R3 Satria Neo is as fiery as its colour code

Dinesh

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Dinesh

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As sporty as the aspirations have been for the Proton Satria Neo, many still lamented the fact that its line-up excluded a trim that could give its predecessing Satria GTI a decent run for its money. The R3 Lotus Racing (LR Neo) edition quite firmly addressed that issue with some performance gear from some of the biggest names in the industry but at RM125,000 it was issuing cheques that the average driving enthusiast couldn’t cash.



Step forward the R3 Satria Neo (R3 Neo), the car that should once and for all address the area of the Satria Neo lacking some firm bite. Although it does leave behind some of the big-named performance gear, it’s essentially similar to the LR Neo edition but with a huge slash on its price tag.



As the head of R3, Tengku Djan Ley, explained during the short media drive, the R3 Neo is intended to fill the void left behind by the Satria GTI. Furthermore, the R3 Neo wasn’t an afterthought of the Lotus Racing Neo but was actually being cooked up before the LR Neo came about. The difference is that the LR was pushed ahead and rushed for completion due to the Formula One tie-up.



Therefore, if you consider it carefully, even though the R3 Neo lacks the Ohlins suspension and AP Racing brakes of the LR Neo, it should actually be as impressive and even maybe even slightly more refined due to the extra time spent developing it.



Exterior wise, the R3 Neo shares the same body kit as the Neo CPS but with one major addition at the front, an R3 splitter that serves to reduce undercarriage turbulence. The derriere has a slightly redesigned spoiler with the R3 logo embossed on it. Everything else is pretty much standard CPS procedure but with the exterior trims coloured bronze and R3 logos on the door strips and window strip.

You can have the car in any colour as long as it’s Fiery Red with a black roof but Djan did add that a carbon fiber hood was also available at extra cost.



The Neo CPS always looked very undertyred and the R3 Neo takes care of that with R3 lightweight 16-inch alloys wrapped in 205/45 Bridgestone RE001 tyres filling in the corners. You’ll also notice the exhaust is still centrally-mounted but with a different tip in place that is part of the performance exhaust system.



The inside takes many cues from the exterior colour with red accents all over the place, such as the door panels, gear console, handbrake lever and dashboard itself. One thing that you will instantly notice is the double-DIN audio unit that takes center stage on the center console. It’s GPS-equipped and is MP3, DVD and WMA compatible. This is arguably the one thing that the LR Neo could have used to justify its asking price.



Get in position to drive and you’re aided greatly by some fine enhancements that serve to make the driving experience all that more enjoyable. The steering wheel, while being the same as the garden variety Neo, has been wrapped in a material called Trivel Fiber that is similar to Alcantara and provides equally impressive grip. Even the seats haven’t been spared with added shoulder, side and thigh support lined with the same Trivel Fiber to hold you in place. For those of you that had head clearance problems in the Neo previously would be pleased to know that the R3 Neo has addressed this issue as well with the seat mountings pushed deeper into the base of the seat, permitting it to be mounted lower to the ground and provide more headroom.



Out on the oval test track while throwing the car around, the grippy material proved its worth in helping to keep a firm grip on things. Even the alloy pedals play along this line. Completing the interior package is a push-start button for that sporty feel when you start it up and an aluminium R3 gear knob to swap cogs better. Just in case some current Neo owners decide to upgrade their cars to the R3 spec on their own, the real deal gets a seriel plate riveted to the passenger side of the center console that identifies the car as the genuine article with a serial number.



Now comes the figures that matter, the performance digits. Power is the same as the LR Neo at 145hp@7,000rpm and 168Nm of torque @5,000rpm. All the extra ponies are courtesy of the R3 performance parts thrown into the mix.



Inhaling is handled by a K&N air filter in an R3 carbon fiber airbox and a pair of ‘Clubsport’ performance camshafts that allow for better breathing with 272 degrees of lift on the intake and 264 degrees on the exhaust that are optimised by a ‘Clubsport’ performance ECU that has been remapped by R3 for more power. Completing the engine package is a lightened and adjustable cam pulley and water pump pulley set to reduce parasitic drag.



Exhaling is handled by the R3 4-2-1 extractor that leads to the cat-back exhaust system that gives it a rather hollow and booming burble rather than a high-pitched wail that is often associated with cam profile switching engines.



While the R3 Neo lacks the Ohlins adjustable coilovers and AP Racing brakes that LR Neo gets, those areas haven’t been neglected by R3. The stock calipers now clamp down on performance brake pads with a 400 degree Celsius temperature range and reduced brake fade. Ride and handling has been dealt with the use of R3 springs and dampers that have been adjusted to optimise handling and also lowers the car a further 10mm for a lower center of gravity.



On the move, the R3 Neo exhibits the true character of a car that has been massaged by the fine hands of R3. Under the supervision of Djan, a master in the ride and handling area, R3 have managed to give the car superb handling without compromising on the comfort.



The standard CPS lump was built to rev to the redline like a rocket and the enhanced engine here does that with its afterburners on. Mash the go-pedal to the firewall and the pickup is brisk enough but still somewhat lethargic until past the 4,000rpm mark, which is where the high-lift cam profile kicks in and injects another dose of push.



Lest we forget too the short-ratio gearbox that is mated to the engine and a big contributor to the quick revving and acceleration. The gearbox’s short ratios allow a century sprint of 9.2-seconds yet still has enough in it for a top speed of 205km/h.



From there on its smooth and quick build-up to the redline of 7,500rpm, but not before the Variable Intake Manifold (VIM) switches to the short runner for a further push in urgency and power.



