The Malaysian carmaker Proton has announced plans to develop an “Islamic car“, designed for Muslim motorists.
The car could boast special features like a compass pointing to Mecca and a dedicated space to keep a copy of the Koran and a headscarf.
Safety features or fuel economy is one way of selling a car, but Proton thinks vehicles designed specifically for Muslims across the world represent a huge gap in the market.
Cripes. Ain’t nothing like a religion that stays on your case no matter where you are.
A compass, space for a book and scarf and it’s a muslam car? What about a place to wash their feet?
Religion rots the mind.
And, don’t forget that besides the dual DVD players for watching your favorite “Osama in Charge” episodes that there’s PLENTY of room for a variety of boombooms and more than enough space to accommodate your 72 virgin sheep after your big kablooey to honor your non-god allah-ha-ha-ha!
Next a Jesusmobile.
Meh. This doesn’t make sense to me. I feel perfectly comfortable in bimmers, hondas, toyotas, fords and such. The effort should be spent on showing people that that specific religion is not “rotten”.
The luxury sedan is also pre-wired for explosives.
Does the warranty cover damaged body panels that suddenly fly apart for no reason?
Isn’t this pretty much any car that’s ALREADY available with a nav system and a glovebox? (Is a glovebox too disrespectful for holy book #3?) Perhaps you can get any color you want as long as it’s green.
#5 Brilliant!! Why stop there, build the C4 in. No need for pesky seatbelts or airbags when you’re crashing a security barrier either.
What of a gender sensor? Will it explode if a woman sits in the drivers seat?
#8, that would be the Chador launcher, a 3G* seat ejector Standard on the L225xi. 5G version also available for an extra 2 camels.
*G: gravity
#9 “5G version also available for an extra 2 camels.”
Can they be ugly camels? 😉
Hey give them a break. Whatever it takes to differentiate your product in the market, right? Remember your MBA101?
Proton is under huge pressure to innovate as they are losing the Malaysia automobile market when NAFTA opened up the country to competing foreign vehicles. What the westerners don’t see is the big untapped muslim market, and this market is highly exclusive as they are picky with their supplier. Malaysia is in a very good state, branding and operation wise, to take up this market.
Proton is taking the leap and I (a Malaysian Chinese) am certainly proud of their vision. I wish them all the best.
“Proton has been trying to kick-start its export market to counter a sharp decline in domestic market share that has been blamed on a lack of new models and a reputation for poor quality.“
from here.
And next…
The Jew Car: With whining Nav system to similate wife or mother in car.
The Protestant Car: With Auto Shut Off for rapture!
The Roman Catholic Car: With bluetooth phone speed dial to local parish for absolution assitance.
The Othodox Christian Car: With scourging system on board.
The Hinduism Car: Seats 10 plus three on roof. Comes with nav system to direct people to local high-tech company
The Buddist Car: Auto engine shut off as you try and start it, for you will travel farther in life without moving one step.
The Shinto Car: The car IS A God, please offer it something and THEN you MIGHT go somewhere.
The Satanist Car: With nav system that takes you to either nearest politcal HQ or drives over people on the sidewalk, whichever comes first.
The Neo-Pagan Car: Shuts off, dispenses drugs, alcohol and a clove cigarette, bluetooth automatically calls nearest christian so you can tell them once again you don’t worship satan. (If you did you would be headed to the local oolitical HQ by now)
The Scientology Car: Makes you an operating Thetan 5. And hovers upon command of The Commodore!
The Steventologist Car: Has apple hook ups for every device ever mad (including Newton and Lisa) L. Steve Jobs tells you where you will go and you love it because its so pretty of a car.
The Renunification Church Car: Fills with 100’s of brides and grooms and drives to the nearest stadium!
The Flying Spaghetti Monster Car: Goes nowhere and is funny for about three minutes.
The Athiest Car: Denies that cars exist and stays in the driveway until evolution makes it grow legs to ambulate with.
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#12: The japanese has been kicking everyone’s behind in the consumer automobile industry. Casualties include the like of Proton and all the way up to the mighty GM in their local turfs… so thanks for bringing this up.
There is no way Proton can win by quality and technology, and now they are even losing on price! That is why Proton needs differentiation and take on markets with untapped demand. No one knows how the muslim market will react but it definitely worth a try!
#10, Gary, I’ve never seen an ugly camel!
#11, Cheam, religious cars have slaughtered thousands of secular pedestrians throughout history. The world would be a better place without them.
#12, hhopper, Proton has been trying to kick-start its export market… and therein lies the problem. I used to have a TV like that.
#15: When they start taking your comments seriously as customer feedback THEN only I’ll start worrying… 🙂
Until then: Guns/Religions/XBOX games does not kill people, people kill people.
How about adding a big spike instead of an airbag. Then if you crash, hey, its the will of Allah
A special place for the Koran or headscarf?
Mission accomplished, slap a sticker on the glove compartment and you’re Vehicularly Islam-compliant(c)(TM)(R)(SM), unless of course it’s sacrilege to put the Koran into a box.
This news came up on ttac.com a couple of days ago. Of course the usual jokes.
The car stops running 5 times a day.
The fuel cap refuses to open for the month of Ramadan.
The car refuses to start when it detects a woman trying to drive.
all standard versions will come with 500lbs of TNT in the trunk, but for a small fee it will be upgradeable to a deluxe edition of portable post-soviet “briefcase nuke”…
#19 I never heard of “christian” car edition, have you?