Jumbuck Popular Down Under

Sometimes you find out that consumers in different countries have different tastes. Relating to cars, the Mitsubishi Town Box was quite popular in Japan but the Proton Juara (based on the Town Box) was a total failure in Malaysia.

Launched in 2003, the Proton Arena two seater pick-up or utility vehicles is Proton's first entry into the light commercial vehicle market. Criticism upon criticism was heaped upon it when it first came out in Malaysia and sales are still negligible here. "A wira with the back cut off," my friends used to call it. However, in Australia it is a different story. The Jumbuck as the Arena is known here, has seen sales up 57 percent for the first six months of 2005 compared with the same period last year. According to Proton Cars Australia managing director, John Startari, the Jumbuck "is the foundation stone for the future growth of Proton in Australia...".

Read Aussie reviews here and here..
BTW, Jumbuck is sheep in Aussie slang.