Proton S70 facelift spotted with four exhaust tips – hotter R3 version on the way?

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Another Proton S70 development car has been spotted testing in Malaysia, and this time we have our clearest look yet at its redesigned rear end. More interestingly, look closely underneath the camouflage and there appear to be four exhaust tips poking out of the rear bumper.

Yes, four.

That immediately raises an interesting question: are we simply looking at a sportier version of the upcoming S70 update, or could Proton be preparing something hotter – perhaps even an R3-flavoured road car?

The latest prototype retains heavy camouflage across most of its rear end, hiding the boot lid, taillights and bumper. However, the quad exhaust outlets are difficult to miss, with two positioned at either side of the rear bumper. The rear light arrangement also appears to have been revised, although the camouflage makes it difficult to determine the final design.

This isn't the first suspiciously sporty S70 prototype we've seen recently.

An earlier test car spotted last week featured a more aggressive-looking front bumper with what appeared to be honeycomb inserts, along with new five-spoke alloy wheels. Perhaps most noticeably, that prototype was also running red brake calipers at both the front and rear.

Red calipers alone aren't proof that Proton is cooking up an S70 R3, of course. The latest Proton X50 already uses red brake calipers, so they could simply become another visual feature for a sportier S70 variant. But combine those brakes with revised bumpers, different wheels and now four exhaust tips, and the speculation becomes considerably more interesting.

Under the bonnet, the updated S70 is expected to retain Proton's newer 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder BHE15 engine, producing 181 PS and 290 Nm, paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission driving the front wheels.

Whether this particular prototype receives any additional performance upgrades remains unknown. Proton has yet to announce a road-going S70 R3, so for now, any connection to the performance badge remains speculation.

The bigger question is whether some of that R3 identity could eventually make its way onto a showroom S70.

At the very least, the growing number of prototypes suggests Proton is preparing a fairly substantial update for its sedan. The regular S70 may be getting refreshed styling, but the appearance of increasingly sporty test cars suggests there could be more than one version waiting in the wings.

Four exhaust tips on a Proton S70, though? That's certainly one way to get our attention.