PROTON made its presence felt for the very first time in Japan when renowned Japanese automotive parts manufacturer Carrosser Co., Ltd. (CUSCO) officially unveiled at the Tokyo Auto Salon today, a specially-developed Satria Neo rally car that will be sold in Japan.
Developed for the Japanese Domestic Market (JDM), the CUSCO-engineered Group N Proton Satria Neo rally car will be sold by CUSCO to competitors who will be competing in the Junior Rally Championships in Japan and Asia Pacific.
The Group N Proton Satria Neo rally cars will be based on stock standard roadregistered 1600cc showroom models acquired by CUSCO, homologated according to FIA regulations for competition use, and retrofitted with CUSCO-developed aftermarket performance and race components.
A well known company for producing top-of-the-line aftermarket performance parts for both the Japanese and international tuning markets, CUSCO is also regarded as the only independent firm in Japan to compete in all categories of the All-Japan Championships: track racing, rallying, dirt trials and gymkhana.
The technical collaboration between both companies was a direct result from the performance and the potential the Satria Neo S2000 rally car had demonstrated in the Asia Pacific Rally Championship and Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC).
PROTON Motorsports division also displayed at the Tokyo Auto Salon a concept R3 Satria Neo, which gave Japanese car enthusiasts a glimpse into the potential of the sporty three-door hatchback. The Satria Neo R3 concept car features R3’s distinct body styling, enhanced engine performance, braking, handling and an upgraded interior.
The Tokyo Auto Salon from 14-16 January is noted as the world’s largest auto exhibition and will showcase more than 600 vehicles and 300 companies in a gathering involving after-market parts manufacturers, tuners, custom shops, car manufacturers, automotive businesses, associations and automotive vocational schools.
[SOURCE: Proton Motorsports]
