POWER!

[Prostcode]

Huh? Beng?

By Ho Lian-Yi

 

ONE drives a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX. Another a Honda S2000, a car featured in The Fast And The Furious movies.

 

Another drives a Nissan GT-R.

 

But scratch beneath the car's exterior (ouch) and you may be surprised. Behind the wheels of these vehicles are a TV news producer, a pilot and a banker.

 

A far cry from the racer-boy some may come to expect, no thanks to movies or the 'import car' craze.

 

Mr Daniel Yong, Mr Maverick Tan and Mr Puneet Singh are among a growing number of professionals who drive such cars. Why do they do so?

 

The TV presenter

 

THERE is a phrase in Mandarin that describes Mr Daniel Yong perfectly.

 

It's 'si wen', which means polite or refined, a term commonly used to describe ancient Chinese scholars.

 

So why is he driving a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX, jokingly called 'the high-class Ah Beng car'?

 

To begin with, he doesn't think there is anything particularly 'beng' about his ride.

 

Take a Mercedes-Benz, he said. Just because it is seen as a 'towkay' (a Chinese boss) car, it doesn't mean the people who drive it have permed hair and a long fingernail.

 

'It is easy to stereotype people and cars,' said Mr Yong, 39, a TV news producer.

 

Perhaps that's why he's been stopped at every police roadblock since he started driving his Evo in 2005.

 

The man is tested for alcohol; the car for illegal mods. Good thing then that his S$20,000 worth of mods, including new rims, gauges, intercooler, suspension, and so on, are all legit.

 

On the roads, the car also gets him attention from other drivers - and not always of the pleasant kind.

 

People often perceive him as a road terror.

 

So why, indeed?

 

The answer is simple: 'For me, the performance and look of a car matters more than it being an extension of my personality.'

 

The pilot

 

Mr Maverick Tan, 34, a pilot, drives a Honda S2000.

 

He paid S$150,000 for the car and spent S$20,000 to S$30,000 on modifications, but almost none of it was cosmetic.

 

'You're inside the car most of the time. I would rather have something I can feel, can touch, rather than something aesthetically pleasing for other people,' he said.

 

He jokingly attributes part of the reason why he drives such a car to 'occupational hazard'.

 

A man used to handling expensive 'vehicles' can't help but be constantly monitoring performance.

 

He does have friends who are really into the flashy aspect of it.

 

He laughed: 'Every sticker adds 10 horsepower to the car.'

 

But why a Japanese car, instead of the Lotuses, BMWs and Porsches - brands synonymous with status?

 

Mr Tan has driven them all. He changes cars almost yearly. He likes continental cars - they are 'quiet and comfortable'.

 

Japanese cars can be more raw, and sometimes even harsh to ride in - but for him, that adds to the thrill.

 

Plus, the performance is incomparable for the price.

 

The banker

 

Mr Puneet Singh, 31, vice-president of quantitative research at an international bank, used to drive a BMW300i and a Mercedes-Benz CLK.

 

Now he drives a Nissan GT-R, not a car you'll normally associate with a banker.

 

But it is obvious he is in love.

 

The Indian national is the president of the Nissan GT-R Owners' Club in Singapore.

 

When he worked in London two years ago, he said he got to test drive 'every performance car on this planet', including Aston Martins and Maseratis.

 

'The GT-R beats all of them by a mile,' he said.

 

He said his GT-R, which he bought for S$275,000, beat the timing of a Ferrari F430 (which costs upwards of S$650,000 according to listings), on the track in Sepang, Malaysia.

 

He said there was a time when such cars were associated with the 'beng' stereotype, but this is no longer true. He also doesn't think they imply flashiness or mods.

 

'That's limited I think to western markets. For Singapore, the parallel import market is an industry in its own right - which provides more of a choice to the consumer and lower prices at times,' he said.

 

[Prostcode]

upzzzz

[Prostcode]

No one comment on my thread? :(

[Xspace]

All I want to say is that the banker looks more like 40+ than 31... *God...

 

BTW, don't be 大惊小怪, alot professionals aim to be ah beng one... I have a customer, he's highly educated, high post, lives big house, but drives a STi.

 

He told me, "seriously, I want to be a ah beng"... haha

[Prostcode]

  On 10/5/2009 at 3:29 AM, Xspace said:

All I want to say is that the banker looks more like 40+ than 31... *God...

