The state-owned manufacturer will partner with manufacturers in Iran and Turkey to create the vehicle, which may feature a compass pointing to Mecca and dedicated cubby holes for a headscarf and copy of the Qur´an, according to Proton´s managing director Syed Zainal Abidin Syed Mohamed Tahir.

The initiative is thought to have originated in Iran.

Proton believes it has spotted a niche that could reverse the budget manufacturer´s recent fortunes.

Proton, which owns Lotus, has suffered from Malaysia´s relaxation of foreign-car imports and is seeking a global partnership with another manufacturer. Volkswagen was understood to be interested in purchasing Proton earlier this year.

Jeremy Clarkson is said to be writing a series of risque jokes for next week´s Top Gear news segment.