The Proton Saga Iswara is a 4-door saloon and a 5-door hatchback manufactured and marketed by the Malaysian car manufacturer Proton from 1992 to 2003. The Sarawak butterfly, the Great Helen (Papilio iswara), inspired the name. Although it was built on the same platform as its predecessor, this version looked and felt very different.
History of the Proton Saga Iswara
On August 15, 1992, Proton introduced the Saga Iswara, or Proton Mpi in the UK. Inspired by Sarawak's beautiful Helen butterfly (Papilio iswara), the name "Helen" is a common feminine given name. The retiring Saga Megavalve served as the base for the brand-new Saga Iswara. A British firm was responsible for the exterior redesign. The Saga Iswara was offered in the same 4-door saloon/sedan, and 5-door hatchback body styles as the outgoing model, and the same 1.3L and 1.5L engines also equipped it. To comply with Euro I emission regulations, however, cars destined for Singapore and the UK were outfitted with Mitsubishi's ECI Multi-fuel injection system and a catalytic converter. Mitsubishi manufactured both the manual five-speed and automatic three-speed transmissions. After only three years of sales, Persona sales in the UK stopped in 1996. The Proton Iswara Aeroback Special Edition debuted in 2001. It was the first model in its family to incorporate feedback on ride and handling from Lotus. Proton later implemented the updated version of the LMST in the Proton Saga series.
Price
A used Proton Saga Iswara ranges from RM 1,000 ($212) to RM 13,000 ($2,755).
Specs and Performance of the Proton Saga Iswara
The Proton Saga Iswara's 1.3L engine delivers 75 hp (56 kW) at 6,000 rpm and 80 lb-ft (108 Nm) at 3,000 rpm of torque. Proton marketed the Saga Iswara as a front-wheel-drive (FWD) vehicle and it was available with a 5-speed manual transmission. The Proton Saga Iswara accelerates from 0 to 60 mph (0 to 97 kph) in 13.1 seconds, with a top speed of 103 mph (166 kph). Dimension-wise, the Proton Saga Iswara measures 4,280 mm (168.5 in) long, 1,655 mm (65.1 in) wide, and 1,360 mm (53.5 in) high. Its wheelbase measures 2,380 mm (93.7 in) and has a curb weight of 2,094 lbs (950 kg).
Release Date
The Proton Saga Iswara was released from 1992 to 2003. Proton released the model in the United Kingdom as the Proton Mpi.