With the meteoric rise of SUVs, it seems like every other category of passenger car out there has been left by the wayside. Saloons especially have been heavily hit as SUVs become more and more prevalent, with buyers keen to associate with the more active and engaging image that comes with buying and driving a sport-utility vehicle.

Earlier this week however, Chinese carmaker Geely unveiled the production-ready version of its Preface saloon, a large D-segment three-box machine that would sit where the PROTON Perdana once was. With its bold design and assertive stance, the Geely Preface is a solid indicator of where the company intends to head design-wise for its saloons – and that’s important for the local market too.

Where SUVs have become the de rigeur accessory for up-and-coming families, the large saloon car still has its place, as shown expertly in these renders by image-manipulation whiz Theophilus Chin. The ‘2021 Perdana’ seen here is based on the Preface and incorporates various current PROTON design elements like the Ethereal Bow grille and Infinite Weave pattern into the overall car, and shows exactly why models like these remain appealing. 

The Geely Preface is based on the Compact Modular Architecture (CMA) platform, which was primarily engineered by Swedish marque (and Geely subsidiary) Volvo. CMA has since been employed notably on the Volvo XC40, and is designed to accommodate internal-combustion, petrol-electric hybrid, and full-electric powertrains.

GALLERY: ‘2021 PROTON PERDANA’ by Theophilus Chin