 

BTW, don't be 大惊小怪, alot professionals aim to be ah beng one... I have a customer, he's highly educated, high post, lives big house, but drives a STi.

 

He told me, "seriously, I want to be a ah beng"... haha

haha wtf sia.

[Throttle2]

Ok I comment:-

 

I believe only the TV presenter is self made.

The other 2 are ah sia kia.

 

 

 

 

[Prostcode]

  On 10/5/2009 at 3:34 AM, Throttle2 said:

Ok I comment:-

 

I believe only the TV presenter is self made.

The other 2 are ah sia kia.

Haha. They should have interviewed you. So called 'table wiper' driving 6 Series!!!

[Tarzan666]

Muz be beng meh to drive tis kinda car?

 

Then bengs who drive those "normal" car. like MPV is not beng?

[Leepee]

What comment you want?

People work hard...buy the car they like.

This news article is nothing special.

Everyone has his reason to drive any cars.

 

[D_bergkam]

These ppl are high fliers. Their income can easily satisfy their demand for power.

 

Good for them!

 

I guess it's a matter of own self-preference. Some of us can only envy.

[King]

  On 10/5/2009 at 3:34 AM, Throttle2 said:

Ok I comment:-

 

I believe only the TV presenter is self made.

The other 2 are ah sia kia.

 

ah sia kia can change car every year

[Subutai]

Just like a towkay who likes to eat lobster/abalone/birdnest/etc while the common folks settle for something more affordable or lesser.

Good for 'them' that they have the means to get what they want.

 

 

TS - What sort of comments are you gunning for

[Hermitage]

These cars are by no means 'unaffordable' amongst the affluent in Singapore. For what it's worth, I think 'ah beng' or not, it's personal perference that matters. The classic 'ah bengs' will not drive these kinds of cars nowadays, they're far too expensive. Instead, it's the Vios, SSS, Fit/Jazz, Avante, Getz, WRXs and such below $50k cars that are stigmatised with being 'ah beng tiong chia' in this day & age...

[Throttle2]

  On 10/5/2009 at 6:05 AM, Hermitage said:

These cars are by no means 'unaffordable' amongst the affluent in Singapore. For what it's worth, I think 'ah beng' or not, it's personal perference that matters. The classic 'ah bengs' will not drive these kinds of cars nowadays, they're far too expensive. Instead, it's the Vios, SSS, Fit/Jazz, Avante, Getz, WRXs and such below $50k cars that are stigmatised with being 'ah beng tiong chia' in this day & age...

 

 

Yes.

 

good comment.. heh heh

[Viceroymenthol]

  On 10/5/2009 at 3:34 AM, Throttle2 said:

Ok I comment:-

 

I believe only the TV presenter is self made.

The other 2 are ah sia kia.

 

Pilot, 34, most likely LTC rank or just made COL if scholar. if low-flier or late starter maybe still Cpt rank. either way $150,000 car is not beyond him with 30% down and the rest on loan.

 

The banker, 31, from The City is possibly self-made as well. In the halcyon days up till 2 years ago, his annual renumeration was probably at least 300k - 500k pounds at his age, if he was with any of the big i-banks. London salaries were awesome in the heydays before the fall.

Edited October 5, 2009 by Viceroymenthol

[Throttle2]

didnt say their cars are beyond them.

But still think they are ah sia kia.

 

My definition of ah sia kia is someone with silverspoon doesnt matter if he squanders or not. I wont dispute if you say my definition is wrong.

 

But you also ah sia kia in my books. Haha

bulk of my friends are too. Hahah

Edited October 5, 2009 by Throttle2

[Zyrofillica]

  On 10/5/2009 at 9:58 AM, Viceroymenthol said:

Pilot, 34, most likely LTC rank or just made COL if scholar. if low-flier or late starter maybe still Cpt rank. either way $150,000 car is not beyond him with 30% down and the rest on loan.

 

The banker, 31, from The City is possibly self-made as well. In the halcyon days up till 2 years ago, his annual renumeration was probably at least 300k - 500k pounds at his age, if he was with any of the big i-banks. London salaries were awesome in the heydays before the fall.

 

i got nothing to say haiz... im just a sour grape now. lol!

[Peaceracer]

Pilot cannot be from SIA?

 

He dont look like SIA pilot is it...

Edited October 5, 2009 by Peaceracer