By now, I hope you’ve learn our evaluation of the brand new Proton S70 sedan – when you haven’t, you are able to do so right here – and it’s protected to say the automobile has earned Gerard’s seal of approval. However there’s a lingering query because the nationwide carmaker continues to lean on its C-segment-sedan-at-B-segment-prices messaging, and that’s the usage of a comparatively rudimentary torsion beam for its rear suspension.

You see, the road between the B- and C-segments is fairly blur because it stands, specific as vehicles within the former camp develop in each measurement and class. The important thing delineation has at all times been the rear suspension, with the bigger automobile tending to utilize an impartial multilink setup – most notably the native gross sales leaders, the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla.

So why doesn’t the so-called “C-segment” S70 have it? In accordance with normal supervisor of product advertising Gary Yap on the S70 media drive Q&A session, the reply is as at all times right down to value. “If the bottom automobile [uses a] torsion beam, and we modify it resulting from a market request, is there any further quantity or value premium we are able to get, as a result of we have now to speculate some cash to vary the physique? Unhappy to say, that is at all times the query,” he stated.

Yap was fast to reward the corporate’s prowess in journey and dealing with tuning – this, and never the essential suspension format, is what he believes will make the distinction in the way in which the S70 drives. “From the parameters supplied by the bottom automobile, it did meet our necessities and we didn’t see any have to [change the suspension].”

Yap additionally factors to the Mazda 3 as one other exception within the C-segment that makes use of torsion beam rear suspension (to not point out base fashions of the Mercedes-Benz A-Class, which is in a unique value bracket fully). Many will draw parallels to the X90 SUV that makes use of a multilink setup not present in China, however Yap stated that automobile’s greater D-segment positioning made the change obligatory.

The S70’s pricing – which begins at below RM75,000 and doesn’t exceed the essential RM100,000 mark – makes it a wholly totally different proposition for purchasers, and Yap stated consumers on this value vary place much less of an significance on the suspension format. “Ask any buyer, “for this value, beneath RM100,000, torsion beam, will you settle for it?” Nearly all of prospects truly don’t actually care what the rear suspension is. Can transfer, can already.”

Deputy CEO Roslan Abdullah chimed in, saying that whereas China’s comparatively good highway high quality meant the torsion beam on Geely’s X90 equal, the Haoyue, offers an appropriate journey over there, Malaysian roads include some “particular distinctive options” (assume potholes and different floor irregularities). This, along with the X90’s greater positioning, justified the adoption of a multilink rear setup.

“However on the subject of the S70, there’s a large query mark. What’s the distinction [in ride quality] if we modify [the suspension]? If we modify, that might contain better value, as a result of in China tak ada.”

A undeniable fact that most individuals don’t realise is that the Haoyue is already provided with multilinks in markets outdoors China (reminiscent of within the Philippines), the place it’s badged because the Okavango. There’s no such choice for the S70 equal – the Emgrand – wherever on the planet, so speccing multilinks would’ve required Proton to go at it alone (and incur large growth prices within the course of). Don’t overlook, Proton already undertook the engineering process of turbocharging the S70 and giving it ADAS options, which absolutely wasn’t low-cost.

In any case, we discovered that the S70 offers an excellent journey despite the torsion beam setup, one which’s greater than able to dealing with the “distinctive” challenges Malaysian roads throw at it. The shortage of sophistication means the automobile isn’t additionally in a position to ship the sporty driving really feel one would count on from a Proton, however given its meant positioning, that’s hardly an ideal loss.

GALLERY: 2024 Proton S70 1.5T Flagship X

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