Proton Juara

Proton Juara
Overview
Manufacturer	Proton
Production	2001-2003
Body and chassis
Class	Microvan
Body style	5-door van
Related	Mitsubishi Town Box
Powertrain
Engine	1.1 L 4A31 I4EFI
Transmission	MT/AT
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2,390 mm (94.1 in)
Length	3,660 mm (144.1 in)
Width	1,535 mm (60.4 in)
Height	1,810 mm (71.3 in)
Curb weight	1,005 kg (2,215.6 lb)

The Proton Juara was a microvan produced by Malaysian carmaker Proton between 2001 - 2003. The design and production of the Juara marked a notable departure from Proton's traditional preference towards saloons and hatchbacks, making the Juara the first van to be manufactured by Proton.

In its marketing campaign, Proton decided that the Juara was essentially a Mini-MPV (Multi-Purpose Vehicle) and became the platform in its advertising and promotional campaign.

The van's name was derived from the Malay language, meaning "champion". It was discontinued in 2003, but was succeeded six years later by the Proton Exora.

Design

The Juara was introduced in 2001 as a rival to Perodua's Kenari and was targeted at young families looking for an urban lifestyle vehicle.

The Juara was based on the Japanese domestic market's "Wide" variant of the Mitsubishi Town Box, which production has now discontinued. Much of the Juara's restyling from the Town Box Wide concentrated primarily around cosmetic changes to the bumpers, grille and interior. This left unchanged the general body design and bumper-based circular tail lights of the original Town Box, and mudguards throughout the lower portion of the body and headlights of the Town Box Wide. Additionally, optional accessories were offered by Proton to go with the Juara.

Throughout its production, the Juara was given a 1.1-litre EFI engine producing 71 bhp (53 kW) and was only available with an automatic transmission and overdrive function. It is also the only vehicle in the Proton stable that has EPS (Electrical Power Steering).

Production and reception

The Juara's market performance was generally poor, with production stopped a few months after its introduction in 2001. However, the production for a small number (around 1,000 units) was resumed in mid-2002. The sales figures remained so disappointing that in 2003, Proton discontinued the production of the Juara altogether. When it was first introduced in 2001, the price tag of the Proton Juara was around RM42,000 to RM52,000. Less than a year later, the price was reduced to RM35,000 but it still failed to attract the consumers in Malaysia.