Market Watch: These 3 Manual Cars Belong To A Car Enthusiast’s Garage

The car enthusiast scene in Singapore is extremely challenging to say the least. COE hurdles, strict inspections and lack of wide, sweeping B roads have forced many to a corner. It’s no surprise that some have decided to call it a day, leaning towards a more wallet-friendly alternative - Cat A-friendly EVs.

But that isn’t where the rubber hits the road for petrolheads. Enthusiasts with cash to burn still crave for an engaging, visceral experience. Granted, they might already have a Rimac Nevera R stored in a basement and that will still hit the spot. But bets will be placed on a weekend toy of an even more analogue, demanding nature - cue the Capricorn 01 Zagato, a 900hp V8 5-speed manual wrapped in a carbon tub. If you’re a car guy, old school charm for the modern world will never feel out of place.

Let’s tune it down a couple of notches, in the context of something far more relatable. Car ownership in Singapore can form a talking point, but for less-than-ideal reasons. 200+ grand a pop for a new compact SUV is stuff of nightmares anywhere else in the world. But for enthusiasts willing to fork out COE renewals for cars they adored while growing up, new cars were never on their radar. There’s no better time to own some cool, stick-shifting cars, because they are a welcome reprieve from the tech onslaught!

2006 Subaru Legacy 2.0M Spec B

Here’s one of only three units in Singapore. For a car approaching two decades old, it looks in good nick. A Spec B benefits from lighter suspension components, but it’ll be better to focus on what has been done to this example. A factory-fitted 6-speed STI manual works with the built EJ20 engine to produce more than 400bhp. KW coilovers, Brembo 6 pots, Prodrive rims and a legal Kakimoto Racing exhaust prove that no expenses have been spared to keep it box-fresh.

2007 Audi S3 2.0 TFSI quattro (M)

Even if you were a hot hatch enthusiast in the noughties, we’d figure that the 8P-generation Audi S3 wouldn’t sit on top of your shortlist. Not because it wasn’t desirable - there were simply too many competitors in the playing field. R56 MINI Cooper S, FN2 Civic Type R, Ford Focus ST and most notably the VW Mk5 GTI were arguably more attainable alternatives. If lift-off oversteer ain’t your cup of tea, quattro assurance will tempt you to bring it out when roads are slippery. A 6-speed manual and 265hp 2.0-litre turbo will keep engagement levels up.

2008 BMW 335i Coupe (M)

It might not house the highly-strung 4.0-litre V8 of its big-chested E92 M3 sibling, but we’d argue that the 3.0-litre N54 is the one to target for street driving. Stacks of low end torque are attributed to the two low pressure turbos, tuned to minimise turbo lag. Vast tuning potential makes for an ideal slow burn project. This unit is equipped with an upgraded intercooler, Bilstein suspension, beefy Brembos and a Stage 1 tune. The icing on the cake? It’s a 1 owner example!

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