Expo offers stuff that motoring dreams are made of

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The annual Gaikindo Auto Expo is always eagerly anticipated, not only by those in the auto industry but also the public.

It's a chance to see up close new models that are about to hit the streets, even if they are way out of the price range of all but the most affluent consumers.

The expo, held by the Association of the Indonesian Automotive Industry (Gaikindo) and believed to be the largest of its kind in Southeast Asia, offered a varied selection of vehicles and auto accessories this year.

Some of the vehicles included the whimsical design of the "small is beautiful" Smart by Mercedes Benz (photos clockwise from bottom left), the sleek lines of the New Beetle Cabrolet, the drop-dead luxury of the Rp 2 billion Chevrolet Corvette and a state-of-the-art Nissan 350Z.

Many of the auto giants at the expo offered interesting sales packages for visitors, and also took the opportunity to display the newest technology in their models.

Held at the Jakarta Convention Center and featuring the products of about 150 auto-related firms, the expo, which ends on Sunday, succeeded in whetting the appetites of car-loving Indonesians for the next, best vehicle that comes their way. That is, until the temptation of the next models that roll out at the 13th expo next year.