All-new Timor to rely on South Korean origins
All-new Timor to rely on South Korean origins
By Russell Williamson
Indonesia's first national cars to be produced by PT Timor Putra Nasional, are likely to be little more than thinly disguised versions of the Kia models from which they are derived.
Despite Timor Putra's "pioneer status" as a national carmaker, the first batch of cars to be delivered are expected to be locally assembled from semi knocked down kits of the Kia product imported from its factory in South Korea.
Although the first cars to go on sale in September will be little different from the Kia product, Timor Putra have said that the next generation of cars will be fully developed in Indonesia.
PT Timor Putra Nasional is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Humpuss Group, whose chairman is Hutomo Mandala Putra, President Soeharto's youngest son.
The company was awarded pioneer status to help drive Indonesia's automotive industry forward and aid the development of a solid component and sedan car manufacturing base.
Under the terms of the pioneer status classification, Timor Putra must be 100 percent Indonesian owned, produce cars with their own Indonesian brand name (Timor) and reach a 60 percent local content level within three years.
In return for meeting these conditions, Timor Putra has been given exemption from all import duties and luxury car taxes, which will enable the company to sell its cars for about Rp 35 million.
The cars will be built at a new factory at Cikampek, near Jakarta, which is expected to have a capacity of 100,000 cars per year by 1998.
This year, however, Timor Putra have more modest aspirations and are only expecting to assemble 16,000 cars.
Timor Putra's first vehicles to go on sale will be the 1.5 liter S515 and S515i sedans, based on the Kia Sephia, and the T520i recreational vehicle which will be based on the Sportage.
The 1.5-liter Sephia has a four-cylinder 16-valve engine that sits sideways and drives the front wheels.
Maximum power is a modest 66 kilowatts at 5,500rpm with 128 newton metres of torque at 4,000 rpm.
In traffic, the Sephia is nippy and quite able to keep up with traffic flow, although the slick but vague five-speed manual gearbox has to be worked to get the power through.
The engine is quiet at modest speeds but gets noisy when extended for any length of time.
Inside, the Sephia is roomy enough, comparable to the Hyundai Elantra, and well finished, although some of the lighter plastics look a bit cheap.
The dash is neat with all controls logically placed, while the cabin is relatively comfortable, although the driver's seat lacks sufficient lateral, lumbar and under-thigh support.
Overall though, the cabin design and fixtures look smart and certainly look better integrated than those in Malaysia's national car, the Proton.
The ride is soft, perhaps a bit too soft as the Sephia tends to float a bit on undulating motorways. Traveling at speeds over 110 kmh, the small sedan feels composed but the steering fails to communicate, always feeling too light and lifeless on straight roads.
Cornering presents no surprises. It is a mildly understeering car that leans a bit on hard cornering. But put the power on midbend or enter a corner too fast and the front end will display its preference for a straight line as front tires scrabble for grip. Lift-off, or partially close the throttle and it returns to the chosen line.
Brakes invite little comment. Antilock brakes and a driver's side air bag are available, although whether these make it into the Timor models is debatable given the expected price.
Build quality is good with tight panel fits and the paint finish is also up to standard. The car feels more solid than many of its Japanese rivals but it lacks their overall finesse.
While the Sephia may get lost in the crowd with its generic, small sedan styling, the same cannot be said for the Sportage.
Combining soft, gentle curves with its obvious off-road/military style origins, the Sportage is a very attractive package.
Despite the sedan car-like soft rounded lines, the vehicle's short front and rear overhangs, large tires and generous wheel clearance give plenty of indication of its off-road potential.
Inside, the competence of its styling is echoed in a neat, pleasant cabin. It is roomy, airy and, in Korean-made versions, has a very high standard of fit and finish.
Its size is a little larger than the Suzuki Escudo wagon and although the seats need better under-thigh and lateral support, the driving position is good and the controls fall readily to hand.
Under the bonnet is a double overhead cam (DOHC) 16-valve, 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with multipoint fuel injection.
The engine, which develops a maximum power of 98 kilowatts at 5,500rpm and 172 newton metres of torque at 4,000rpm, normally drives the rear wheels but four-wheel drive can be engaged on the move at low speeds.
The five-speed manual gearbox is a smooth unit while a dual mode (Power and Normal) four-speed automatic transmission is also available.
Acceleration is brisk rather than quick and allows the Sportage to easily keep up with traffic flow.
Suspension at the front consists of a double wishbone/coil spring setup, making the ride on paved road very good for this type of vehicle.
On the rear, in place of the typical live axle-leaf spring arrangement usually seen on the type of vehicle, the Sportage uses a sophisticated four-link suspension.
Off the tarmac, the Sportage's smooth ride became more compromised but didn't deteriorate alarmingly.
Steering is via a recirculating ball and nut system which appears too light and lacks feel.
This becomes more of a handicap off the sealed highway as its lack of talk-back ability means the driver has little idea of what the front wheels are doing. There is an upside of this, however, as there is also little kickback.
The suspension makes itself heard and there's some trace of steering rack clatter but the vehicle remains free of rattles and squeaks, which points to its solid build and the quality of manufacture.
While the impact of the budget-priced Sephia-based Timor is yet to be seen, the Sportage could compete on its own merits with or without Timor Putra's tax concessions.
This 4WD has the looks, power and specification to give rivals such as the Escudo and Feroza a difficult time.