga Megavalve was also fitted with a new front grille, wrap-around bumper protector moulding and two new exterior colours, namely maroon and green, as well as several minor changes on the interior. The 1.5S model also received new full wheel covers, and Proton reintroduced the Saga Aeroback 1.5I model due to popular demand. Safety standards were also raised with the inclusion of rear seat belts and a third brake light as standard equipment. The Proton Saga Megavalve ranged from RM28,000 to RM36,000, or an increment of RM2,000 over the previous Proton Saga Magma range. A unique

limousine A limousine ( or ), or limo () for short, is a large, chauffeur-driven luxury vehicle with a partition between the driver compartment and the passenger compartment. A very long wheelbase luxury sedan (with more than four doors) driven by a prof ...

version of the Proton Saga was also produced. It is 25 percent longer than the regular Saga saloon, and features a built-in freezer, in-car entertainment system and a television. The 200,000th Saga rolled off the production line on 16 May 1990. Proton launched the facelifted Proton 12-Valve in the United Kingdom on 10 January 1991. The power output from the 1.3 L engine was upped to 77 bhp and the 1.5 L offered 85 bhp. On 22 September 1991, the Proton Saga won two gold awards at the British International Motorshow for the second time. The Saga was also launched in

Malawi Malawi (; or aláwi Tumbuka: ''Malaŵi''), officially the Republic of Malawi, is a landlocked country in Southeastern Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the west, Tanzania to the north and northeast ...

in December 1991. By then Proton had managed to export 40,151 units, of which 33,291 were to the United Kingdom, with 3,699, 1,160 and 847 to Singapore, Ireland and New Zealand respectively. The 300,000th Saga was also produced in 1991, and locally manufactured Saga parts rose to 69% after the opening of the Engine and Transmission Factory in Shah Alam. Additionally,

Fortune magazine ''Fortune'' is an American multinational business magazine headquartered in New York City. It is published by Fortune Media Group Holdings, owned by Thai businessman Chatchaval Jiaravanon. The publication was founded by Henry Luce in 1929. The ...

ranked Proton as the 29th largest automobile company in the world in 1991 and 1992, a feat which was single-handedly achieved with the Saga, Proton's sole offering up to 1993.

Proton Saga Iswara (1992–2003)

The Proton Saga Iswara (known as the Proton Mpi in the United Kingdom) was launched on 15 August 1992. It is named after the

great Helen ''Papilio iswara'', the great Helen, is a species of large swallowtail butterfly found in parts of Southeast Asia. Status ''Papilio iswara'' is not uncommon and not threatened. Subspecies *''Papilio iswara iswara'' (southern Burma to Singapor ...

butterfly (''Papilio iswara'') of

Sarawak Sarawak (; ) is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia. The largest among the 13 states, with an area almost equal to that of Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak is located in northwest Borneo Island, and is bordered by the M ...

. The new Saga Iswara is based on the outgoing Saga Megavalve platform. The exterior design was updated and restyled by a British firm. The Iswara features a new grille, slimmer headlights, grooved taillight clusters, plastic bumpers and side mouldings. Additionally, the rear license plate bracket was moved to the bumper instead of the boot. Like its predecessor, the Saga Iswara was produced in both 4-door saloon / sedan and 5-door hatchback guises, powered by the same 1.3-litre and 1.5-litre engines. However, models exported to Singapore and the United Kingdom were fitted with Mitsubishi's ECI Multi

fuel injection Fuel injection is the introduction of fuel in an internal combustion engine, most commonly automotive engines, by the means of an injector. This article focuses on fuel injection in reciprocating piston and Wankel rotary engines. All comp ...

system and a

catalytic converter A catalytic converter is an exhaust emission control device that converts toxic gases and pollutants in exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine into less-toxic pollutants by catalyzing a redox reaction. Catalytic converters are usually ...

to meet

Euro I The European emission standards are vehicle emission standards for pollution from the use of new land surface vehicles sold in the European Union and EEA member states and the UK, and ships in EU waters. The standards are defined in a seri ...

