Proton Saga MC3 spotted – base sedan to get another facelift before all-new, AMA-based model arrives?

The third-generation Proton Saga was first launched in Malaysia on September 28, 2016 and has been given a few updates since its debut. In August 2019, the A-segment received a facelift that not only saw styling changes but also a switch from a CVT to a four-speed automatic transmission.

Several years later in May 2022, the MC2 facelift (MC standing for ‘minor change’) was introduced with equipment revisions aimed at keeping the Saga competitive. In June 2023, Saga MC2’s got a new four-speed transmission sourced from Aisin instead of Hyundai and has remained same ever since.

Expecting the Saga to have a new generation is only natural given the current model’s long run and nameplate’s popularity, and we got a hint of what’s next for the Saga in February 2024. Proton CEO Li Chunrong confirmed that the company would set up a new R&D centre in Hangzhou, China specifically for the development of the brand’s homegrown models, which include the Saga, Persona and Iriz.

The rumour mill started to spin from there, with a supposed leak of the next-generation Saga surfacing only to be proven to be renders that aren’t genuine. Now, paultan.org reader Azahar Jalil has posted images of what is supposedly the new Saga spotted on trailer near the Petronas Sepang International Circuit.

At first glance, the body shape of the camouflaged car indicates this isn’t an all-new Saga but possibly another update (called the MC3 presumably) to tide things over until the redesigned model arrives. However, the company has already confirmed previously that a next-generation model is due this year, so what’s the deal here?

If Proton is indeed working on a new facelift for the current Saga, there is a chance that the company may be planning to sell the two Sagas alongside each other. The MC3 would form the base offering(s), with the newer, more advanced AMA-based model priced slightly higher. Official details of the AMA platform used for the all-new Saga are limited, but we understand it will be development of the same base used for the current Saga, which itself can be traced to the second-generation Saga BLM that debuted in 2008.

Perodua is an example of a car brand that offers two generations of the same model at the same time, as it currently sells two distinctly different Axia models (one based on the 2014 original, and one a proper second-generation version).

The post Proton Saga MC3 spotted – base sedan to get another facelift before all-new, AMA-based model arrives? appeared first on Paul Tan's Automotive News.