Remember the Satria Neo Unleashed with hitz.fm event last year? Proton and hitz.fm actually organized an event where avid autocrossers can try their hand at the Satria Neo. You drive through a straight line and obstacle course, and whoever clocks the fastest time wins a prize!

This year the challenge is back in Danga Bay Johor, and the event is even bigger this time. There’s not only a challenge for the Satria Neo but for the Proton Saga as well! Here’s the full lowdown on the activities happening this Saturday the 6th of March 2010 beginning from 4pm to 1030pm:

• Saga Ride & Handling Challenge – 25 participants
• Satria Neo Ride & Handling Challenge – 25 participants
• Test-drive activity (Satria Neo, Saga, and Gen2)
• PROTON Mini Technologies Display by R&D
• LOTUS Showcase (performance cars)
• Sales Activity (Satria Neo Saga, Gen2)
• Parts and Services display (genuine parts)
• Merchandize booth
• Demo performance by LOTUS
• Satria Neo, Saga, Gen2 Club gathering & car showcase
• Games and quizzes by Hitz.FM’s DJ and announcers
• Closing act by Artistes (Pesawat & One Buck Short)

Ride & Handling challenge is open only to 50 participants – 25 for the Satria Neo CPS and 25 for the Saga. Participants need to have a valid driving license and need to fulfill the rules and regulations, terms and conditions, and signed indemnity form of the event. Interested person can register at the counter when the announcers announce the time for registration (4.00pm – 4.30pm). All participants will go through safety and course briefing handle by professional track safety instructors. Participant will be guided / supervised by professional instructor during the laps to explain about the cars and to ensure the safety of the participant/ public during the laps.

The first place winner of either category will win RM500 and a Sony Ericsson F305. The second place prizes are RM300 and a Canon 480 digital camera. The third place winners will get RM200 and a RM500 Padini Voucher.

As for the test drive activity, Proton has set up a special course for you to be able to try out the car’s handling instead of a regular showroom test drive where you probably just drive around the showroom area. So if you’re in the market for a Proton sometime soon you may want to test drive the car at this course as well as a regular showroom drive so you can try how the car performs in both worlds – both under hard driving conditions and in a neighborhood.

If you book your car on the day itself there’s a low downpayment scheme and other promotions available. I don’t know what they are right now so you’ll have to pay a visit to the event to find out! Also, Proton Parts Center will be having sessions to educate the public on how to differentiate the original parts with non-genuine parts, and the causes and effect of using non-genuine parts.

A professional driver from Lotus will be showcasing the driving demo using their cars to highlight the capability of the cars’ handling. As you know Lotus cars are gokarts on steroids – usually people reserve that term for MINIs but these Lotus cars are the real thing. There will be opportunities for a taxi ride with the cars together with the driver.

Satria Neo, Saga and Gen2 club members will be there to display their cars at the event.A contest will be held to award the most outstanding car for each category. The criteria of the selection of the winner are exterior condition, paint job, decals, stickers, rims, interior cleanliness & practicality, and modification changes. Of course you’ll probably expect some really fast “Campro Turbo DIY” cars there or even some with MIVEC or GSR swaps, but engine bay will not be evaluated as Proton are not promoting any changes made to the engine. Judges will be appointed from Proton managements, the artistes and professional drivers.

Other than that, the public can also participate in any games activities on that day such as a be mini futsal challenge, team activities, and others. These games will be conducted by Hitz.fm announcers Natalie and Jin and they will also be having quizzes. The closing performance will be a performance by One Buck Short and Pesawat, which will start after the demo performance by Lotus mentioned earlier.

So this is something for you to check out this Saturday if you live in the south. RELA will be in charge on that day to handle traffic and parking. Just remember to bring a bottle of mineral water as I’ve been informed that Danga Bay did not give permission for the sale of F&B during the event so you’ll have to bring your own.