Manual mode in the 2024 Proton S70 - Why is it left and right instead of up and down?
Arvind · Feb 2, 2024 11:30 AM
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With over 5,000 bookings collected so far, the recently launched 2024 Proton S70 looks to be one of Malaysia’s hottest cars in 2024.
More than just a simple badge engineering of the Geely Emgrand, the Proton S70 uses a different powertrain compared to its Chinese donor, crucially the 150 PS/226 Nm 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder and 7-speed DCT transmission, the same as 1.5T variants of the Proton X50.
However, the Proton S70’s manual mode works by toggling the gearshifter right (+, for an upshift) and left (-, for a downshift) instead of an up and down in the Proton X50 and many other vehicle models.
Why is this?
At the ongoing S70 media test drive, CEO of Proton Edar and Deputy CEO of Proton, Roslan Abdullah explained, “Basically, that is the design that came over from the Geely Emgrand, which is similar to the Proton X90 and also Volvo models.”
Given the Geely-Volvo partnership, it makes sense that Geely adopted the same manual mode gearshift pattern seen on Volvo models such as the Volvo XC40 and XC90 before that, to name a few.
It is also worth noting that all newer models underpinned by the Geely-developed B-Segment Modular Architecture (BMA) platform share the same gearshift pattern, this includes the Proton S70 and other models such as the Geely Icon, and Lynk & Co 06.
The manual mode gearshift pattern of the Volvo XC90 shown
So, whilst the Proton S70’s shift pattern is adapted from the Emgrand, it’s safe to say Volvo first inspired it. Stay tuned for more exciting news on the Proton S70.
Arvind can't remember a time when he didn't wheel around a HotWheels car. This love evolved into an interest in Tamiya and RC cars and finally the real deal 1:1 scale stuff. Passion finally lead to formal training in Mechanical Engineering. Instead of the bigger picture, he obsesses with the final drive ratio and spring rates of cars and spends the weekends wondering why a Perodua Myvi is so fast.
