One such model is a small sports utility vehicle based on the Exora MPV platform, but sporting raised suspension and updated looks. Called the Lekiu Concept, the vehicle is named after Hang Lekiu, another legendary warrior from Malacca. The car is part of the Pahlawan series of concept cars, all named after such warriors.
The carmaker is targeting both SUV and family minivan markets, as the Lekiu Concept’s front end, along with two-thirds of the body, is obviously inspired by the Exora. The concept could indicate a production model designed for Youngman, Proton’s Chinese corporate customer. If that is the case, the SUV will be sold as a Europestar-badged car in China.
The crossover sits on big wheels that look similar to those on an Audi A5. Styling a car like this is never easy, as the large dimensions often lead to boxy, awkward designs. And to be frank, we are worried that the Lekiu will not look so hot.
The Exora model, on which this concept is based, is driven by the family of 1.6-liter Campro CPS engines, mated to either a four-speed automatic or five-speed manual gearboxes. On the roads, the 125 bhp, 150 Nm unit struggles to move Exora's substantial mass along due to the lack of low-end to mid-range grunt so we would like to see a few diesel engines being introduced.
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