We have been itching to drive the Proton Satria Neo R3 Lotus Racing the moment we saw it in the metal and read through the spec sheet.From the amount of interests generated by this article,we reckon you too would like to know a RM 115,000 Proton with an upgraded Campro,trick suspension and mega brakes would drive...and in a nut shell after the test track..it was a cracker!!!...quite like Hollands' goal at the finals of recent!!
First..lets get some the standard Neo complaints out of the way....Im not the tallest guy around at 1.75 m,but with helmets on,seat pushed to its lowest point and in my correct driving position,my head is too close to the roof and sun visor for comfort,in looking out from the top of the windscreen.Thos is the design flaw that cant be reversed , so we just have to live with it.
The seats and steering wheel can be more special but the reason theres no Momo or Recaro here is because R3 wanted to put this car to market in a short period without compromising safety (for instance, changing the seats and their mounting points would have required safety testing,and the hassle wont be worth it for a 25 unit run)
Starting the car and moving off is simple,no elephant strength is required for the standard
clutch, and the Neo slots through the gates cleanly,the action is a little slicker than the standard Neo CPS if memory serves right.As youve heard elsewhere,the Neo R3 is much more fierce than the standard car,but its just not exhaust rumble.As you pull away from low to mid rpm,you can hear the engine sucking in air and this hissing intake noise goes well with the deep voice of the exhaust.There are no torque dips or holes in the power delivery,although one needs to remember that this is a high revving NA engine m not a turbo car that jumps off the line - you wouldn't fault a Type R for feeling normal below the VTEC zone,would you?
Personally,i like the sensation of the Campro CPS' switch over point,where the engine gains a second wind before rushing to the redline with an urgency not seen below 4000 rpm.This feeling is intensified and prolonged here,as the Neo R3 145 bhp Campro redlines at 7500 rpm.The fact that we're running out of dial space(last figure is 8,000 rpm) at that point makes it even more fascinating.The shortened gear ratios make reaching those speeds an easy task that can be repeated from first to fourth (we didnt max the car in top gear) In truth, the engine felt like it could still go on at 7,500 rpm.It wont be too much to describe this ar "Type R Lite" experience.
Besides the high speed oval with 45 degrees banking, we also drove the R3 in the middle of the track, where Proton designed slalom,acceleration and brake tests.Without official timings,we can only subjectively say that those four pot AP racing brakes provide enormous stopping power, and you'll never run out of brakes in this car unless you're going to get silly.The slalom run showed off the lighter headed Neo R3's sharp turn in and good grip from the Bridgestone Adrenalin tyres,but instead of super glue like adhesion,the Proton let its tail loose a bit as it danced through the cones.Body control is excellent.
One of the major highlights of this car is the Ohlins adjustable suspension.These dual flow valve items are bespoke and tuned according to R3 given specs.Proton says that it gives the Neo R3 a compliant ride even on the worst roads, and although we did not get to test that claim,we got the hint of the suspensions' real world comfort at the track.With four in the car,we went pass a rough surface with a dip in the road.No harshness,no bottoming out and no "aftershocks."
How does DFV works? Explained simply,when the damper encounters high shaft speeds (such as when the car passes a pothole or undulations)the "second valve"opens for faster oil escape.
This fast reaction gives the car optimum traction and allows for constant contact between tyre and road,so theres reduced impact.
Trick suspension aside,no other chasis mods were required.R3 boss and top drifter,Tengku Djan,said that Neos structural integrity was already very good,and its chasis stiff and rigid enough.Most of the 62 kg weight reduction is at the cars front end,and the wheels shave about 2 kg of unsprung weight at each corner.
Unfortunately,we were only given a short time behind the wheel,and did not have the chance to try the Neo on the road.
Yes...145 bhp is not much and RM115 , 000 is a lot of money,but the Satria Neo R3 pushes all the right buttons and delivers the right sensation for the enthusiasts.
Some may think of those 25 owners as fools,but i prefer to call them ...lucky fools!
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