Proton just confirmed that it will release two locally developed models in the future. According to an exclusive interview between Astro Awani and Li Chunrong – the CEO of Proton – the national carmaker will begin local development of the new models after the launch of its highly anticipated B-segment SUV, the Proton X50.

In the interview, Li mentioned that the two new Proton models will be released in the next three to five years. They will be developed completely locally, unlike the Proton X70 and upcoming X50; these two models were based on the Geely Boyue and Geely Binyue respectively.

On top of that, the local development of the two models will be done simultaneously as well, though it wasn’t mentioned if these models will be a sedan, hatchback, or an SUV. As it is, Proton only has one SUV in its model lineup (X70), with one hatchback (Iriz), an MPV (Exora), and a few sedans, including the Saga, Persona, and Perdana.

It’s worth noting that Li is confident the SUV market will continue to grow in Malaysia, especially after the release of the Proton X50 in the near future. This is despite the fact that sedans are very popular here, though the amount of excitement surrounding the X50 certainly suggests it will be a very popular model.

For the time being, Proton is gearing up to launch its second SUV very, very soon. We will keep a close eye on any news regarding the X50, including its local pricing and availability.