Proton’s Prevé is a crowd puller all right – not only did it push this website’s April 17 pageviews to over 1.6 million hits, Proton showrooms were full of people wanting to touch, feel and drive Proton’s global car. For those who haven’t yet seen the car, Proton will be bringing the showroom to the people, so to speak.
The Prevé nationwide motorcade was flagged off from Sri Pentas in Bandar Utama two days ago. The convoy consists of eight Prevés, four Inspiras, and one unit each of the Persona and Exora.



The first stop was Proton’s Platinum Showroom in nearby Mutiara Damansara, where Group MD Datuk Seri Syed Zainal Abidin presented keys to the Prevé’s first few owners. Next stop was the EON showroom in Jalan Chan Sow Lin, KL. The motorcade then proceeded to make two more stopovers – Menara Maybank on Jalan Pudu, and at the Ambank HQ on Jalan Yap Kwan Seng.
After the city tour, the convoy headed south to Senawang and Melaka before stopping for the night in JB. Yesterday saw the fleet travel 560 km covering Yong Peng, Segamat, Bahau, Temerloh, Mentakab and Kuantan.



A 450 km journey awaits them today, where the Prevé will visit East Coast towns Kemaman, Dungun, Kuala Terengganu, Jerteh, Bachok and Kota Bahru, followed by the towns of Tanah Merah, Jeli, Baling, Sik, Alor Setar, Sungai Petani and Penang. The final day of the five-day tour will see stopovers in Juru, Ipoh and finally at Jalan Ampang, where Syed Zainal will launch a new Proton showroom.
We have covered the Prevé extensively. Click here for the main launch report, here for some videos and here to view the Sapphire concept. We’ve also driven the car, read the report here.

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Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola

Pep Guardiola is understood to be on the brink of ending his tenure as manager of Barcelona after telling the club he cannot carry on.
The 41-year-old Catalan will announce his intentions at a press conference at the Nou Camp on Friday afternoon.
And barring a last-minute change of heart, Guardiola is expected to confirm his departure from the club he has led to two Champions League titles.

Pep Guardiola factfile

  • Born: 18 January 1971 in Santpedor, Spain.
  • Playing career: Barcelona B (1990-92), Barcelona (1990-2001), Brescia (2001-02), Roma (2002-03), Brescia (2003), Al-Ahli (2003-05), Dorados (2005-06), Spain (1992-2001).
  • Managerial career: Barcelona B (2007-08), Barcelona (2008-present)
  • Honours (as manager): 3 La Liga titles, 1 Copa Del Ray, 2 Champions League titles, 2 Uefa Super Cups, 2 Fifa World Club Cups.
The Barcelona manager has arranged to meet his players on Friday morning.
It is thought Guardiola will take a year-long break from football should he leave his post.
Guardiola spent three hours with Barcelona president Sandro Rosell on Thursday morning.
During the talks, which took place at Rosell's private home in the city, Guardiola is understood to have expressed his belief that he could "not go on."
What had begun as discussions over an extension to his one-year rolling contract soon turned into a push to keep Guardiola at the club. Rosell is understood to have offered Guardiola unlimited spending power this summer but the Catalan will not base his decision on money.
Guardiola, who captained the club as a player, has always maintained that he would do what was best for the club. He spent Thursday afternoon with his family and is expected to tell Rosell of his decision later tonight.

Barca this season

  • Spanish Super Cup: Won (5-4 on agg v Real Madrid)
  • La Liga: Trail Real Madrid by seven points with four games to play.
  • Copa Del Ray: Face Athletic Bilbao in the final on 24 May.
  • Fifa World Club: Won (4-0 v Santos)
  • Champions League: Lost in semi-final (2-3 v Chelsea)
  • Overall record: P62 W43 D12 L4
While it cannot be ruled out that Guardiola may change his mind, the club fear that the man who has led them to two Champions League titles and three La Liga crowns has made his decision.
The manner of the defeat by Real Madrid on Saturday, a result which effectively saw Barcelona relinquish their Primera Division title to Jose Mourinho's men and the Champions League defeat by Chelsea have prompted this rethink.
Rosell has, however, been firmly behind his manager in the wake of those results. "I hope that Josep is our coach next season", Rosell said on Wednesday.
"We have confidence in him; he is essential for our type of play."
Guardiola stepped up from manager of the Barcelona B in 2008 and has gone on to become the most successful coach in the club's illustrious history.
During his four-year tenure, Guardiola has won two Champions League crowns, three La Liga trophies, one Copa del Rey, three Supercopas, two Uefa Super Cups and two Fifa Club World Cups.