Earlier this month, tuners and builders from across Indonesia gathered to showcase their latest creations at the annual Indonesia Modification & Lifestyle Expo (IMX).
After seven events, IMX has become one of the largest automotive events in the country. For Indonesian enthusiasts, this is a show not to be missed. For me, the 2024 event was an opportunity to reconnect with the vibrant automotive culture of my homeland.
Even before I set foot at the Indonesia Convention and Exhibition (ICE) venue in BSD City on the outskirts of Jakarta, I was immediately greeted by the sound of limited engines and the roar of tires from a makeshift drift truck. This set the mood for the three of them. Event of the day. Over the weekend, I ran between indoor car shows and outdoor drifts to keep up with everything that was going on.
IMX brings together the best of Indonesia’s tuning scene under one roof, with rows and rows of seriously cool builds of all styles for the local automotive community to check out.
Japanese performance cars that accurately reflected the Indonesian tuning scene dominated the venue.
An early standout for me was this FD3S Mazda RX-7. This is a subtle car that hides a serious powertrain built around a custom four-rotor rotary engine.
As an automotive tuning exhibition, IMX showcases a variety of aftermarket brands and personalities from the scene. Liberty Walk has announced two Nissan-based builds: a full carbon fiber version of the Super Silhouette ER34 Skyline and an RZ34 Fairlady Z.
The Liberty Walk booth was a popular spot for spectators and was almost always packed with fans seeking autographs from Wataru Kato and Toshiro Nishio. Both maintained a good atmosphere!
Kato and Toshi weren’t the only guests from overseas. Ryan Basseri and Big Mike from Rywire, a well-known American Honda builder and no stranger to Speedhunters, also made the trip. So did Tatsu Ichijima of Spoon Sports, an icon in the Japanese tuning world, and Takahiro Ueno of Vertex.
However, the most anticipated guest was the “Drift King” Keiichi Tsuchiya himself.
But Tsuchiya wasn’t alone. He brought with him the legendary AE86 Toyota Trueno built by TEC-Art, and it was the first time the car had appeared at an event outside of Japan.
IMX also serves as a platform for local businesses to shine. One such brand is Coga, which debuted a widebody kit for the electric Hyundai IONIQ 5 at last year’s show. It’s back this year, refinished in bright yellow.
However, Koga’s latest work is a complete departure from Hyundai. The Mitsubishi Pajero Sport is a popular SUV in Indonesia, and Coga’s kit featuring fender flares and spoiler is sure to be a hit on the streets of Jakarta.
California-based Indonesian-born car designer Muso Rio Chajono, originally from Musat, also unveiled a new vehicle based on the Lamborghini Aventador during the event.
If you’re a fan of time attack racing, you’ll love this freshly built Honda S2000 from Engine+. The AP1 features a full Voltex body kit with a huge splitter and wing for comparable power under the hood. The original F20C engine was built to produce 800 horsepower and added a turbocharger. The next step for Engine+ is fine-tuning and track testing.
When you hear “Group A Corolla”, you probably think of the AE86. But this isn’t the only Group A Corolla. This AE101 sedan version was built to JTCC specifications and raced in Indonesia at the time, but it really stood out in IMX. Note the huge ram air intake system that dominates the engine compartment.
Another eye-catcher was the hand-crafted replica of the Aston Martin DB5 created by Bali-based coachbuilder Tuksedo Studio. The BMW M50’s powertrain may not be sexy, but the bespoke, hand-finished exterior is stunning. Tuksedo Studio’s DB5, Porsche 550 Spyder, and Toyota 2000GT replicas cost over $200,000, which isn’t cheap, but still a fraction of the original price in Indonesia. If you can find it here.
One brand that stood out for its numbers at IMX was Honda. From the humble Jazz to the legendary NSX, there was a Honda around every corner.
As everywhere else, the K-series engine is a clear favorite with local tuners, with samples swapped into nearly every EG Civic, several S2000s, and even the compact Honda Brio at the show. I did.
The three-door EG Civic, affectionately known as the “Esteiro” in Indonesia, has become a popular tuning hub in Indonesia, and prices are now skyrocketing. This particular Estilo debuted at the Elite Showcase earlier this year, revealing a manufacturing cost of over 1 billion Indonesian rupiah (approximately $64,000 USD). Much of the cost comes from rare Genuine Mugen parts used throughout the car.
One of my favorite Hondas at IMX was a red EG Civic. The exterior is pretty standard, but the devil is in the details. Many original Mugen parts are used, including the roll cage, speedometer, air box, and FD2 Civic Mugen RR seat. Under the hood, nestled in a very clean engine bay is a supercharged K24 producing over 400 horsepower.
In many markets, the Honda Jazz is known as a grandma’s car. However, in Indonesia, it is respected as a tuner machine if properly modified. This yellow GE8 Jazz is just that, and features many parts from the Spoon Sports catalog. I’m a big fan of this little Honda!
The most extreme Honda at the show? That is this 4th generation Civic. It’s K-swapped, of course, but the tube frame chassis and inboard suspension set it apart from other Hondas at the show or in Jakarta.
BMW E36s are common in Indonesia, but I’ve never seen one that looks like this. With Apex ARC-8 wheels wrapped in Nankang Sportnex AR-1 tires and a streamlined interior with a roll cage, this sedan looks like it came straight out of the Devil’s Diner after a lap around Turistenfurten at the Nürburgring. It looks like it is. The only thing missing is the M3 Lightweight (LTW) splitter and wing, but the owner says both are in the works. Indonesian E36 “Ring Tool” – I never expected to see something like this!
There were several real AE86s on display at IMX, but I was intrigued by the black Daihatsu Charmant that had been modified with Levin parts. If it hadn’t been labeled Daihatsu, you would never have known it was a Daihatsu. I passed all the Hachiroku atmosphere checks.
Not crazy enough? Half Volkswagen T2 Bus, half Beetle.
The ladder-frame diesel SUV has gained tremendous popularity in Indonesia, and several units were exhibited at the Indonesian Convention and Exhibition. The Thai tuning scene inspired the modifications made to this Toyota Fortuner. Check out the artwork and unique carbon fiber weave on the underside of the hood. It’s just wild.
I hope that my coverage of the 2024 Indonesia Modification & Lifestyle Expo can convey a little bit about the diversity of cars in the Indonesian car scene. For me, it’s exciting to see how much car culture has progressed in the years since I came to Germany. Although my return may be rare, the Indonesian modified car community will always hold a special place in my heart, and I will keep a close eye on its evolution.
steve edward
Instagram: Steve Ward
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