PROTON WIRA

The Proton Wira is a car manufactured by Malaysian carmaker Proton, released as a four-door saloon and four-door hatchback beginning 1993. The Wira was intended as a newer alternative to the Proton Saga Iswara, a facelifted version of Proton's first model, theProton Saga, as a flagship compact model for Proton. The Saga continued to receive minor updated until 2008, when a second generation Saga was introduced as a sub-compact model instead.

The Wira was later planned to be replaced by two similar in-house designed Proton cars: The Proton Gen-2 (launched in 2004 to replace the "Aeroback" hatchback variant) and the Proton Persona (launched in 2007 to replace the saloon variant). The Proton Waja, a saloon compact, was also launched in 2001 as an earlier successor to the Wira saloon, but currently caters slightly towards more upmarket demand, below the Proton Perdana.

Wira is a Malay word (derived from Sanskrit) that translates into English as "Hero".

History

The Wira was introduced in 1993 as a 4-door saloon and was based on the 1992 Mitsubishi Lancer design, but the styling was slightly modified to distinguish it from the Lancer. Modifications include headlights from the 1992 Mitsubishi Colt, tail lights from the 1987Mitsubishi Galant hatchback, bumpers from the Mitsubishi Mirage and a different dashboard. The frontal design continues the styling first shown on the Proton Iswara with a fluted bonnet that tapers towards the Proton badge on the grill. In 1994, a 5-door hatchback version (initially badged as the Wira Aeroback, in a similar fashion as the 5-door Saga hatchback) was introduced.

Proton was originally in the works of a little-known 5-door estate variant of the Wira during the mid-1990s, basing the car on the saloon Wira and sporting similar taillights as the first facelifted Wira.^{[citation needed]} This revelation came into light roughly the same time following the publishing of a photograph on a local newspaper, depicting an abandoned estate Wira prototype outside Proton's assembly plant in Shah Alam.^{[citation needed]} As little news was available on the car thereafter, however, the proposed model is presumed to have never ventured beyond conceptual stages.^{[citation needed]}

A minor facelift for all new Wira variants was introduced in 1995 with a new grille and slimmer tail lights with clear indicators. Other minor changes were made on the interior, grille design and bumpers during the late-1990s and mid-2000s. While having undergone three minor reiterations, the general design of the Wira has, for more than a decade, remained mostly the same.

In 2004, Proton introduce the Wira Special Edition or known as WiSE, and plan to manufactured an estimated 100,000 but failed to meet sales target. The WiSE models were released in different periods of the Wira's model years as Aeroback variant, with sportier accessories such as full bodykits, redesigned interiors and an option for an aluminium spoiler. Later that year, all the Wira and Satria variants included the same front bumper as the WiSE.

Several Proton models released following the Wira's debut sported frontal stylings that were derivatives of the Wira's. Among them, the original Satria 3-door hatchback, the Putra 2-door "sports" coupé, and the Arena coupe utility.

In an attempt to find a suitable successor to the Wira, the Gen-2, a hatchback codenamed the Wira Replacement Model, was designed and developed in-house by Proton, and was launched in 2004. In August 2007, the Persona, a new sedan model directly based on the Gen-2, was introduced. Its introduction is seen as a legitimate replacement for the Proton Wira range, but the Wira is still offered in Proton's line of models.

Proton Wira

Manufacturer	Proton
Also called	Proton Persona Proton 400 series
Production	1993–present
Predecessor	Proton Saga
Successor	Proton Waja (saloon) Proton Gen-2 (hatchback) Proton Persona (saloon)
Class	Compact
Body style(s)	4-door saloon 5-door hatchback
Layout	FF layout
Engine(s)	1.3 L 4G13 I4 1.5 L 4G15 I4 1.6 L 4G92 I4 1.8 L 4G93 I4 2.0 L 4D68 diesel I4
Transmission(s)	5-speed manual 3-speed automatic 4-speed automatic
Curb weight	980 kg (2,161 lb)-1,011 kg (2,229 lb)
Related	1991 Mitsubishi Lancer