Proton Satria Neo R3 Lotus Racing Edition
-19hp and 18Nm more than the R3-tuned 1.6 CPS engine
-Only 25 units were produced that year, priced at RM115,000 each
-With factory Nappa leather seats.
If there is one name that is as iconic as the Proton legend, it is Satria. A three-door hatchback that spanned two generations from 1994 to 2015.
In the heyday of Proton R3 (Race, Rally, Research), Proton’s own in-house racing development division, the Proton R3 team built some highly limited, mean machines that tugged at the heartstrings of enthusiasts and collectors alike.
The team used to fiddle with road bikes that were available to the public before Proton R3 made the change to focus entirely on its racing program. We’re not talking about simply slapping the Proton R3 badge on a tacky body kit. We’re talking about cars that have been properly tuned.
Their most recent and last project was the Proton Satria Neo R3 Lotus Racing Edition launched in 2010. only 25 units of this special edition model were produced and it cost a whopping RM115,000. Mind you, back then you could have bought a brand new Honda Civic (FD) 1.8 for the same price.
Although the price was nearly double that of the standard Satria Neo CPS, this did not deter enthusiasts. Everyone was swooning over this hot hatch from Proton’s R3 division.
The Satria Neo R3 Lotus Racing Edition features some tasty parts from the factory. Firstly, it wears Lotus Racing Green livery to celebrate Proton’s involvement in Formula One with Lotus Racing back in the day. A yellow racing stripe completes the look of this particular Neo.
Other quick touches include 16-inch Advanti alloys wrapped in 205/45 low-profile rubber, an R3 racing design bumper and R3 fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP) front mudguards.
The cabin has also been lightly dressed to match the exterior, featuring Nappa leather seats with Satria Neo Lotus Racing badges — yes, you read that right, Nappa leather seats and R3 aluminium gear knobs.
Compared to the standard Satria Neo CPS, the R3 Lotus Racing Edition is 62kg lighter, tipping the scales at 1,150kg.
The Proton R3 has been suitably tuned for the 1.6-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder CamPro CPS engine. Peak power now amounts to 147 PS @ 7,000 rpm and 168 Nm @ 5,000 rpm, driving the front wheels via a 5-speed manual transmission.
This is not a huge figure by today’s standards, but to put it into perspective a 1ZZ-FE 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine from the Lotus Elise S2 makes 122 PS and 165 Nm.
To squeeze even more power out of the CPS, the Proton R3’s engineers have crammed all this goodness into the engine.
-Proton R3 engine management system
-Proton R3 camshaft with adjustable alloy cam
-Proton R3 alloy underdrive pulley
-Proton R3 titanium headers
-Proton R3 modified exhaust system
-Proton R3 carbon fibre intake with K&N filter
We haven’t driven the Neo R3 Lotus Racing Edition ourselves, but here’s what Adian Yein, currently at the helm of the Malaysian Speed Festival (MSF), had to say when the car was first launched nine years ago.
That was a proud moment for Proton and the R3 division. Today, the R3 is no longer, or rather, has not been, a new model for Proton. As a result, the Proton Satria Neo R3 Lotus Racing Edition will always have an important place in the history books of the national car manufacturer.
