Proton X50 spyshots appears again but upon closer inspection, the camouflaged mule you see here is wearing a
different grille – yup, that’s Proton’s Infinite Weave grille, as introduced by
the X70.
Previous sightings of the upcoming Proton
X50 had Geely’s signature “Expanding Cosmos” grille. The smaller sibling to the
X70 will be based on the Geely Binyue, but we’re expecting minor styling
differences, starting with the Infinite Weave grille insert seen here. Of
course, when the X50 finally surfaces – probably towards the end of 2020 – it
will wear Proton’s new round logo as well.
Other than that, the rest of the
well-proportioned crossover is similar to what we’ve seen before – highlights
include slightly OTT quad exhaust pipes, an elaborate looking spoiler and large
wheels, which should be 18 inches in diameter.
In China, the Geely Binyue comes with a
choice of two turbocharged engines – a 1.0L three-cylinder with 134 hp/205 Nm
(paired exclusively to a six-speed manual) and a 1.5L four-pot with 174 hp/255
Nm. The latter can be had with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox, and
this set-up should be the one we’ll be getting. In its home market, Geely also
sells a plug-in hybrid version of the Binyue.
