First authorised details about Proton's proposed Super 2000 rally car have been released, indicating that the car is on schedule for FIA homologation on 1st July this year, and should first be seen on the special stages in the latter part of 2008.  The first prototype is nearly ready for its first run, and work has already started on building the next two cars.  The operational centre for this Malaysian company's project is at Mellors Elliot Motorsport premises at Bakewell, Derbyshire, a company which ran Karamjit Singh's cars when he won the FIA's world production carchampionship in 2002.  The competition model is based on the Satria Neo model, but fitted with the Renault based engine taken from the Waja model.  "There is a new competitive spirit about Proton", Chris Mellors explains.  "They already have a splendid international heritage in rally sport from earlier days with the Satria car and then the Mitsubishi based Proton Pert. There are now new people at the helm of the company, eager to see the company involved again.  The Satria Neo looks very promising for S2000, being just longer than the minimum length allowed by regulations, with a wheel at each corner which gives a well balanced shape to the car".

MEM have long experience of rally engine preparation work and will be responsible for development of the S2000 engine. The basic engine already has a history in Touring Car racing,  It has been decided to increase the stroke in order to give the extra torque which rallying demands.  Like the MG ZR S2000 announced last year and which is already becoming active in world level motor sport, the Proton will be fitted with the optional Xtrac rather than the traditional Sadev transmission system.