emission standards. A five-speed

manual Manual may refer to: Instructions * User guide * Owner's manual * Instruction manual (gaming) * Online help Other uses * Manual (music), a keyboard, as for an organ * Manual (band) * Manual transmission * Manual, a bicycle technique similar to ...

and a three-speed

automatic transmission An automatic transmission (sometimes abbreviated to auto or AT) is a multi-speed transmission used in internal combustion engine-based motor vehicles that does not require any input from the driver to change forward gears under normal driving c ...

were offered, both sourced from Mitsubishi. The saloon version of the Saga Iswara was widely used as taxis in Malaysia in the 1990s and 2000s. Most were converted to NGVs for greater fuel efficiency. Many Saga Iswara taxis are still in use today, but they are being phased out in favour of newer Proton taxis. UK sales ended in 1996, 3 years after the launch of the Persona. A UK export variant of the Saga Iswara was also featured in an episode of the television show, ''

Mr. Bean ''Mr. Bean'' is a British sitcom created by Rowan Atkinson and Richard Curtis, produced by Tiger Aspect and starring Atkinson as the title character. The sitcom consists of 15 episodes that were co-written by Atkinson alongside Curtis and R ...

''. In 2001, Proton introduced the Iswara Aeroback Special Edition. It features a large number of cosmetic enhancements, including a new front grille, headlights, '

Altezza lights Altezza lights (also known as Lexus lights, Euro lights, crystal lights, or clear lights) are vehicle tail lamp clusters consisting of one or more internal lamp units, covered with a clear (or tinted) acrylic cover. This style of taillight was mad ...

', body kit, rear lip spoilers and 14-inch alloy rims among others. It was only offered with the 1.3-litre engine paired to the 5-speed manual. The interior was left largely unchanged over the previous iteration. Nonetheless, the Iswara Aeroback S.E. is the first in its lineage to receive ride & handling input from Lotus. The modifications were later adopted for use in the Proton Saga LMST.

Proton Saga LMST (2003–2008)

The Proton Saga LMST hatchback was introduced in 2003 as the successor to the Proton Saga Iswara. Despite sharing the same, ageing platform with the original Proton Saga from 1985, the new Saga LMST featured a completely redesigned interior, with a new dashboard, instrument panel and meter cluster which offered a digital display consisting of an odometer, a fuel gauge and a temperature gauge. The steering wheel, gear stick and two-tone, red-on-black interior panels were also new. On the exterior, the car received a new front grille, head lights with integrated fog lights, tail lights, front & rear bumpers, side skirts and a rear spoiler. The rear number plate bracket was also repositioned to the boot, and the rear bumper on later variants featured

parking sensors Parking sensors are proximity sensors for road vehicles designed to alert the driver of obstacles while parking. These systems use either electromagnetic or ultrasonic sensors. Ultrasonic systems These systems feature ultrasonic proximity dete ...

, a first in the Saga lineage. The car came with the same 1.3L 4G13 engine, offering at 6,000rpm and 109Nm of torque at 4,000rpm. The 3-speed automatic was discontinued, and only the 5-speed manual transmission was offered. The new Saga LMST was sold in two trim lines, one with

power steering A power steering is a mechanical device equipped on a motor vehicle that helps drivers steer the vehicle by reducing steering effort needed to turn the steering wheel, making it easier for the vehicle to turn or maneuver at lower speeds. Hydraul ...

and one without, as well as an option for the 14-inch alloy rims from the Iswara S.E. The brakes were discs at the front and drums at the rear. The LMST was not equipped with

airbags An airbag is a vehicle occupant-restraint system using a bag designed to inflate extremely quickly, then quickly deflate during a collision. It consists of the airbag cushion, a flexible fabric bag, an inflation module, and an impact sensor. T ...

or ABS, and was sold in four colours; red, dark blue, grey and black. Proton redesigned the exterior and interior of the Saga LMST in favour of sportiness over practicality. The

glove compartment A glove compartment or glove box is a compartment built into the dashboard of an automobile, located over the front-seat passenger's footwell, and often used for miscellaneous storage. The name derives from the original purpose of the compart ...

