KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 4): Proton Holdings Bhd's total vehicle sales in 2022 jumped 23.3% year-on-year to 141,432 units, comprising foreign and domestic sales, boosted by the delivery of 14,750 units in December.

In a statement on Wednesday (Jan 4), the national carmaker said the higher sales were against the backdrop of a combination of flood affected parts vendors and an acute shortage in the global chip industry depressed volumes for the first four months of 2021.

Proton said sales volume for international markets meanwhile increased to 5,406 units, growing by 79.1%.

Overall, the company said it has retained its ranking of second in the automotive sales table with an estimated market share of 19.6%.

Proton said total industry volume (TIV) for 2022 is estimated to have closed at over 720,000 units, a new industry high, on the back of a record-setting December.

The company said sales for five out of six Proton models have grown in 2022 with three models ending the year as segment leaders.

It said the Proton X50 continues to be the best-selling SUV in Malaysia and with 3,764 units sold in December, it ended the year with a new SUV annual sales record of 40,681 units.

This is an increase of 41.4% over 2021 and makes the B-segment SUV the second most voluminous model in the company’s line-up.

Meanwhile, the Proton X70 ended the year with 1,787 units sold in December and an overall figure of 18,533 units, an increase of 13.1% over the previous year.

The X70 retained its position as the best-selling C-segment SUV for the fourth consecutive year.

Proton deputy chief executive officer Roslan Abdullah said 2022 was a year of achievements and missed opportunities for the carmaker, adding that the effect of the floods at the end of 2021 spilled over to the first quarter of the year and resulted in the company starting 2022 on the back foot.

“Still, Proton now has sales growth for a fourth consecutive year, and we are proud of being the only automotive company in Malaysia to achieve that from 2019 to 2022.

“However, we expect TIV to recede from the record volume in 2022 as deliveries for orders placed during the sales tax exemption period will be fulfilled by the end of March.

“Interest rates are also expected to increase again this year so it will be tough for the automotive industry to continue an upwards trajectory,” he said.