In the United Kingdom, Proton cars suffer somewhat from a poor public image. They are considered deeply unfashionable with younger drivers, they are identified as being a vehicle popular with elderly people. In 1998 Proton attempted to change this by introducing the Proton Satria GTi however, the car was somewhat out of reach to younger drivers due to high insurance premiums. The Satria GTi also sported a "Lotus Ride & Handling" badge which, coupled with an average security system, made it easy picking for a potential thief. However, the vehicle was a success as far as handling was concerned which meant that, coupled with its 1.8 16-valve Double Overhead Cam Engine (which produced 133bhp) a number were purchased by Octogon Race Circuits and used as track cars at Silverstone and Brands Hatch racing circuits.