The Art of Carspotting

Are you a parent of a so-called “carspotter”, and you’re worried about what your child is doing when out of the house? Don’t worry, they’re not up to no good.

Ever felt your heart thump when you see a celebrity you idolised in real life? That’s how carspotters feel when they finally come across their dream car firsthand.

My knowledge and love for cars grew as a child from reading automotive magazines late into the night, as well as watching countless episodes of Top Gear, featuring the fabled trio we all know and love.

However, a part of me was never quite content with merely seeing these machines through the pages of a book or a computer screen. Instead, I wanted to take things to the next level by seeing and hearing these childhood dream cars with my own eyes and ears. Thus, I started the hobby of what is known as “carspotting”, which involves going to different locations to look for rare and/or interesting automotive gems and taking photographs or videos of them for documentation.

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For me and many others, nothing beats the adrenaline of receiving a text from a friend or viewing an Instagram post that a certain interesting car has appeared at a specific location, and rushing there to see it before it leaves. It’s a rare chance for us to visually appreciate the countless hours of engineering, design and craftsmanship dedicated to creating these special machines, whether it’s because they are fast, rare or just plain cool. It’s not just about the sight of the car either – my friends and I will often wait until it leaves to hear the symphony of the car’s engine, which may become a rarity in the future with the advancement of electrification.

*Nissan GT-R50* *taken at Millenia Walk*

Furthermore, many of us like to record which units of a car we have seen or have yet to see, particularly if the model is uncommon or produced only in limited numbers. For example, I have noted that I have spotted 3 of the 5 Lexus LFAs registered in Singapore (more on that later). If a particular car is a rarely-driven “garage queen” or even unregistered, an opportunity to catch it is especially precious as there is no guarantee when the car will publicly appear again, if ever. Thus, carspotting is very much about seizing the opportunity before it is too late.

Reliably good locations for exotic cars to appear are in the general CBD area, notably Orchard Road. Additionally, Millenia Walk is a popular hotspot for supercar owners to park no matter the day of the week. Leng Kee Road, known for its many car dealerships, is also a great place to spot many interesting cars for sale, on test drives or being serviced.

However, car meets are the best way for one to spot multiple of these desirable cars. The most well-known one in Singapore is undoubtedly Cars “N” Kopi, a local spin on the famous Cars and Coffee meets which involves car owners and enthusiasts meeting up for some morning chats and caffeine while ogling at rare and fascinating rides.

Usually held at Dempsey Hill on the Sundays of public holidays, you’ll find everything from tastefully modified Japanese sportscars and flashy Italian supercars to classics in immensely mint condition. Among the most special cars I’ve seen there through the years are the Koenigsegg Agera S+ “Medusa”, Lamborghini Countach LP5000S, and the Singer Raffles Commission (which has sadly been exported).

I’ve heard people say that since Singapore sadly does not have its own motor museum, Cars “N” Kopi mornings like these are the closest we’ll get to one. I’m inclined to agree as it truly honours the “weird, wacky, wonderful and mundane”, as the catchphrase of the car meet suggests.

Overall, one of the most memorable moments I’ve had was last September during F1 weekend, when the Gumball 3000 rally of more than 100 exotic cars made their journey down from Ho Chi Minh City to Singapore during F1 weekend. Particularly spectacular were the Cambodian-registered Bugatti Chirons and USA-registered Pagani Huayra BC Roadster, as our “No-left-hand-drive” rule and exorbitant car prices make these hypercars few and far between on our shores. It was definitely a surreal experience seeing many European and North American-registered supercars roaming Singapore streets!

*From left to right: Bugatti Chiron, Bugatti Chiron Super Sport , Pagani Huayra BC Roadster*

After more than five years of this hobby, I can safely say that I’ve spotted the majority of interesting and special machines I’ve wanted to see and thoroughly expanded my knowledge of automobiles. However, it has extended way beyond just cars for me – I’ve had the pleasure of meeting many like-minded enthusiasts who share my passion for unique vehicles. I’ve even had the opportunity to meet car owners and have photoshoots with their prized possessions.

While my enthusiasm for chasing cars may not quite match the energy I first had when starting this hobby, there are still a few elusive bucket-list cars I’ve yet to lay my eyes on, including the Passionate Pink Lexus LFA, DMC Delorean and the Pagani Zonda Cinque. Until they’re all crossed off my list, I’d say that my hobby of carspotting will never be truly over!

Words & Photos: Tan Kai Wyn