Say McLaren or Pagani in Singapore, and the response would likely be “Eurokars Supersports.” Located at 5 Leng Kee Road, 2015 saw the appointment of Eurokars Supersports, a Eurokars Group company, as the authorised distributor of McLaren in Singapore.

2021 saw them clinch the Pagani distributorship, enabling Eurokars Group to grow from strength to strength over the years.

Now, there is an announcement of a change of management.

Effective 1 April 2024, Mr Chong Kah Wei will relinquish his role as Managing Director to focus on his new appointment as Managing Director of Trans Eurokars – Mazda, another Eurokars Group company.

Kah Wei has been instrumental towards the growth and success of McLaren in Singapore during his tenure with his invaluable contributions.

In light of this change, Ms Dawn Loo, who has been serving as General Manager of Eurokars Supersports since November 2022, has familiarized herself with the intricacies of McLaren operations and is ready to assume the leadership role independently.

We wish both Kah Wei and Dawn all the best in their new roles and future endeavours. This shift will also mark the expansion of both McLaren and Pagani on our shores, as Eurokars is set to bolster more support for owners and prospective customers alike.

One such initiative was the opening of a new dedicated service centre at the new Eurokars Centre headquarters situated along Kung Chong Road. Double the size of the old centre, these service bays boast the latest diagnostic tools, and Pagani owners get the royal treatment with a ‘Flying Doctor’ service. 

Photo Credits: McLaren Singapore, Eurokars group, and Sean Loo

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On 12 March 2024, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) announced that from 19 March 2024, those travelling by car can make use of QR code in lieu of their passport at the car counters for immigration clearance at Singapore’s land checkpoints.

The idea behind this new initiative is that only a single code would need to be scanned at the counter for all travellers in each car, thereby speeding up the process of clearance.

However, the identity of every traveller in each car still needs to be physically inspected and verified by immigration officers.

Here’s how it works.

First off, head over to the App Store (iOS) or Google Play (Android) to download the myICA app.

Once installed, launch the app, and click on QR Code under Favourites. Follow the instructions to create a personal profile for yourself and those whom you regularly travel with, such as family members.

Each individual’s passport details can be entered in one of three ways for Singapore residents – via Myinfo with Singpass, by scanning the passport’s machine readable zone (MRZ) or by manually filling in the details.

Foreign visitors who have visited Singapore before can simply scan the MRZ of their passport biodata page to auto-populate their passport information.

Once a profile is created, you can proceed to create the next profile or edit or delete an existing profile.

Once everyone’s profiles have been created, you can set up group QR codes for various permutations of co-travellers for future use, and edit someone’s expiring passport details to update the information. Up to 10 travellers can be included in a single group QR code.

Once everything is done, either generate a QR Code for yourself if you’re driving solo, or for your group, and scan it at the car counter.

Remember, the immigration officer still needs to physically verify the identity or identities of those in the vehicle to ensure they match those shown via the QR code.

However, first-time visitors or travellers re-entering Singapore using a passport different from their last visit to Singapore still need to present their physical passport for immigration clearance.

So Do I Still Need My Passport?

Physical passports also need to be presented at the Malaysian immigration counter, since this QR Code is only for Singapore-side clearance. Of course, you can still kick it old-school and present your passport for clearance like before if you prefer this method.

ICA says that “the QR code initiative allows travellers to enjoy a faster and more convenient experience, with estimated time savings of around 20 seconds for cars with four travellers, to approximately one minute for cars with 10 travellers.”

Time will tell if this is the case.

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Many Singaporeans looking to make their first or next car purchase will likely look at cars that fall under COE Category A or Cat A. This is thanks to our world-famous taxation system that doubles or even triples a car’s selling price and then tacks on a “digital paper qualification to purchase” called the Certificate of Entitlement or COE.

COE Cat A prices have usually been lower than those of Cat B, making the purchase prices of cars under this category more palatable. Here are the new launches of Cat A cars from the Singapore Motor Show 2024.

BMW

Two hot new models were unveiled to satisfy customers looking for their next “continental” upgrade.

Representing electrification is the BMW iX1. Readers would know that its X1 ICE sibling won the AutoApp Car of the Year 2024 award, and here’s an electrified version that brings about more quietness to the commute.

In eDrive20 guise, the X1 features 147hp and 250Nm of torque and a 0-100km/h sprint in 10.5 seconds. Its battery pack has a usable energy content of 64.8kWh and can be charged from 10%-80% in just 29 minutes at a DC fast charging station.

On the inside, two-zone climate control and newly-developed more comfortable seats mean that occupants can likely look forward to a cushier and quieter ride than its petrol-powered sibling.

The X1 eDrive20 xLine is priced at $240,888 including COE (accurate at the time of writing).

If an SUV SAV coupe body style is more your thing, the X2 is now available for purchase. Looks stylish, especially in the show car’s bright red hue. Putting down 122hp and 230Nm of torque in sDrive 16i guise courtesy of its 1.5-litre turbo three-cylinder mild hybrid petrol engine, the 0-100km/h sprint is dispatched in 10.5 seconds and on to a top speed of 197km/h.

The interior features dual-zone climate control, an M Sport leather steering wheel, automatic tailgate operation, cruise control with brake function, Parking Assistant with Reversing Assist Camera and Reversing Assistant, and BMW’s latest generation Operating System 9 or iDrive 9.

On the outside, 20-inch M light-alloy rims and tyres are standard, while 21-inch items are optionally available.

The X2 sDrive16i M Sport is priced at $233,888 including COE (accurate at the time of writing).

Citroën

The e-C4X is touted as Citroën’s first fully electric sedan. Carrying on the design language seen in the e-C4 from 2023, this quirky lifted sedan is eye-catching but not in a garish way, just as a Citroën should be. We look forward to an oh-so-cushy and comfy quiet ride in the e-C4X.

Equipped with a 54kWh battery pack, the e-C4X is said to boast a maximum range of 436km on a single charge. And speaking of charge, the battery pack is said to be able to charge from 20%-80% in just 30 minutes at a 100kW DC fast charger. The battery pack powers an electric motor which puts 134hp and 270Nm of torque to the road via the front wheels, with 0-100km/h taking 10 seconds.

The e-C4X is priced at $148,999 inclusive COE (accurate at the time of writing).

Hyundai

Hyundai showed off three Cat A cars at their stand.

The first is the Avante, the only hybrid sedan in its class in Cat A. Featuring a 1.6-litre hybrid powerplant that puts out 130hp and 265Nm of torque, it’s heartwarming to see that this sleek sedan is still an option for customers shopping in the Cat A segment but don’t want an SUV.

The Avante Hybrid is priced starting at $165,999 including COE (accurate at the time of writing).

Next up is the IONIQ 6 EV RWD, or what I affectionately call “my Korean Saab.” Featuring a 53kWh battery pack that can be charged from 10%-80% in just 18 minutes at a suitable DC fast charger, and with a maximum range of 429km, this is certainly one eye-catching Cat A sedan to add to your consideration list.

The IONIQ 6 RWD is priced starting at $188,888 including COE (accurate at the time of writing).

Then there’s the Kona EV. A 48.6kWh battery pack offers up to 456km of range. 135hp and 255Nm of torque mean that the Kona Electric is no slouch. DC fast charging is also available.

The IONIQ 6 RWD is priced starting at $156,888 including COE (accurate at the time of writing).

We’ll have more details to come when we get behind the wheel of these attractively priced Cat A vehicles. In the meantime, perhaps mosey on down to the respective showrooms for a test drive?

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