2026 Proton S70 teased – 1.5T i-GT 4-cyl sedan on display in showrooms Feb 7-8, NA version also?

Proton is justifiably proud of its achievements in January, having sold 19,833 vehicles (its highest in 15 years) and 10,285 units of the Saga (supposedly its highest ever) in the first month of the year. To commemorate the milestone, the company is holding a celebration at all its showrooms this weekend, February 7 and 8 – and there’s a “special guest” in store.

The company announced it will be previewing the 2026 S70 – the first update for the segment-straddling sedan ever since it was launched in 2023 – at the event. Not much can be gleaned from the teaser, but we already know what the car will look like, as it was papped at the factory in December.

We can see that the S70 will gain a couple of new design cues from the 2025 Geely Emgrand, such as mildly revised headlights with inner indicator spars and a very slightly tweaked look for the Flagship trim’s 17-inch alloy wheels. No L-shaped front bumper corner trims, however; we stick with the old triangular inserts.

One notable revision is the switch from the solid Passion Red paint to metallic Ruby Red, leading to a less taxi-like appearance. It also appears that Proton will again offer a bodykit, with a re-profiled boot lid lip spoiler compared to the original appearance package.

There are also no changes expected for the interior, which is set to retain its linear horizontal dashboard design, T-shaped gearlever, 10.25-inch instrument display and 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen – although we do expect wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to be added this time around.

Most of the attention has instead been paid under the bonnet. Out goes the old 1.5 litre GEP3 port-injected turbo three-cylinder, replaced by the latest BHE15-EFZ i-GT four-cylinder from the facelifted X50. This will provide a serious boost of power – 31 PS and 64 Nm worth – to 181 PS and 290 Nm of torque, along with reduced maintenance and fuel consumption. A seven-speed dual-clutch transmission is set to soldier on.

The S70 is still unique in that it’s the only version of the Emgrand to get the turbo engine and DCT combo, but rumours suggest that base variants of the new version will also come with the Saga’s naturally-aspirated BHE15-CFN, producing 120 PS and 150 Nm. This would help lower the starting price and enable the car to act as an indirect replacement for the Persona.

The Emgrand has used this mill in China – replacing the old direct-injected unit – since last year, but it pairs it with a CVT with an eight virtual ratios (there’s also a five-speed manual, but there’s not a snowball’s chance in hell of that coming here). We expect the S70 to instead get the Saga’s simpler Punch CVT, as the stepless transmission is already assembled locally – perhaps with a torque converter for a smoother driving experience.

The upcoming update would provide a welcome boost for the S70, which hasn’t exactly set the sales table alight – even if it did achieve its best monthly sales since May with 1,604 units sold in January. With additional volume from the soon-to-be-discontinued Persona and a lower starting price, the car could give its B-segment rivals a run for their money.

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