Proton R3 was the motorsport and performance division of the Malaysian automotive brand Proton. The name R3 is an abbreviation of "Race. Rally. Research".[1] By the end of May 2017, Proton announced that funds will be channeled to the company's core operations instead.[2]

Proton R3
FormerlyProton PERT (1987–2002)
Proton R3 (2003 onwards)
Company typeDivision
IndustryAutomotive
Founded2003; 21 years ago (2003)
Defunct2017
Headquarters,
ProductsHigh-performance cars
Automobile parts
ServicesAutomobile tuning
ParentProton Holdings

History

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Proton R3 was established in 2003 as a division of Proton. It was originally formed as a successor to Proton's motorsport division, Proton PERT which was active between 1987 and 2002. The former division was a collaboration between Petronas, Mitsubishi Motors' Ralliart and Edaran Otomobil Nasional (EON), to form Petronas EON Racing Team, or Proton PERT.[3]

Proton PERT

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Proton PERT was formed in 1987, as a way for Proton to gain exposure in the motorsport scene, especially that in rally racing. During this period, Proton worked closely with Mitsubishi's Ralliart to help specialise in their cars to take part in various races between 1991 and 2002. During its early years, Proton PERT was fairly successful, managing to gain success in the Group S rally with their Proton Iswara 4WD Turbo Group S between 1991 and 1994, and scoring a win during the 2002 Production World Rally Championship (PWRC).[4]

Proton R3

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Proton Satria Neo S2000

After the formation of Proton R3 in Shah Alam, Selangor, it replaced Proton PERT in Proton's motorsport scene. Proton's new motorsport division continued to take part in championships with team partner, British based Mellors Elliot Motorsport (MEM), such as during the 2009 FIA's Asia-Pacific Rally Championship (APRC), and the Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC) with the Proton Satria Neo S2000, up till 2011. During the 2009 IRC, Proton R3 finished in 2nd place during the 2009 Rally Scotland, with drivers Guy Wilks, Bryan Bouffier and Alister McRae, scoring 13 points.

During the 2010 Intercontinental Rally Challenge season, Proton R3 had many retirements and did not score a single point. The drivers were Alister McRae, Chris Atkinson, Niall McShea, Keith Cronin, Gilles Panizzi and a privateer with factory support, Tom Cave. The best result from the 2010 season was Gilles Panizzi securing 22nd place at the 2010 Rallye Sanremo, although it was the only finish for the Proton Satria Neo S2000 in that season.

In 2011, during the opening round of the 2011 IRC season, at the famous Rallye Monte Carlo, Proton entered two cars. Chris Atkinson retired during the first special stage and Per-Gunnar Andersson during the second special stage. Later that same year, Proton R3 managed to score a win at the China Rally, where it clinched the Asia-Pacific Rally Championship driver's and manufacturer's titles and capped off a dominant season for Proton R3.

 
Proton Satria Neo S2000

Alister McRae continued to drive the Proton Satria Neo S2000 to its fourth victory of the season in six rounds when he completed the three-day China Rally, ahead of Finnish driver Jari Ketomaa in the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X, with teammate Chris Atkinson finishing third to make it an all Proton 1–2 in the APRC driver's championship. The Satria Neo S2000's dominant performance all year long also declared Proton the winner of the coveted APRC manufacturer's championship ahead of Mitsubishi and Subaru.

The results in China also saw Proton becoming the first car manufacturer to win all eight major individual titles in the FIA APRC which includes the overall FIA APRC driver's title, FIA APRC manufacturer's title, the FIA APRC Teams Trophy, the FIA Asia Cup driver's title, the FIA Pacific Cup driver's title, the manufacturer's title in the FIA APRC Rally Cup for two-wheel drive category, the FIA APRC Rally Cup two-wheel drive driver's title, and the FIA APRC Junior Cup driver's title.

Models

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Proton R3 was also responsible with the tuning and upgrade of certain Proton models, such as the Proton Satria, Proton Saga and the Proton Iriz.

Proton Satria R3

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First generation

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Proton Satria R3 (first generation)

The Proton Satria R3 was a limited edition, track-focused version of Proton's Satria hatchback, with only 150 units produced. It was a redefined version of the Satria GTi in collaboration with Lotus. Original Satria R3s utilised the same Mitsubishi-sourced 1.8-litre, inline-4 engine as the (albeit with a new free-flow exhaust system), capable of producing 140 bhp (105 kW) and 168 nm of torque. The body shell has been improved with double stitch welded monocoque chassis with front and rear strut tower brace bars. Body weight has been lightened as well.

Second generation

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Proton Satria Neo R3 (second generation)

The Satria Neo R3 was unveiled in 2008, featuring a naturally aspired 1.6-litre engine producing 100 kW (136 PS; 134 hp) or 110 bhp (82 kW; 112 PS), which Proton says will deliver a "controlled yet exciting driving experience". Other upgrades include a sportier bodykit, 17-inch wheels, a lowered suspension setup derived from Lotus, an improved braking system, Recaro lightweight seats and a MOMO steering wheel.

