A more than three-decade-old Proton Saga Iswara has made a rather unexpected appearance in one of Apple’s latest videos shot using its new iPhone 18 Pro. The classic Malaysian-made sedan features prominently as a getaway car in a 58-second chase sequence filmed in the UK.
The video was uploaded by Apple on 23 September as part of its #ShotoniPhone18Pro series, which also includes music videos featuring BLACKPINK’s Rose and Hong Kong rapper-singer Jackson Wang. Directed by Matt Lewis, the cinematographer behind Netflix’s Adolescence, the video follows a group of youngsters attempting to escape from a mysterious man in a continuous one-take sequence.
In this particular video, the Saga Iswara serves as the escape vehicle for the fleeing group, although only two of the three escapees actually make it into the car. Lewis said the shoot used the iPhone 18 Pro’s variable aperture to achieve practical focus shifts while maintaining the challenging camera movement.
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Malaysians Were Quick To Spot The Car
Naturally, the appearance of a Proton Saga Iswara did not go unnoticed among Malaysian viewers. Comments on Apple’s social media post quickly pointed out the unmistakable national car, with some users expressing pride at seeing the humble Saga appear in an international production.
Whether a more than 30-year-old Saga Iswara would actually be anyone’s first choice as a getaway car is another matter, though. Still, seeing one of Malaysia’s most recognisable old cars unexpectedly turn up in an Apple production is certainly a delightful find.
The car’s appearance in the UK is also fitting, considering that the Iswara was exported there during its original production run. In fact, the UK-market version was sold under the Proton Mpi name, rather than Saga Iswara, and received several changes to meet local emissions requirements.
Interestingly, the Iswara featured in Apple’s video appears to have a sunroof. That was not necessarily unheard of on UK-market cars, as period records indicate that certain higher-specification UK variants were offered with a sunroof, although given the specific car shown in Apple’s video, it may also have been fitted or modified after purchase.
A Bit Of Iswara History
The Proton Saga Iswara was introduced in Malaysia on 15 August 1992 as an updated version of the outgoing Saga Megavalve. Its exterior was redesigned by a British firm, bringing slimmer headlights, a revised grille, grooved tail lamps, plastic bumpers and side mouldings, while the rear number plate was moved from the boot to the bumper.
It continued to use the Saga’s Mitsubishi-derived 1.3-litre and 1.5-litre engines, with buyers able to choose between a five-speed manual and three-speed automatic transmission. Both four-door sedan and five-door hatchback body styles were offered, while export models destined for the UK and Singapore received multi-point fuel injection and catalytic converters to comply with Euro I emissions regulations.
Apple’s short iPhone 18 Pro promo also isn’t the first time an Iswara has appeared in foreign media. A UK-market Proton Mpi previously featured in an episode of Mr. Bean, although it met an unfortunate, albeit fictional, fate on screen.
Separately, Paultan.org reported in 2021 on a 1994 Saga Iswara that was discovered in a barn in the UK before being purchased by a new owner. Despite spending a considerable amount of time off the road, the car reportedly required relatively little work beyond basic servicing and a new set of tyres. Its new owner subsequently put it back on the road, covering around 3,200 miles (5,150km) within just a month of acquiring it.
(Source: Apple [Instagram] / Wikipedia / Paultan.org)
