Proton Wira: the Lancer-based Proton of 1993

The Proton Wira is a car that Proton built from 1993 to 2009. Its name means hero in Malay, and it was based on the fourth-generation Mitsubishi Lancer. It came as a four-door saloon and a five-door hatchback and became the basis of several later Protons.

Proton Wira at a glance

Based on one source, the English Wikipedia article on the Proton Wira.

History of the Proton Wira

Development of Proton’s second, all-new model began as early as the middle of 1988. The Wira was introduced on 21 May 1993 as a four-door saloon on the same platform as the 1991 Mitsubishi Lancer, with modified styling to distinguish it: a Proton-designed dashboard, grille, bonnet, headlights, front bumper and front fenders from the Mirage, and tail lights from the 1987 Galant hatchback. At launch there were three variants: 1.5 GL manual, 1.5 GL automatic and 1.6 XLi automatic. The fluted bonnet tapered towards the Proton badge on the grille. The 1.6 had rear disc brakes, front and rear armrests, electric mirrors, folding rear seats and electric windows on all doors. In October 1993 a five-door hatchback, the Wira Aeroback, joined the range, and both bodies went on sale in the UK that year.

Engines

The 1.5 GL kept the Mitsubishi 4G15 12-valve engine from the Iswara and Saga. The 1.6 XLi used a 1.6-litre 4G92 16-valve unit with 113 PS and a four-speed automatic, and was the first Proton with electric windows on all four doors and electronic fuel injection. A 1.3-litre 4G13 12-valve engine arrived in 1995, and in 1996 a 2.0-litre diesel was offered, badged 2.0D, D, TD, TDi or SDi depending on the market and later dropped in Malaysia because of higher road tax on private diesel cars. The Wira 1.8 EXi of 1996 used a 138 bhp 1.8-litre 16-valve DOHC engine, and a limited 1.8 EXi DOHC manual, the FIA Homologated Special Edition, was built to meet the World Rally Championship’s 2,500-car rule: 2,450 cars in Majorca Black and 50 RS versions in white, with Recaro seats, a Momo wheel, larger brakes and a reinforced chassis.

Updates

In 1995 the Wira received a new grille and clear-indicator tail lights, along with diesel variants. In 1999 the 1.8-litre grille design spread to the 1.5 and 1.6, and the 1.3 and 1.5 moved from carburettors to fuel injection as the 1.3 GLi and 1.5 GLi. In 2001 Proton replaced the Mitsubishi engine management with Siemens VDO units on those models, dropped the 1.6 XLi and 1.8 EXi to avoid overlapping the new Waja, and gave the Wira suspension tuning from Lotus. A 2004 update brought a new grille, front bumper and alloy wheels similar to the Arena’s, plus the Wira Special Edition, or WiSE, based on the 1.5 GLi Aeroback with hollow-headrest front seats, a modified exhaust, larger wheels and aluminium pedals. The last Wiras were built in June 2009.

Legacy and export

Several later Protons used frontal styling derived from the Wira, among them the Satria hatchback, the Putra coupé and the Arena utility. The Wira itself was made in the Philippines from 1995 and sold in Vietnam from 1996, and was also assembled in Iran. It was replaced by two in-house designs: the Gen-2, codenamed the Wira Replacement Model, for the Aeroback in 2004, and the Persona for the saloon in 2007. Proton sold 14,908 Wiras in Malaysia in 2007, 1,907 in 2008 and 1,974 in 2009, and the last examples were registered as late as 2012.

Design and features

• Lancer platform: the fourth-generation Mitsubishi basis.
• Two bodies: saloon and the five-door Aeroback.
• Broad engine range: 1.3 to 1.8 petrol and a 2.0 diesel.
• Rally homologation: the 1.8 EXi DOHC special edition.
• WiSE edition: a sporty 1.5 Aeroback from 2004.

Proton Wira versions

• Wira saloon (1993): 1.5 GL and 1.6 XLi at launch.
• Wira Aeroback (1993): five-door hatchback.
• Wira 1.3 GL (1995): the smaller engine joins the range.
• Wira 1.8 EXi (1996): 138 bhp and an FIA homologation special.
• Wira 1.3 GLi and 1.5 GLi (1999): fuel injection and revised grille.
• Wira Special Edition (2004): the WiSE Aeroback.

The Wira’s front end was shared with the Proton Satria and the Proton Arena, and it was replaced by the Proton Gen-2 and Persona. More models are in the Proton collection.

Sources

• Proton Wira, English Wikipedia: history, engines, updates, production