National automaker Proton has taken us by surprise with the unveiling of the new, sporty top spec variant of its C-segment sedan, known as the 2027 Proton S70 RS.
Stands for “Refined Sportiness,” the new S70 RS gains several new sporty bits, including an entirely new RS bodykit, a new set of wheels, a revised cabin, and many more.
Sportiest S70 Ever
Leading the design changes on the S70 RS is the new front grille design that ditches the chrome surround seen on the S70 MC1 for a larger, more expansive look, complete with segmented grille inserts and a red-coloured ‘S’ badge (not RS, we wonder why) on the right side.
Complementing this new front nose is the new front bumper design, featuring a more aggressive X-shaped design with faux honeycomb mesh intakes on both ends, contrasting red accents, and a gloss black splitter.
The RS treatment continues to the side, where the S70 RS now rides on new 17-inch alloy wheels with an intricate spoke design finished in dark grey (shod in GitiComfort F22 tyres), plus gloss black side skirts with matching red accents and ‘S’ emblems.
Rounding off the exterior changes are the redesigned rear bumper, now featuring a faux diffuser with quad tailpiles, plus several gloss black parts, including the bootlid rear spoiler, side mirror, door handles, and the entire roof. Notably, the only RS branding that we can see on the exterior is the red-hued RS badge on the tailgate.
X50-esque Interior
More changes took place inside, where the S70 RS gets an entirely new front dash setup that looks similar to the ones inside the facelifted X50, as well as its recently-facelifted Chinese twin, the 2027 Geely Emgrand.
Centrepiece to this revamped dashboard is the larger, 14.6-inch floating central display complemented by a slim 8.88-inch digital metre cluster, as well as the contrasting red-and-black colourway with honeycomb-patterned ambient lights to match.
The central console has also been cleaned up to make space for the two smartphone trays with Qi wireless charger on the driver’s side and a central control knob with climate control switches. And just like the X50, the gear shifter is now located behind the steering wheel.
Unchanged Powertrain Specs
Beneath all those sporty changes is the same base as the S70 MC1, as the RS version is still powered by the same 1.5-litre 4-cyl i-GT turbo engine rated at 181 PS and 290 Nm as its less sporty twin.
Paired with the same 7-speed DCT gearbox that drives the front wheels (FWD), the sporty S70 RS still gets from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.5 seconds, as do the non-RS versions.
As of now, it remains to be seen when the new 2027 Proton S70 RS will be officially launched, as well as its actual position alongside both the turbocharged and non-turbocharged S70 variants. But given how extensive the changes given to it, we can assume that the S70 RS will be the new, top-spec variant for the S70 lineup, and naturally the most expensive one too.
