From Green Hell to Singapore
Last month, BMW M Power opened the registration gates for an exclusive and unique event. Thousand of M fans and not only already registered for the new BMW M5 at http://www.m-power.com, and six of them from all over the world got the chance to take part in a “once in a lifetime” event.
One of them is Benjamin Goh of Singapore, a true car enthusiast with an equally impressive car collection. The folks over at M-Power visited Ben on his home turf.
“Benjamin Goh drove the new BMW M5 – we’ve visited him in his hometown Singapore.
It’s my passion for cars that drives me.” Benjamin Goh looks back at the road. “I’m a petrol head.”
Ben registered for the new BMW M5 at M-Power.com and was one of the participants in the “BMW M5 Green Hell Fly&Drive” event.
We wanted to find out more about Ben and after the event we visited him in Singapore.
Benjamin is 43 years of age and we begin to see what he means when he says he is driven by passion. Wherever we are, Ben is at work.
Ben’s iPhone rings constantly and he conducts his calls in any one of five languages. Even during a call we hear the “bling” of the phone to say a new message has been received which he then has to answer.
Ben’s IT company Benz Pte Ltd. employs six top-qualified experts and specialises in the complete conception and realisation of house automation.
… to access perfectly configured control programs for light, air conditioning etc. according to selected scenarios.
As we look around Ben’s office, we again see evidence of Ben’s passion.
Ben shows us a picture of his first BMW M automobile, a BMW M3 of the “E46″ series. He smiles, saying; “Since that one I have collected all the BMW M models in my garage.”
One of the cars Ben currently drives is the BMW M 3 GTS with the serial number 66, as indicated by various accessory items in his office.
On another floor of the building, Ben shows us the premises of another company of his, Benz Motorsport.
It enters its own kart in the Singapore Karting Championships (SKC) series in Singapore, supporting up-and-coming young drivers.
Ben himself is also a passionate racing driver and proudly told us that he came in first in a rain race the previous weekend.
What does Ben’s wife Cyntia think of his passion for cars and motor racing? “She worries when I get injured as I did in a race last year, and she thinks I spend too much money on cars,” says Ben. “But she’s a very good driver herself.”
Ben’s collection of cars is very impressive. In addition to a Lamborghini Gallado “Valentino Balboni” he also has a Ferrari 458 which arrives new during the course of our visit.
“But the high-performance BMW M automobiles have the most special place in my heart,” says Ben. As one would expect, he also takes his BMW M3 GTS out on the race track.
At the moment Benjamin drives his BMW 1 Series M coupé most. “I love this car,” says Ben. “It is small and compact but it has everything a sports car needs.” Benjamin’s BMW 1 Series M Coupé is black and dispenses with chrome parts entirely.
He even convinced his partner to buy a BMW 1 Series M Coupé as well . Ben points to the white M automobile bearing stickers in BMW M Motorsport colours.
While we are out and about in Singapore with Ben,…
… we discover that a licence is required to purchase a car – the so-called COE (Certificate of Entitlement). State regulations make cars extremely expensive in Singapore. “A BMW 1 Series M Coupé costs 285,000 Singapore dollars (EUR 164,000), US $ 236,000), a BMW M3 costs SGD 400,000 and the BMW M3 GTS as much as SGD 650,000″, says Ben to our surprise.
On the other hand, traffic in this city state situated on the equator is generally not too heavy.
The new BMW 5 will be coming here in a few months time. “We have ordered two new BMW M5,” Ben tells us, his eyes aglow. “They’re both in Monte Carlo Blue with black interior fittings – one for myself and one on behalf of my god brother. The new BMW M5 is absolutely fascinating,” says Ben enthusiastically He ought to know – he has already had the opportunity to drive one.”
Author: Horatiu Boeriu
Source: http://www.bmwblog.com/2011/08/30/from- ... singapore/