Earlier this year, Proton and the DRB-Hicom
University of Automotive Malaysia (DRB-Hicom U) launched the Proton &
DRB-Hicom U Concept Car Challenge (PD3C), where 15 teams from various tertiary
education institutions would compete to design a concept car for the future.
We now have a good look at one of the submissions
which carries the name ‘Invictus’, thanks to paultan.org reader Zheng Yang Ooi,
who spotted the vehicle near Asia Pacific University (APU). The university is
among the participants in the competition, and this concept is likely their
entry for PD3C. The Invictus is based on the Preve, albeit with a significant amount
of custom work done to it. For starters, the entire front end is completely
new, with sleeker headlamps flanking a more upright and slimmer grille that has
vertical slats within it.
The front bumper also protrudes further out than on
the stock car, and there are diagonal features that lead into the muscular
wheel arch lines. This also isolates the blacked-out triangular “inlets” from
the lower intake. The latter has a notched section at the lip, which could
house sensors for possible autonomous driving tech.
Along the sides, skirting has been added to
complement the wider body, while the door handles have been tucked away, or
possibly replaced with a remote release instead. The decorative trim piece just
behind the rear window is also larger in size, plus there’s a roof-mounted
spoiler.
At the back, additional body panels placed on the
sides of the rear windscreen help provide width to the vehicle’s hatch, which
houses the Proton badge and Invictus name, framed by slim light bars. The bold
lower apron meanwhile, appears to mirror the front, and features large
“outlets” in the corners, a featureless space in the middle, and finished off
with a hexagonal-shaped exhaust tip.
The judging session for PD3C will take place on
December 6 this month, which is where we’ll probably get to see more of the
Invictus and the submissions of other teams. The overall winner will be
announced during an award ceremony later on December 8.
