A tiger appears in the shield of the Proton car brand’s emblem.
Proton is Malaysia’s national car manufacturer, established in 1985 through cooperation between Malaysia’s Heavy Industries Corporation and Japan’s Mitsubishi Motors. The company’s name comes from “Perusahaan Otomobil Nasional,” meaning National Automobile Enterprise.
The tiger was selected for Proton’s emblem because it is a powerful animal associated with courage, strength, and Malaysia’s national identity. The emblem has changed stylistically over time, but the tiger motif has remained a recognizable part of Proton branding.
The Proton badge is sometimes confused with other automotive emblems featuring large cats, especially Jaguar’s leaping jaguar and Peugeot’s lion. Proton’s design is different: its tiger is presented as a heraldic head within a shield rather than as a full animal in motion.