Proton Saga R3 and Proton Iriz R3

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The Proton Saga R3 and Proton Iriz R3, launched in 2021, are limited editions of the original third generation Proton Saga and Proton Iriz models respectively. The special editions come in black paint scheme with yellow highlights, upgraded interior, a modified bodykit and feature the Proton R3 badging predominantly. All of the changes are purely cosmetic to celebrate Proton’s success in the motorsports division.[5][6]

IRC Results

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Year Car Driver 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 WDC Points WMC Points
2009 Proton Satria Neo S2000   Guy Wilks MON BRA KEN POR BEL
Ret
RUS
5
POR
11
CZE
Ret
ESP
22
ITA
13
SCO 7th* 15* 5th 13
  Bryan Bouffier MON BRA KEN POR BEL RUS POR CZE
Ret
ESP ITA SCO 0
  Alister McRae MON BRA KEN POR BEL RUS POR CZE ESP ITA SCO
2
12th 13
2010 Proton Satria Neo S2000   Chris Atkinson MON BRA ARG CAN ITA BEL
Ret
AZO
DNS
MAD CZE ITA SCO CYP 0 0
  Alister McRae MON BRA ARG CAN ITA BEL
Ret
AZO
DNS
MAD CZE ITA SCO
Ret
CYP 0
  Niall McShea MON BRA ARG CAN ITA BEL AZO MAD CZE
Ret
ITA
DNS
SCO CYP 0
  Keith Cronin MON BRA ARG CAN ITA BEL AZO MAD CZE
Ret
ITA SCO
Ret
CYP 0
  Gilles Panizzi MON BRA ARG CAN ITA BEL AZO MAD CZE ITA
22
SCO CYP 0
  Tom Cave MON BRA ARG CAN ITA BEL
Ret
AZO MAD CZE ITA SCO
Ret
CYP 0
2011 Proton Satria Neo S2000   Chris Atkinson MON
Ret
CAN FRA UKR BEL AZO CZE HUN ITA
Ret
SCO CYP 0 7th 41
  Per-Gunnar Andersson MON
Ret
CAN
24
FRA UKR
Ret
BEL
19
AZO CZE
9
HUN
Ret
ITA SCO
Ret
CYP 37th 2
  Giandomenico Basso MON CAN
11
FRA UKR
Ret
BEL
Ret
AZO CZE
13
HUN
Ret
ITA
10
SCO CYP 31st** 5**
  Oleksandr Saliuk MON CAN FRA UKR
Ret
BEL AZO CZE HUN ITA SCO CYP 0
  Alister McRae MON CAN FRA UKR BEL AZO CZE HUN ITA SCO
Ret
CYP 0

**Including 10 points that Wilks scored with Škoda Fabia S2000 at Rally Scotland. **Including 2 points that Basso scored with Peugeot 207 S2000 at Rallye Monte Carlo.

SWRC results

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Year Car No. Driver 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 SWRC Points
2012 Proton Satria Neo S2000 33   Per-Gunnar Andersson MON
Ret
SWE
1
POR NZL
2
FIN
1
GBR
6
FRA
3
ESP
2
2nd 91
34   Giandomenico Basso MON
Ret
NC 0
  Alister McRae SWE
7
NZL
Ret
13th 6
  Juha Salo FIN
3
8th 15
  Tom Cave GBR
2
7th 18
  Andreas Aigner FRA
4
11th 12
  Alastair Fisher ESP
4
6th 22

* Season still in progress.

APRC results

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Year Entrant Driver Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 APRC Points
2009 Proton R3 Malaysia   Alister McRae Proton Satria Neo S2000 NCL AUS NZL JPN MYS IDN
Ret
CHN - 0
2010 Proton R3 Malaysia   Alister McRae Proton Satria Neo S2000 MAL
Ret
JPN
Ret
NZL
2
AUS
Ret
NCL IDN CHN
1
3rd 78
  Chris Atkinson MAL
4
JPN
Ret
NZL AUS
Ret
NCL IDN CHN
2
5th 48
2011 Proton Motorsport   Alister McRae Proton Satria Neo S2000 MAL
3
AUS
4
NCL
3
NZL
5
JPN
2
CHN
1
1st 153
  Chris Atkinson MAL
1
AUS
Ret
NCL
1
NZL
1
JPN
Ret
CHN
2
2nd 139
2012 Proton Motorsport   Alister McRae Proton Satria Neo S2000 NZL
4
NCL
Ret
AUS
2
MYS
1
JPN
Ret
CHN
1
2nd 120
  Per-Gunnar Andersson NZL
2
NCL
Ret
AUS
4
MYS
Ret
JPN CHN 7th 55
  Juha Salo NZL NCL AUS MYS JPN
Ret
CHN
5
- 0

References

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  1. ^ "PROTON - Motorsports".
  2. ^ https://paultan.org/2017/05/26/protons-r3-division-winding-down-lack-of-funds/ [bare URL]
  3. ^ "Proton's Golden Days in Motorsport - Petronas EON Racing Team #BlogPost". 4 January 2017.
  4. ^ "Proton's Golden Days in Motorsport - Petronas EON Racing Team #BlogPost". 4 January 2017.
  5. ^ https://paultan.org/2021/02/18/2021-proton-iriz-r3-limited-edition-launched-500-units-only-special-r3-decals-16-wheels-rm52900/ [bare URL]
  6. ^ https://paultan.org/2021/02/18/proton-saga-r3-limited-edition-2000-units-rm42k/ [bare URL]
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