is of the open-type, offering less storage space and the

muffler A muffler (North American and Australian English) or silencer (British English) is a device for reducing the noise emitted by the exhaust of an internal combustion engine—especially a noise-deadening device forming part of the exhaust sys ...

produced more noise without any real gain in power. As a result, the Saga LMST became less appealing to the general population and sales plummeted significantly. In late 2006, Proton updated the Saga LMST in response to the 2005 launch of the Perodua Myvi. The Saga LMST received mainly cosmetic changes, namely a new

Clarion Clarion may refer to: Music * Clarion (instrument), a type of trumpet used in the Middle Ages * The register of a clarinet that ranges from B4 to C6 * A trumpet organ stop that usually plays an octave above unison pitch * "Clarion" (song), a 2 ...

integrated radio & CD player, meter cluster and redesigned air conditioner vents on the interior as well as a unique front grille, 14-inch steel rims with hubcaps and chromed head & taillights on the exterior. Proton added a new exhaust manifold and extractor to the tried and tested 1.3 L 4G13 carburetor-fed engine, increasing the Saga LMST power rating to at 6,000rpm and 110Nm of torque at 4,200rpm, making the 2006 Saga LMST the fastest and most powerful in its lineage. However, these features and upgrades were only offered for the trim variant with power steering. The cheaper non-power steering variant was equipped with 13-inch steel rims & hubcaps, a cassette player and the exhaust manifold from the 2003 Saga LMST instead. It also lacked the rear spoiler, side skirts, power windows, alarm and central locking. The power-steering variant came with a choice of two paint options, namely orange and black whereas the non-power steering model was only sold in silver. Proton introduced this model in

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...

on 15 September 2006. On 4 March 2007, Proton launched the ''50th

Merdeka ''Merdeka'' is a term in Indonesian and Malay which means "independent" or " free". It is derived from the Sanskrit ''maharddhika'' (महर्द्धिक) meaning "rich, prosperous, and powerful". In the Malay archipelago, this term ha ...

Anniversary Promotion'' in Malaysia. The final facelift model of the final iteration came in the form of the Proton Saga LMST 50th Merdeka Anniversary Edition. It is almost identical to the 2006 Saga LMST, with the only visible differences being the reduced exhaust pipe diameter and slightly altered rear lamps. Most noticeably, it was sold at a discount price of just RM26,999 as opposed to the former RM33,240 price tag. The promotion was made in view of Malaysia's 50th Merdeka celebrations and as a symbol of Proton's gratitude to their customers. That year, the Proton Saga became the second best selling car behind the Perodua Myvi. The Saga LMST was also among the last carburetor-powered passenger cars to be sold in Malaysia. The Saga LMST was succeeded by the all-new

second generation Proton Saga The second generation Proton Saga is a 4-door subcompact sedan (automobile), sedan produced by Malaysian car manufacturer PROTON Holdings, Proton which launched on 18 January 2008. It succeeds the first generation Proton Saga as the company's fl ...

in early 2008.

Awards

*1991 ''

What Car? ''What Car?'' is a British monthly automobile magazine and website, currently edited by Steve Huntingford and published by Haymarket Consumer Media. Other team members include deputy editor Darren Moss and test editors Will Nightingale, Neil ...

'' - Best Value Car of the Year (Proton Saga 1.5E Aeroback) *1992 ''

Auto Express ''Auto Express'' is a weekly motoring magazine sold in the United Kingdom published by Autovia Limited. The editor-in-chief is Steve Fowler. History and profile Launched in September 1988, its 1,000th issue was published on 20 February 2008. ...

'' - Best Value Popular New Cars *1993 ''

'' - Best Buy Family Car up to £10,000

References

{{Proton vehicles

Saga is a series of science fantasy role-playing video games by Square Enix. The series originated on the Game Boy in 1989 as the creation of Akitoshi Kawazu at Square (video game company), Square. It has since continued across multiple platforms, ...

Cars introduced in 1985 1990s cars 2000s cars Compact cars Subcompact cars First car made by manufacturer