Proton is expected to introduce its second SUV in Malaysia sometime this year. Based on the Geely Binyue, the highly anticipated B-segment compact SUV is widely believed to be called the Proton X50, and a new image purporting to be the interior of the car has made it online.
This latest leak of the Proton X50 comes from The Ajerul, who claims that this is the interior of the upcoming SUV. Looking at the image, it does seem pretty legitimate. It doesn’t look like a mirrored image of the Binyue’s interior, and more importantly, the new Proton logo can be seen on the steering wheel.
Image source: The Ajerul 
The interior of the Geely Binyue
Given the two-tone design of the interior, there’s a good chance this is the higher-end Sport trim of the X50. If it is, it will be powered by a 1.5L three-cylinder turbocharged engine co-developed by both Geely and Volvo. It outputs 174hp and 255Nm of torque, which are very respectable figures.
It’s worth noting that this 1.5L engine is widely tipped to be powering the X50, so it wouldn’t be surprising if this really is the case once the SUV is launched here. That being said, there’s a new rumour suggesting that Proton is considering to add a 1.4L four-cylinder turbocharged engine – it puts out 141hp and 235Nm of torque – as an alternative.
The Geely Binyue 
This came to light after several reports claiming that the units of the Binyue Pro – which is powered by the 1.4L engine – have arrived here in Malaysia. Obviously, there’s no official explanation for this, though one theory suggests that the national carmaker is testing out the 1.4L engine for the locally assembled X50.
If Proton does add a 1.4L engine option to the X50, there’s a good chance it will be used for the more affordable variants of the SUV; that’s the case with the Binyue Pro in the Chinese market. Of course, this is only an educated guess on our part, but using the 1.4L engine instead of the same 1.5L mill for all variants of the X50 will give the carmaker more room to price the car competitively.
No release date has been given yet for the imminent arrival of the Proton X50 in Malaysia, though rumours claim that the B-segment compact SUV will be open for booking as early as July next month. But until Proton itself confirms the existence of the X50, it’s best to hold off putting down any form of deposit with sales agents or dealers.