Proton Arena

Proton Arena Fastback

The Proton Arena ( also Proton Jumbuck ) is a small Ute with front-wheel drive, which is produced by the Malaysian car manufacturer Proton since 2002. He is the only pickup of the proton and the only model that will sell better abroad than at home.

Construction and performance

Body

The arena is primarily based on the 400 / Wira. From the front it looks the same and has the same mechanics, but has only two seats in a Wira -like cab and rear, a cot, which measures 1636 mm x 1349 mm x 415 mm.

In Malaysia, there is the arena in three variants, which are provided with a wide variety of flatbed equipment and equipment packages, but do not differ in the mechanics:

• The "Freestyle", the basic model with an open flatbed, unverkleidetem metal frame, steel wheels and axle caps
• The "Sport Deck", a variant with an open flatbed like the Freestyle, but with covered metal framework, a body package and aluminum wheels.
• The " Fastback ", the top model with Tonneauaufsatz, similar to a hatchback model, bodywork package and aluminum wheels

Chassis

As the 400 also has a self-supporting construction of the arena, but but has an additional ladder frame for reinforcement and recording the additional loads on the platform.

The Arena has the same independent suspension on McPherson struts like the 400 and the rear leaf springs with torsion bar on the front axle. He also has a rigid rear axle, a front stabilizer bar, 14 " disc brakes, ventilated front and 9" rear drum brakes. The latter have control valves for adjusting the braking force according to the load ( LSPV ). The car is equipped with heavy-duty off-road tires. Lotus made ​​for better handling characteristics.

Motor

Like the Wira is the arena of a 1.5 -liter four- cylinder in-line engine with 12 valves and electronic fuel injection (EFI ) from the Mitsubishi Orion series ( type 4G15 ) driven. It is equipped with the motor controller EMS 400 from our own production. The Arena meets the European emission standard Euro II, has a low fuel consumption, a specific power output of 60.6 hp / l ( 44.6 kW / L) and a power to weight of 11.73 kg / hp (15.95 kg / kW). The fuel consumption is 5.8 l / 100 km and extra urban 8.5 l / 100 km in town, but the engine finds it very difficult with the full wagons.

Marketing

In Malaysia, the car will be advertised as a vehicle for business and leisure. The Ugly Freestyle version is really only useful for the need for transportation, while the sports deck is also recommended for leisure activities. The Fastback, the top model, was designed for a private citizen. Of course, all variants for commercial and recreational tasks can be used.

Although the arena is also offered on the domestic market, he sold to export markets such as United Kingdom, Australia and South Africa, where utes are more common, better. Australia, where the next local providers AU $ 8000, - more demands for his Utes, is the largest buyer. The arena has newly occupied a niche that was previously occupied by the Subaru Brumby.

Security

In Malaysia, so far no independent safety tests were conducted. In September 2009 was carried out with the Jumbuck from the Australasian New Car Assessment Program ( ANCAP ), a crash test. The result was very bad; received only one star out of five. The Jumbuck lack many safety features of modern cars, such as airbags and ABS. The absence of these safety devices to keep the selling price low, but leads to bad reviews. The representation of proton in Australia has the choice of Jumbuck for the crash test criticized for this vehicle, the last on the old platform was that was to be in mid-2010 replaced by a new one.