Here in third-world Philippines, where beyond-repair roads are often exacerbated by horrendous traffic, luxury cars are novel and reserved for the rich and famous. But lucky for us who aren’t endowed with a hefty trust fund and inheritance, only a 3.5-hour flight away is Ultimate Drive Singapore, which offers fast rides in their Ferrari, Lamborghini, or both. Read more…
Singapore is a playground to many a millionaire, local and expat alike. And despite steep taxes that are meant to curb pollution and congestion in the city-state, fast luxury cars are a dime a dozen—thanks mostly to a robust economy, excellent infrastructure, and of course, light, disciplined traffic.
But not all countries are as lucky as Singapore when it comes to luxury car ownership—actually, how many cities in the world have long stretches of light-traffic roads to ideally support a speeding Porsche or Jaguar? That’s why Mr. Arthur Loo, the manager of Ultimate Drive Singapore, claims that even those who can afford supercars come to them to experience their Ferrari and Lamborghini because importing either would be impractical in many countries.
Mr. Arthur invited us to their shop at the Marina Bay Sands for a rare supercar experience. After a briefing about what they do, drivers pulled up their two supercars: the Ferrari F430 F1 Spider in Rosso Corsa (racing red) paint and the Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder in Arancio (orange) paint.
Both of Ultimate Drive Singapore’s cars may be self-driven at 20% less the usual cost, or as with our case, they may come with a driver. There are several packages available that vary according to distance, duration, and the scope of the drive. We went for the 15-minute ride around Marina Bay.
After many photo ops, the engines were revved up, and off we raced around Marina Bay. Drivers are instructed to drive at top speeds whenever there’s a chance to—like when there’s a long, unobstructed road—and so they did! Over the course of the ride, we passed by several landmarks, such as Marina Bay Sands, the Fullerton Hotel, and the Merlion, and the Esplanade, making it an unconventional tour of Singapore in a way.
Although the bursts of speed gave me hints of anxiety and made me hold onto my seatbelt several times, the feeling was undoubtedly exhilarating. I can still remember the roaring of the engine, the vibration of my seat, and the air blowing strongly through my hair. It was my first time to ride a supercar on full speed, and the experience was clearly unforgettable.
A ride on their supercars is by no means cheap, however, as Ultimate Drive Singapore’s rates start at 298 SGD (~10,000 PHP). Still, it’s a topnotch experience-of-a-lifetime you may also want to give a true car fan like your dad for his birthday or a date you’re trying to impress.
ULTIMATE DRIVE SINGAPORE
#01-03 Hotel Tower 3 (VIP), Marina Bay Sands, Bayfront Avenue, Singapore
Telephone: +65 6688 7997
Website: www.ultimatedrive.com
Social Media: Facebook and Twitter
Tigerair flies from Manila NAIA, Clark, Kalibo and Cebu to Singapore. Passengers can also take advantage of Tigerair’s extensive regional network and visit Maldives, China, India, and beyond because at the award-winning Changi Airport, connections are easy with Tigerconnect. Book the cheapest fares at Tigerair.com, and follow their Facebook and Twitter for updates and promos.