KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 1): Proton Holdings Bhd said today that sales volume, as measured by total vehicle registrations, climbed to 7,007 units in January 2019. Malaysia's national car manufacturer said the large number of sport-utility vehicles (SUV) registered was instrumental to Proton posting impressive sales growth figures during the month.

In a statement today, Proton said following the launch of the Proton X70 SUV on Dec 12, 2018, deliveries of the Proton X70 gathered pace as more units of the company's first SUV became available.

"Having set a Malaysia market record for most registrations by an SUV in its launch month, the trend continued in the new year with 2,777 units registered in January 2019. The amount (number) means the Proton X70 sets a new record for the most C-segment SUV registrations in a single calendar month," Proton said.

The number of SUVs registered was instrumental to Proton posting January 2019 sales growth figures. "Compared to the previous month, (Proton) sales increased by 33.6% while year-on-year, the figure represents a 46.5% growth over January 2018, easily making Proton the market leader in growth rate for the top-3 automotive brands," Proton said.

Based on the 7,007 units registered for January 2019, Proton said today that it had an estimated 14.5% share in the country's automotive market. Proton said the final figure will only be confirmed when the Malaysian Automotive Association publishes the industry sales data.

For February 2019, Proton said it is looking to maintain sales momentum by running an Ang Pow promotion. 

"Buyers of Proton vehicles are eligible for savings worth up to RM4,000, depending on the model they choose," the company said.