Proton puts a Neo kid on the block

Exist in the moment. That is all there is to life in fact. How you achieve it is your story - which is what makes your life and defines its meaning. Seldom do we do this, though. We are mostly lost, in either the past or the future. But on those few occasions we are in the moment, that is living, that is existing.

Which brings us to passion. Passion, may it be for a person or something you love doing, is what makes time stand still. It is what makes moments last forever. Life, they say, is not counted by the number of breaths you take, but rather by the moments that take your breath away. To many, driving is a passion, and there is nothing more beautiful than the serene wizardry of driving down a long and winding road.

But enough of philosophy. So what exactly is the point I am trying to make?

Few cars out there give you a thrilling drive at a reasonable price. Yes, a Ferrari and a Lamborghini will have your blood drained to the back of your head, but not many of us will be lucky enough to own or even drive one.

Meet the poor man's sports car: the Proton Neo.

It is made by the Malaysian auto-maker that also owns the British sports-car firm Lotus and will cost a mere Bt564,000 in full spec form, yet has the capability to keep the driving lover happy. Built with the single, young professional in mind, this car has the right formula to become one of the best. But is it? Well, read on.

With a three-door hatchback design, the Neo is a car that makes heads turn. It could be due to the attractive Proton badge or because the car looks so different from other hatchbacks, such as the Ford Focus or Mazda 3. The front lights look sinister, while from the rear, with its centre exhaust pipe, the Neo looks like it has already been to a tuning shop. The alloy wheels look like turbine blades ready to burn rubber. The whole low-rider profile of the car sums up its driving characteristics in one word: sporty.

The doors are huge, but although they look cool, they will have you denting the car parked next to you in a parking lot.

Cheap plastic on the inside smacks of glitches in quality. Also, there are barely any cubby holes to put things in, and the glove compartment is good for keeping just that - gloves! Audio controls on the steering wheel are handy, while controls for the side mirrors and power windows are situated in the centre and take a little getting used to.

The Neo can carry four passengers, but people sitting in the rear tend to feel claustrophobic, owing to the small windows and cramped legroom. There is still enough space in the boot for a big bag.

The Neo will keep your appetite for dynamics up the whole time. Yes, I said dynamics and not speed. The Neo comes with a 1.6-litre engine, which is its most frustrating and disappointing organ. At speeds of about 80kph, the Neo performs fine. Acceleration, although nothing spectacular, you can live with. The problem arises when you drive 100kph and decide to overtake. The Neo gets the rev high, but getting to even 120kph takes time. I managed 150kph after a prolonged period of pushing the petrol pedal to the floor.

It is the dynamics where the Neo really scores points. It handles like a true sports car, with almost no body roll and carving a perfect line in every corner. Pushing the Neo to its limit is safe and very predictable, and the fun factor is high as long as you are not too worried about acceleration. While getting all of this right, Proton lost focus on the brakes, and they never really have enough bite.

Overall, the Neo is an attractive package. It has air bags, and if you are looking for a more spirited drive, choose the manual gear version, which is only Bt499,000.

The Neo is a car that can be considered almost perfect. So, do you want to start existing in the moment?

Ultimate in Luxury

The Luxury LS 460 is a wonderfully comfaortable car fitted with all mod cons, althoough not necessarily the most fun vehicle to drive.