GEN 2

Better driving with Gen 2
by Y.S. Khong

THE Cam Profiling System, or CPS, is the latest development by Proton and the 1.6-litre Gen 2 CPS is the first of the Protons to get this improved engine.

The CPS engine produces 125PS at 6,500rpm, and 150Nm of torque at 4,500rpm, compared to the previous generation engine which only had 110PS at 6,000rpm, and 148Nm of torque at 4,000rpm.

Note that the power figures for the CPS are developed at a higher-engine revolution than the previous engine – this is simply because the CPS allows the engine to breathe better, and thus make better power.

The basis of the CPS is that it allows cam timing to be varied, much like a variable valve timing system.

The older engine was tuned for power but what it gained on the straights, it lost on the roundabouts. It necessitated a ‘sporty’ cam profile to give the 110 horses, which also meant the low-end torque had to be sacrificed – the result was an engine that was ‘racy’ and happy at higher revolutions, but gutless at the mid and lower ranges.

Now with the CPS, the same engine is able to provide better low and mid end torque, while not running out of breath at the higher end.

The Gen 2 CPS also comes with some interior improvements that give it more value for money. The seat design has been changed, together with the colour scheme.

The test car we got was the H-Line, with two-tone seats that have contours on the sides to give it a more ‘bucket’ effect, and a new dashboard design that does not have the little clock in the centre of the dash, and there is a glove box now.

The rear hatch opening mechanism is better now, thanks to the addition of a stronger air/hydraulic cylinder that helps to raise the boot-lid.

Wheel design also has been changed to a fresh design. Some minor changes have also been made to the front grille and bumper.

On the road, the Gen 2 CPS drives better, with the mid-range power drop not evident any more, while the engine seems happier at higher revolutions.

The suspension remains an all-wheel independent set-up, something that is getting harder to find in cars of this price range and size, nowadays.

While I won’t write off cars with beam axles at the rear, an independent rear actually represents better value for money as it costs more to produce.

Fuel economy appears to have improved about 10%, with the on-board information system telling 

me that my overall fuel consumption was 7.2 litres per 100km, whereas with the previous engine’s consumption figure (as indicated by the same onboard system), it was anything between 8.5 to 10.5 litres per 100km.

As with the new-generation Protons, the handling of the Gen 2 is remarkably good, a happy result of the Proton-Lotus relationship. Driving the Gen 2 CPS is a more pleasurable experience now.

With the advent of time, the overall build quality has seen some progress, and the car is put together quite well.

Prices range from RM53k to RM60k, and that said, the Gen 2 CPS makes a good-value proposition.

SOURCE:  THE SUN ONLINE