Indonesian Students’ Race Car Goes to Japan to Compete

The Mushika Team race car from the Bandung Institute of Technology.

From Tempo:

Bandung Institute of Technology’s Race Car Qualified to Go to Japan

Bandung – Mushika team, creator of Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB)‘s race car, successfully passed the selection to participate in Student Formula competition held by the Japanese Society of Automotive Engineers. The small formula car design contest and race will be held from September 3 to 7, 2012 in Shizuoka, Japan. Another [Indonesian] race car that qualified for the first round was made by a team of students from the Gadjah Mada University (UGM).

The Bimasakti Team race car of Gadjah Mada University

The Bimasakti Team race car of Gadjah Mada University

According to the technical department head of Mushika team, Andrew, every team that has been deemed qualified by the Japanese Student Formula SAE committee can participate in all racing categories. “Mushika is one of 76 teams that qualified for this international automotive competition,” he said on Friday, August 3, 2012.

The competition is divided into two categories: static event and dynamic event. Static event held on the first day will perform technical inspection by examining braking capabilities, vehicle leaks, and vehicle safety. There is also a ready-for-commercial production design competition with a target market of young people who love to track race and a technical design competition which takes into account the team which can produce a car with the least manufacturing cost and most effective and efficient manufacturing process.

The dynamic event tests the car’s speed in a 75 meter long straight track, turning ability, steering, suspension system, and tire grip. “We are aiming to win in one of these tests,” says Andreas.

The concept design for the Mushika Team’s race car.

In this 10th annual event, the Bandung Institute of Technology team, consisting of 35 students from various faculties, is targeting a number of medals. As a newcomer, the team has the ambition to win the special category for the best newcomer team. The winner will get the Best Rookie medal.

Mushika, the name of the great rat used as the vehicle of the Hindu god Ganesha, is being used as the name of the 0.6 liter-engine race car. The car is nearly 2 meters long, 120 centimeters wide and weighs 220 kilograms.

The [Japanese] committee holds this contest to get the best design and form factor for a race car from the work of university students in order to be mass-produced for the race car enthusiasts. In addition, they want to increase the number and the quality of the people working in the automobile industry.

The Bandung Institute of Technology’s Mushika Team car under construction.

Comments from Kaskus:

StarClone:

One more piece of news that makes me proud. Go UGM!! Go Indonesia!!

Guti88:

It looks just like a Formula 1 car in the old days.

ojongonole:

Is that race car still using the regular gasoline fuel? So it’s not using electricity or more environmentally-friendly fuel huh….??

vincens16:

It looks like it’s still using the regular gasoline fuel, boss. This is a competition to find the best and coolest car design. The competition for designing an environmentally-friendly car is different than this one, boss. Last time I think it was either the Surabaya Institute of Technology or the Bandung Institute of Technology that won the category for the most environmentally-friendly car in ASIA.

casillas81:

That’s right, boss, this news will improve our country’s reputation. Usually we’re known only for bad things!

boschie:

Impressive….so cool so cool…

TicTacToeOne:

Wow, Indonesian people are essentially remarkable.

gaduh88:

Too bad it will end up only as a concept car when there’s no support from the private sector nor the government [to further develop and commercialize the car]…

harunBawel:

That’s right, boss. The government would only thank those people for their contribution and then do nothing. Other than that, they would only prioritize on their own interests for CORRUPTION, money, wealth and taking vacations abroad [and pretending it is for official business]. Innovation is at number 100^th on their list of priorities…

Pino46:

It’s too bad Indonesia is unable to provide free tuition or scholarships for their accomplished citizens, boss…

Opaaa:

The tip of the car is so sharp and pointy, boss.

agevita:

Wishing the striving kids of ITB all the best. Our government should not forget supporting our skillful human resources for our own country’s development later on. Don’t let those skillful people choose to go to other countries

Kiddoo:

Be careful. For Malingsia [Malaysian thief] would steal the design.

kazkuuza:

Alright… college students should create something useful, don’t just demonstrate all the time…

LarcCEnCieL:

Wow so cool… might as well just go ahead and design the prototype for Formula 1 cars… who knows maybe some world-class car manufacturer would be interested in buying?

cdblank12:

Wow so cool…[Indonesia] should manufacture this kind of car. Indonesians would be proud to mass produce this kind of car.

andimulya:

Wow so cool, boss. If it is used for turning, it might peck something, boss.

openmindmafia:

Wow the design is so unique.. I’ll pray so it can be used as the standard for designing Formula 1 cars, amennnn

dhanezzz:

Heeeyyy, this is already the second time for UGM …..
[The design from] UGM is actually better than the one from ITB…
ITB has qualified just once and they’re getting too proud…

What do you think of the design? Have you ever car raced before?