What Cars In Malaysia Can We Buy With A Cat A COE In Singapore?

While the prospect of car ownership in a foreign country might not be on top of your agenda, the growing interest is worth some initial investigation. All-in-one car storage facilities have popped up across the causeway, targeting Singaporeans who would like to own a Malaysian-registered vehicle.

At first glance, this could sound like a “lifehack” - your dream car turns into reality, without the costs associated with vehicle ownership in Singapore. But dig deeper and we’ll soon find that they aren’t apple to apple comparisons. Lifestyles have to be altered to gain access to your foreign asset(s), and the barrier to entry (literally) could prove too cumbersome.

Which is why the prospect of purchasing a car in Malaysia tends to be enthusiast-driven. Rare groove machines often priced out of reach in Singapore will be more attainable across the border. And you’ll have to look forward to driving it to far-flung places, placing equal emphasis on journey and destination. No doubt Malaysia’s vast, sweeping roads play to its benefits. Used cars with an enthusiast-leaning nature tend to be more intriguing too; not many modern machines can match the raw theatre of cars made in past decades.

We based this shortlist on the latest Cat A COE premium, tagged at S$101,102, which after conversion amounts to around RM335,000. The used cars realm in Malaysia takes on a different beat, with easily more than 350 listings priced from RM300,000 to RM350,000. No horsepower restrictions and with a budget that’s far from shoestring, what interesting cars can we purchase?

2015 Lotus Exige Club Racer

RM318,000

There’s a reason why top-tier hypercars like the Pagani Utopia and one-off Huayra Epitome are equipped with a manual transmission. The world’s richest still find stick shifts satisfying, and that’s perhaps why cars of this calibre aren’t always fully electric.

Well, in Malaysia (armed with a Cat A COE budget) you can experience one built with mechanical finesse. A 3.5-litre V6 supercharged Lotus Exige Club Racer begs to be driven on B roads; a slick manual transmission makes that experience more tactile and enjoyable.

2016 Audi RS6 Avant Performance

RM323,000

Given how wagons have aged over time, we’ll have to browse the back catalogue and thankfully, Audis serve as brilliant options. The subdued aura of an Audi RS6 Avant Performance will always be a smash hit.

Sure, this 2016 Performance edition might not have the bragging rights of its V10-powered predecessor, but with 600hp and almost 700Nm of torque on tap from its force fed V8, the depth of its talents are truly cosmic.

2011 R35 Nissan GT-R

RM349,999

90s JDM machines hark back to an era where some label as “golden”, but we can’t deny the appeal of newer, faster JDMs - none held the torch of “supercar-slayer” better than Nissan’s tech-laden R35 GT-R. Iconic quad rear lights, unmistakable twin turbo V6 rumble on idle and close association to PlayStation racing games hint at its ability to extract full-fledged nostalgia 20 years on.

Deploy it on Sepang or the Federal Highway - it’ll feel equally at home. This unit is based in Johor, which makes this transaction a tad easier, too.

2018 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG S Coupe

RM329,888

AMGs of yore had voracious appetites for revs; that M156 naturally aspirated V8 was something else. It was what enamoured many to the brand after all. Fast forward a decade and who would have thought full-fat AMGs have engine capacities reduced three-fold. Sure, they boast searing, electrified pace. But their emotional aspect, largely tagged to how they sound, still leaves much to be desired.

In steps a predecessor that can straddle both ends of the spectrum. The 4.0-litre twin turbo V8 (M177) in this 2018 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG S Coupe has both vocal grunt and shove to give it serious mile-munching ability. View it at Puteri Harbour, less than a 30 minutes drive from Tuas Checkpoint.

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