Persona set for a comeback

Budget brand Proton has unveiled a bold new Persona, Auto Express can reveal. And this is the first official picture of the car, which was launched in Malaysia last week.

The styling is inspired by the firm’s recently revised Gen2, while the sus­pension has been tuned by Lotus and the engine range upgraded.

Tipped to go on sale in the UK early next year, the new line-up will be headed by a car powered by the efficient 1.6-litre Campro engine that also debuted in the Gen2.

This allows the Persona to return fuel economy of 41.2mpg, while it puts out 169g/km of CO2. Power is transferred to the front wheels by a choice of five-speed manual or four-speed automatic gearboxes. Offering the interior space of a big saloon in a package that’s not much costlier than a small family hatch­, the new car marks the return of the Persona badge to the maker’s line-up. The previous model was axed in 1999, and replaced a year later by the Wira, which remained on sale until 2004. Exact prices for the latest car will be revealed closer to its launch.