ATW: Indonesia - Inside Art Custom Works & Karma's 987

For round two of our new Air Lift Around the World Series (ATW), we’re heading over to the city of Bandung, Indonesia to visit one of the country’s leading Air Lift Performance suppliers and installers, Art Custom Works. Indonesia’s tuning scene is surely thriving right now, with much of the inspiration and appeal coming from Japanese car culture. That’s why you’ll see JDM models fitted all around Indonesia, but in more recent years the image and appeal of luxury German machines is on the upswing.

With a custom car scene growing this rapidly, it’s no surprise to see Air Lift Performance helping installers take it to the next level for those wanting a killer stance without damaging their cars on some of Indonesia’s more “challenging” road conditions.

Art Custom Works are quite literally artists when it comes to building and setting up cars here. They specialize in custom air suspension builds, so even if a kit isn’t available off-the-shelf it can be fabricated to suit any vehicle imaginable. It’s hard to believe they’ve only been around since 2017 given the quality of builds leaving their workshop. Most of their customers travel from across Indonesia, safe in the knowledge that Art Custom Works will deliver the best possible air ride setup.

Upon visiting the workshop, the first thing you’ll notice is just how compact the shop is. With space so limited in Indonesia, it’s always amazing to see how efficient local businesses operate and still deliver incredible service that you’d expect to find from somewhere ten times the size.

With space limited to just a few cars in the workshop at any one time, it does mean the guys at Art Custom Works can turn their focus fully to the current car on the ramp rather than having to be across multiple vehicles at a time. Think of it as a one in, one out style shop. And only when they’re 100% happy with the fit, finish and drive will a car leave their shop with an ACW seal of approval.

Throughout Art Custom Works you’ll see some of their awards accumulated over the years along with merchandise, wheels and other accessories. With parts so difficult to come by in Indonesia, Art Custom Works holds an impressive amount of stock meaning customers can spec a build while they wait, rather than be subjected to months of delays while trying to get certain parts into the country. With air suspension being their specialty, imagination is the only limitation here. Proper craftsmanship ensures the end result is quite literally a moving piece of ART from the ACW crew.

You’ll see two examples of their custom boot installs above showcasing the Air Lift Performance system. Both using full Air Lift kits complete with 3H/3P management. Nothing beats the sheer joy of being able to drive a properly sorted car slammed on air suspension and safely lift at the touch of a button. You’ll see the fabrication by Art Custom Works at nearly every car show across Indonesia, and you quickly understand why these guys are the best at what they do here.

It’s been a massive privilege to be able to visit one of the best Air Lift workshops in the whole of the country, and we look forward to seeing what the Art Custom Works team create next!

———————————– INDONESIA “LIFE ON AIR” FEATURE —————————————

Part of what makes Air Lift Performance so unique is our global network of both suppliers and customers. Car culture is one of the most diverse in the world, and with so many of us united by a love for air ride, we figured what better way to celebrate than by showcasing some of those builds from across the globe that you might not be familiar with. After visiting Art Customs  in Bandung Indonesia, we headed east to Jakarta to check out one seriously wild – and wide – 987 Porsche Cayman.

Indonesians are not afraid to create and experiment with concepts. And for one man, his life-long dream is to build something that’s never been done before – showcasing something extraordinary in the process.

Karma body kit was founded only a few years ago back in 2018. One of their most-popular designs so far has been for the BRZ/GT86 platform, but their goal remains to develop and build new kits for more cars every year. Their most recent work? The one-of-a-kind Porsche Cayman 987.2 showcased here.

So why choose a Porsche Cayman – a car many already believe is one of the best-looking modern sportscars to date?

The 987.2 is an underrated car, and while it shares a lot of components from the 911 it’ll forever be in its shadow to many. The reality is actually completely different. It’s essentially an agile, lighter and more affordable option. It’s a fantastic option for those wanting to get into the Porsche platform without breaking the bank, and without feeling like there’s no room for customization. Who doesn’t want a naturally aspirated flat-6 engine in 2021?

To say this 987.2 Cayman looks unique is a bit of an understatement. After its initial impact, you begin to realize just how much work has gone into the Karma kit – from the sharp, angled cutaway vents to the widened splitter which – if you look at other Karma designs – draws inspiration from their BRZ/GT86 kit. With bodywork this lairy, a giant wing is almost essential to balance out the looks, and thankfully Karma has that covered in the form of their own super-wide creation with a dash of carbon thrown in for good measure.

From the rear it looks even more insane. That wing has been moulded into the decklid – a space you’d traditionally find a small almost duckbill-shaped lip. While the rear bumper has been designed to integrate perfectly within the standard exhaust position.

Over in the interior, it’s a completely different story. With an interior this well equipped from the factory, Karma has focused more on building a custom audio and air install both behind the seats and within the front boot compartment. Oh, and if you’re worried about weight… just take a look at those new Recaro RMS seats! Easily one of the wildest designs available right now, and a quick-fire way of saving a whole load of weight with each weighing in at just 6lbs.

With the aero looking this aggressive, it goes without saying that the Cayman’s stance is super important. Static might deliver you a bit of lows, but a kit this wild isn’t going to last long while on the move. Thankfully, Air Lift Performance suspension means there’s no need to compromise – with our 3H management system adjusting height and pressure while on the move too. As for the wheels? These giant SV Duke wheels come in at 19x10in (front) and 19x12in (rear). It’s not easy to see, but a set of gigantic Brembo 380mm GT6 brakes provide ample stopping from any speed.

Why choose Air Lift Performance for this build? Karma tells us, “It’s super helpful around the city of Jakarta, this place is known for its terrible roads and unbelievable traffic congestion. Potholes appear on every corner, there’s steep inclines and speed bumpers everywhere. Without Air Lift Performance, this car would be impossible to drive here.”

After all, what’s the purpose of a car that can’t drive? Seeing it on these tough and challenging roads is an awesome sight. Needless to say, it snaps necks in every direction it travels – few supercars even deliver quite as much impact as this thing on the move.

From start to finish, it’s taken the Karma team a year to complete and that includes preparing the molds in order to provide this kit as an aftermarket option. Indonesia’s automotive scene is booming right now, and the desire – and ease – to customize is capturing the imagination of more people every year. If Karma can build this kind of project in just three years of operation, we can’t wait to see what they’re building in another three years.