It’s easy to feel that the car was built with constant revving in mind as it doesn’t gag or choke throughout the rev range. According to Djan too, the added power and constant revving wouldn’t pose a problem of premature wear as the standard CPS internals are more than capable of taking the abuse.



The magic bit is once we hit the banked part of the oval track. Keeping it steady at 130km/h through the bank, the car sat firmly planted to the ground with nary a shudder or indication that it was going to throw. The suspension at work could really be felt as any bumps mid-corner were handled without much drama or correction needed through the steering.



Part of the drive was through ribbed and undulated surfaces to thoroughly test the primary ride of the R3 Neo. The undulated surfaces really brought out the brilliance of the suspension as the car never felt as if it was slipping out of control. Even the ribbed surfaces were absorbed and negated before it made its way to the steering but without actually reducing feedback to the driver.



A slalom was another part of the test that would demonstrate the response and weight transfer of the R3 Neo in quick input situations. Maintaining it at a constant 70km/h through the cones, the R3 Neo switched directions without any fuss and the weight transfer was very gradual, allowing for the driver to better gauge the car’s reaction and for the car to push harder before it got any ideas about giving up grip.



Even on the limit, the traction would break very gradually, giving the driver ample time to reel things in. One thing that the R3 Neo demonstrates was a very neutral cornering line as opposed to the slightly more jumpy LR Neo that wouldn’t be as forgiving with new drivers.



The final part of the drive was the stopping test that aimed to prove the R3 Neo wasn’t that far behind the LR Neo even though it lacked the AP Racing clampers. With ABS and EBD as standard, stomping on the brakes from around the 80km/h mark brought the car to a complete halt in a straight line and no threat of swerving off to the side.



Bear in mind too that I was the last of around five drivers to perform the stopping test back-to-back and yet the car kept its composure. In the real world then, we doubt that the lack of AP Racing calipers would actually cause any noticeable loss in performance.



At the end of the day, the R3 Neo is an impressive effort to succeed the Satria GTI and with its raw driving feel coupled with the enhanced performance, it doesn’t fall very far from the mark. Furthermore, to label it a poor man’s LR Neo would be disrespectful as the R3 Neo could easily hold its own against the LR Neo in the real world on the street at just two thirds of the price.

 

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BE5RSK

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BE5RSK

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Kudos to R3. Anyway, they should aggressively produce more variety of their aftermarket parts (performance and cosmetic oriented), not only for Neo CPS, but also for the rest of Proton Campro fitted line-up. Through this, the Campro owners will have more choice instead of "Made in Entahmanamana" aftermarket products. It's a win-win situation for both sides. R3 can get revenue to cover and continue their research, and customer will have well-proven aftermarket products to improve/enhance/modify their beloved Proton. Of course, the parts price must be reasonable as well. But this can be achieved because of the big volume of proton cars in Malaysia.
 
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prototype_x0

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prototype_x0

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in my opinion, they should change the interior look as well, and i am referring to

1. meter cluster
2. dashboard
3. door panel

since the first neo, then come neo cps, neo clubsport, then neo lotus racing, then neo r3, they change quite alot in term of exterior and some interior make up

but those three remain the same.. and to make things worse those are the things that really ugly and should not be make to complete this beauty

gen 2 cps for example, they change the dashboard and meter panel and also door panel to something much more sleek design.

please, just throw away that digital clock or put it at meter panel.
 

csl

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csl

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Engine - 170-180hp Turbo kit + management +tuning package = RM7k

Interior - Replica Bride carbon seats = RM2k+ a pair, leather wrap (including dashboard) = RM3k

Sound proof = RM650 for 4 doors

Glass Tint = RM1k

Wheels - 17" lightweight taiwan model with good tires = RM3k

Bodykit - Full set with painting = RM1.5k

Exhaust - Full set (banana included in the turbo kit so not count) = RM600+

Suspension - coilover = RM2k

Sound system - RM3k can get 7" touch screen + amp + speakers.

Misc - gear knob, brake pad, slotted disk rotors = RM1k

Total up the price will be about the same, which you want?
 

Veloc

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Veloc

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Honestly if want to set up like bro Csl... LOL... Pain la...

I think the new looks good but besides so many editions with different paint schemes, they should give it some aggressive NA tune like what the Campro is made for...
 

es2611

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es2611

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nice write up.
with regard to the car, overall very nice but IMHO they could beef up the interior.
 

TitanRev

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TitanRev

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Overall the car is not really that bad at all. The focus here is the drive, not those fancy EL meters or dash its better that you focus on the road rather than your dash. That's the direction of R3. I find that R3 is following the cue of Lotus and I don't find Lotus car's interior nice as well. For the seats and steering. It's different view for everyone. One man's meat is another man's poison.

For the engine part, R3 here is trying to emphasis on a reliable and drivable daily car and the usual spirited drive and track days. No use if you have a 200hp car but breaks down more often than a Saga and guzzle fuel like a monster. I believe R3 has the capable to throw in a Turbo kit anytime but it might make the engine less reliable and more parts need to be strengthen in order to take the extra load.

Most NA lovers will like the free revving nature and linear power delivery of NA with just the movement of their toes. 145hp might seems lacking to us power crazy people but its a good start at least. Just like how the AE86, not much hp but light weight and a good platform to sharpen your driving skill. The R3 Neo is a good platform to horn a person's driving skill, not much driver's aid and fancy gadgets and electronics. Just pure driving.

For me, I would recommend R3 to further reduce the weight of the car and do more strengthening on the chassis then only more on the engine. I prefer a car that handles like a go kart although not that much power rather than a car which has monster figures but handles like a wobbly boat.

Just my 2 cents.
 
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