Blazer expected to revitalise Opel's image
Blazer expected to revitalise Opel's image
By Russell Williamson
General Motors Buana Indonesia expects its new Opel Blazer
will boost its brand image and re-establish the marque in
Indonesia.
Opel has had a checkered history in Indonesia, with the former
distributors and manufacturers, Garmak Motors, having been set up
by the government and run with little thought for image promotion
or long-term goals.
Thus Opel's image has suffered at the hands of poor after
sales service and, consequently, a bad reputation for reliability
and quality.
However, since General Motors bought 60 percent of the company
and established General Motors Buana Indonesia in 1993, it has
attempted to re-establish itself as a viable volume player by
investing heavily in manufacturing facilities, dealerships and
customer relations.
Although the company has been selling the Vectra and smaller
Optima sedans for the past two years, with the biggest sales
coming in the sedan substitute and the van and station wagon
market, the Blazer should provide a turning point for the
company.
Last year's total combined sales of the Optima and Vectra
reached 720 units. However, since it was first displayed at the
Gaikindo show last year, the Blazer had notched up 1400 pre-
launch orders.
According to Opel's director of sales and marketing for
Indonesia, Terry Johnsson, the Rp 70 million Blazer will offer a
quality, technologically advanced, alternative to the volume-
selling Toyota Kijang.
"We have positioned the Blazer in between the very expensive
jeeps and as an alternative to the upmarket Kijangs and
Panthers," Johnsson said.
Under the hood is a four cylinder double overhead camshaft 2.2
liter 16 valve engine which generates maximum power of 138 hp at
5,600 rpm and peak torque of 20.5 Kgm at 3800 rpm.
Drive is via the rear wheels through a five speed manual
transmission with front independent suspension and leaf springs
on the rear.
Braking power comes from ventilated disks on the front and
drum brakes with an antilock braking system on the rear.
The antilock braking system ensures better steering control
under potential skid situations.
Other safety features include child security locks on the rear
doors, high mounted stop lamp, collapsible steering column and
four side impact bars located in the front doors.
Inside, the vehicle is well equipped with air conditioning,
power windows and mirrors, a Blaupunkt radio cassette player and
central locking.
An overhead console contains reading lights for front and rear
passengers, compass, outside temperature and sunglasses holder
while a triple DC power outlet is provided for mobile phone,
laptop computer or other office equipment.
Cloth trim seating accommodates five adults with an optional
third row two child seat.
The Indonesian Blazer is the first General Motors has produced
for right-hand drive. It is built in its Bekasi factory which has
been significantly upgraded.
This factory is expected to produce about 6,000 Blazers in its
first year, rising to about 10,000 annual capacity thereafter.
General Motors has spent US$110 million on refitting its plant
at Bekasi, including building a state of the art paint facility.
Johnsson said the paint shop had even attracted the interest
of a number of local European car assemblers who may consider
out-sourcing their paintworks to Opel.
The Blazer is sourced from the United States in kit form with
local components, including body panels, making up about 40
percent of the vehicle.
The 2.2 liter Family II engine is presently sourced through
Opel from Holden Engine Company in Australia, although this is
expected to be assembled locally by the end of the year.
The Blazer can run on either leaded petrol or the
environmentally responsible unleaded fuel which was introduced by
the state-run oil company Pertamina in August last year.
Opel's other vehicles are also able to run on unleaded fuel
without any modification, amplifying the company's attitude
towards improving its environmental record.
Opel has also addressed other environmental issues, with all
synthetic parts being labeled for ease of recycling, no use of
asbestos in brake or clutch linings, Cadmium-free paint is used
in the paint shop and the installation of only
chloroflourocarbon-free air conditioning systems.
The air conditioning system uses the new hydrofluorocarbon
refrigerant 134a which contains less ozone depleting properties
than the CFC R12 refrigerant previously used.
While these environmental features may help improve the
brand's image with the environmentally conscious, the company is
also aiming to improve its customer relations to help lift the
profile of the company.
With more reliable vehicles and improved customer relations
and after sales service, return business will improve, and as
Opel executives are hopeful, so should the reputation of the
company.
To help this along the company has employed dealer training
and customer relations approaches similar to those employed by
General Motors' Saturn brand in the United States.
With its customer-focused operations Saturn has become one of
the biggest selling cars in the U.S.
While many dealers in Indonesia have traditionally jammed as
many cars into a showroom as possible with little room to
actually appraise cars, the new approach by Opel and others like
Chrysler is sure to make showrooms much more customer oriented.
This means fewer vehicles but more space to view, walk around,
talk to the sales staff and assess the vehicle.
This customer focus will also see General Motors Buana
Indonesia introduce finance packages through its credit firm
General Motors Acceptance Corporation.
General Motors Acceptance Corporation will have on-line
connection with dealers to allow credit or finance packages to be
individually tailored to suit the customer or company.