Bimantara Cakra Nusa launches national cars
Bimantara Cakra Nusa launches national cars
By Russell Williamson
In its bid to continue to apply for tax concessions as a national car manufacturer, Bimantara Cakra Nusa launched two cars -- the Nenggala and Cakra -- this week under its own brand name.
While the Nenggala has been on sale in Indonesia for about 18 months under the name Hyundai Elantra, the Cakra is all-new and gives the company an entrant in the small 1500cc passenger car class.
In this increasingly crowded segment, the Cakra -- which is essentially a renamed Hyundai Accent imported from South Korea in complete knocked down form and assembled locally -- will be extremely competitive.
Despite the lack of tax concessions, Bimantara has launched the car in manual form priced at Rp 39.9 million off the road, only slightly above the price of the tax exempt Timor car.
The larger 1600cc Nenggala is also sure to provide some upsets with its price set at Rp 53.1 million off the road.
While both these cars are currently assembled from kits imported from South Korea, Bimantara expects to be manufacturing them locally at its new Bimantara Automotive Industrial Estate by the third quarter of 1998.
Both cars are on sale now and can be viewed at the company's display at the Jakarta Auto Expo.
With its Hyundai origins, the Cakra is one of the more advanced and sophisticated cars in its class.
Under the hood is the Series II version of the Alpha family four-cylinder engines built and designed by Hyundai Motor Corp.
Driving the car, the engine feels smooth and delivers its power to the front wheels progressively while delivering excellent fuel economy.
The 12-valve, fuel-injected single overhead camshaft unit develops a maximum power of 65kW at 5500rpm and peak torque of 131kW at 3500rpm.
The Alpha II engine is well-mated to the new car, and is notable for its instant response and excellent pulling power. It complements the generally quiet nature of the car.
The only complaints from the driver's seat are the too-light rack and pinion power steering -- although it feels fine on- center -- the notchy, long-throw gearshift and the close-spaced floor pedals.
As well as the five-speed manual gearbox, the Cakra is offered with a four-speed automatic transmission.
The suspension -- comprising a link-type system at the rear to match the MacPherson strut front end -- provides an unexpectedly good ride.
The use of wider 175/65 tires wrapped around 14-inch alloy wheels gives the Bimantara cars better road grip than their 155 by 13 Korean home-market equivalents.
On the outside, the rounded shapes clothe an interior replete with the bold touches considered to be a prerequisite for anyone making a serious attempt in the light-car segment.
This is expressed in trim choices that are invariably destined to polarize opinions, with a blend of geometric patterns and contrasting colors that always bring strong reactions. But only half are favorable.
The overall quality of the Cakra shows evidence of Hyundai's zeal in upgrading the way it builds cars. Paint depth and gloss, panel fit and general body tightness all indicate that this Cakra is in a different league from some of its competitors.
Interior space is good, with adequate accommodation for five adults, although the car's exterior appearance can be deceptive.
The instrument panel has the flowing shapes expected of a modern light car and incorporates the usual dials plus a tachometer and digital clock.
Standard comfort features include a tilt-adjustable steering column, air-conditioning, intermittent wipers, driver's seat tilt and lumbar support, cloth upholstery and remote fuel and trunk lid release.
Optional equipment extends to an audio system, central locking, power windows and mirrors and a high-mounted stop lamp.
The Cakra is a totally up-to-date car that does a number of things better than its competitors and -- priced into the bottom of the market -- it can't be a bad thing.