NATIONAL car maker Proton Holdings Berhad’s sales rose 10.8% month-on-month to 9,792 units in May as the company ramped up production after overcoming parts shortage issues.

The figure marks an increase of 3.7% compared with a year earlier.

Deputy chief executive officer Roslan Abdullah said the increase in sales in May from the 8,839 units sold in April was a direct result of the company boosting its production volume to catch up to market demand.

“As with the rest of the automotive industry, we are continuing to secure sufficient parts supply to clear our backlog of orders,” he said in a statement today.

“While that is happening, Proton would like to express its gratitude to customers who have supported us in bearing with the long waiting period.”

He said the Proton X50 continues to dominate the sport utility vehicle (SUV) market with 2,779 units registered last month, making it the market leader for B-segment SUVs and the overall leader for the SUV market.

The other two Proton models that continue to lead their respective segments are Proton X70 and Proton Exora with sales of 692 units and 387 units respectively.

As for the Proton Saga, he said the company’s perennial best-seller sold 3,996 units last month, putting it in the second position for A-segment sedans.

“This is a good performance as the company managed the transition from the previous version to the 2022 Proton Saga, which was launched on May 12,” he said.

“The new model offers improved features, safety and quality in a refreshed design, and market demand has been encouraging with more than 12,000 bookings.”

Roslan said the model has also been doing well in overseas markets with year-to-date (YTD) export volume for the Saga now standing at 1,482 units, an increase of 71% compared with the previous year.

“Export sales for May were recorded as 513 units, an increase of 12.5% compared with the previous month while the YTD total of 2,086 units is an increase of 47% compared with the same period last year,” he said.

“For the first five months of this year, Pakistan continues to be the biggest export market with 1,350 units, followed by Egypt (172) and Brunei (158).”

Compared with the overall automotive market, he said Proton retains its position as the second most popular car brand in the country with an estimated market share of 19.6% while YTD market share is estimated at 17.1%. – Bernama, June 4, 2022.