Proton was incorporated today

Saturday, 7th May 1983

Proton, short for Perusahaan Otomobil Nasional (National Car Project), is a Malaysian car manufacturer initiated in 1983 by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. The main plant is located in Shah Alam. Malaysia's second Proton plant is in Tanjung Malim, Perak.

The plant in Shah Alam, near Kuala Lumpur, covers 99,400sq m. It houses an engine and transmission factory, castings plant, R&D centre and semi-high speed test track. This plant is capable of producing 240,000 cars every year.  Tanjung Malim, north of Kuala Lumpur. This area, more than 50 times bigger than the Shah Alam site, has been nicknamed Proton City have a modular assembly plant. It contains the new factory, plant, housing, a university and other commercial buildings. Proton car's logo featured the crest from Malaysia's coat of arms, featuring a crescent and a fourteen-pointed star. Proton now uses a logo featuring a stylized tiger head. The new Proton logo features a stylized tiger head.

Based on technology and parts from Mitsubishi, production of the first model, the Saga, began in 1985 and lasted till the end of the 1990s. Initially the components of the car were entirely made of parts manufactured by Mistsubishi but slowly local Malaysian parts are being used as technology is transferred and skill is gained.

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