In Singapore, vintage car ownership can border on the irrational. Along with the $280 annual road tax and 10 percent COE surcharge on the Prevailing Quota Premium, there is a dwindling pool of specialised mechanics.
Despite Khoo Kay Hong’s wry advice to not collect vintage or classic cars in Singapore, he owns 18 classic and vintage cars, including MGs and Mercedes-Benzes. He blames “emotion beyond reason” for not practising what he preaches.
The director of car care centre Waxoyl Singapore is a lifelong automotive enthusiast with deep family ties to the Mercedes-Benz brand. His parents were both Mercedes-Benz employees, and he recalls always seeing Mercedes-Benz cars at home.
His 1955 Mercedes-Benz 220a, purchased in October that year for $10,950, has been in the family for three generations and was even featured in a TV ad campaign in 2005.
Aside from his work at the garage, Khoo is an instructor at the Mercedes-AMG Driving Academy, which combines his passion with his professional expertise.
Why are vintage cars so appealing?
I come from a family of petrolheads, and my father influenced me the most. The earliest memories I have of cars are of our driving holidays as kids. We would play around at home and sit in the cars (both real and toy versions).
Was your first purchase a spontaneous buy or a long-time dream fulfilled?
That’s a tough question. The majority of the cars I own were passed down to me by my father. However, I bought a special car for my father as a surprise. The 1939 MG TB was a model he always wanted, but never had the opportunity to own. The car was built in 1939, but was never imported into Singapore due to World War II. I found it for him.
Tell us about your collection.
Most of the older cars are MGs. My father owned several when he was younger, but he couldn’t afford the bigger models. We keep two pre-war MGs in Singapore. The brand closest to my heart is Mercedes-Benz; we have cars from 1955 to the present. The drive is more important to me than the design.
Is there a drive in Singapore or abroad that every car enthusiast should experience?
There are too many! However, it depends on the car. A scenic route like Pacific Coast Highway in California is perfect for almost any model. My most memorable drives were those in Northern Germany, the Netherlands, and the Singapore Grand Prix’s F1 Classic Car Parade. Unfortunately, that wasn’t ideal; too much traffic, too many stops.
What do your cars say about you?
I’m more of an enthusiast than collector. I enjoy the car for what it is.
From 2006 to 2013, you participated in the Malaysia Merdeka Endurance Race. How has being a race car driver influenced your collection of cars?
I learnt that cars must run perfectly. No matter how long it’s been since I drove them, they must be in shipshape, so I can easily take one out, even though it is 80 years old!
