Indonesian Automotive Tradition On Present At The Bandung JDM Fest

For me, 2023 has to date been a tremendous time crammed with modified automobiles.

Final month, I travelled to Japan to attend Tokyo Auto Salon and hit up a few different occasions, together with the well-known RWB New Yr Social gathering. I already miss Japan a lot, however on the similar time I’ve been wanting ahead to getting concerned with the local-to-me Indonesian scene. The primary main occasion on the calendar was the 2023 Bandung JDM Fest, hosted by my good buddies at HPT Motorsport.

The occasion was held on the Bandung Conference Heart within the West Java metropolis of Bandung, and was break up between indoor and out of doors sections. Because it was raining after I arrived, I made a decision to take a look at the indoor side first, and was immediately greeted by a different vary of Japanese automobiles.

Indonesia has so many distinctive automobiles and fascinating builds occurring, lots of which nobody is aware of about till an occasion like this comes round.

The Honda NSX is the dream automobile of many, however they’re not often seen in Indonesia. So being within the firm of three examples in a single place at one time was fairly a sight. The black instance is totally inventory, and parked subsequent to it was an all-original JZA80 Toyota Supra. How usually do you see ’90s-era Japanese efficiency icons introduced like this?!

Once I noticed this construct I did a double take and needed to ask myself ‘did Honda make a EK Civic station wagon?’ The reply isn’t any, however they did manufacture an Orthia wagon completely for the Japanese home market, and people automobiles can settle for an EK Civic entrance finish conversion. This specific Orthia not solely options such a facelift, but additionally a DOHC VTEC B-series engine. I really like wagons, so this was superior to see.

How a couple of 2022 Nismo GT-R parked up subsequent to a HKS GT1000-turbo-kitted and Varis-wide-bodied 2008 Nissan GT-R? Decide your poison…

It’s loopy to suppose that the R35 GT-R has been in manufacturing for such a very long time, however in a method that’s a great factor as a lot aftermarket assist has been constructed for the mannequin during the last decade-plus.

I couldn’t cross by this Honda Civic Estilo with out grabbing just a few photographs. Don’t let the child blue exterior idiot you, this one’s operating an AWD conversion, K24 engine swap and a sequential gearbox.

The rain didn’t actually cease, however I took my possibilities and headed outdoors on the venue for the opposite half of JDM Fest. As anticipated, there was loads to see.

The Bandung modified automobile scene is thought for its love of JDM fashions, and with that comes lots of people operating Subaru Impreza WRX STIs and Mitsubishi Lancer Evolutions. I even picked up my first automobile, a Subaru STI, on this metropolis.

Talking of STIs, this blue Bugeye had a ton of aftermarket components fitted, plus a constructed engine with nitrous besides. It received the ‘Finest Sedan’ award, so I took the chance to seize just a few photographs after the occasion. Examine these out within the huge gallery chapter on the finish of the publish.

This Nissan Juke, with its DTM-style wide-body equipment, full roll cage and serious-looking engine bay additionally piqued my curiosity. This stuff are slightly odd in inventory type not to mention modified, however bizarre automobiles are very charming to me.

Studying about uncommon and unknown automobiles is rapidly changing into one in all my favourite issues concerning the Indonesian  scene. It’s made me turn into extra conscious of fashions that may not be appreciated by anybody apart from these who personal them, case-in-point this AWD Toyota Corolla GT-i 16 raise again from the late ’80s/early ’90s.

Indonesia additionally has a robust 4×4/off-road scene, so I’m at all times completely happy to see a bunch of those automobiles come out when there’s an occasion occurring.

And did I point out kei compacts and vans?!

The 2023 Bandung JDM Fest was an excellent factor for the Indonesian efficiency and customized Japanese automobile scene. It drew out among the most fascinating automobiles I’ve seen shortly and, better of all, bought me super-motivated to discover extra of the tradition surrounding them.

Take a look at the gallery under for lots extra from this occasion, together with the aforementioned Bugeye STI.

Rick Muda
Instagram: ardskellig

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