Editorial take-homes from the Singapore Motor Show 2017

Whichever motor show, in whatever part of the world, there's always lots to check out and enjoy. The main draw of motor shows are the new and exciting cars, which the public can get up close and personal to, such as Mazda's new MX-5 RF.

But, that said, cars are just machines. As beautiful and amazing as they are, motor shows are made up of much more. They are the sugared executions of creative individuals, hours of labour and a strong ardour for the automotive industry. 

Here are some of our favourites from the tiny red dot's very own Singapore Motor Show 2017.

Audi's Virtual Reality experience

In recent years, where the advancement of technology has sped up, Audi has taken technology to a whole new level. Perhaps the one thing that best showcases the attitude of innovation at Audi's booth is the next generation Virtual Reality (VR) Experience. 

With the use of VR goggles and headset, Audi can bring its customers to various environments and specific parts of a vehicle. At the motor show, the technology allowed visitors to experience what it's like to be part of the Le Mans crew at the pit lane - with unique and remarkable authenticity on all details.


BMW R Nine T Scrambler

Rugged, tough, resilient, unyielding. These are words used to describe heroes of old and the new BMW R Nine T Scrambler.

Reminiscent of the 'Scrambler Era' during the 1950s to 1970s, the off-road variant of the R Nine T is not for the faint of heart. A 1,170cc air-cooled flat-twin boxer engine powers the Scrambler and produces 110bhp and 116Nm of torque. Mountain roads, dirt tracks and even sandy beaches are no match for it. A six-speed gearbox, coupled with a twin-raised exhaust and telescopic front fork, will take you off the road and into places where many have failed to conquer.


Mazda MX-5 RF

The world's most iconic roadster, the Mazda MX-5, is best known for its great back-to-basics, opened soft-top driving experience. Throughout its 28-year history, the MX-5 had a few hard-top variants such as the first and second gen's detachable hard-top, and the third gen's foldable hard-top.

Now, the latest of MX-5 variants is the MX-5 RF, which stands for Retractable Fastback. Its top is a power-retractable targa and Mazda has tweaked the car's balance and suspension to compensate for its new extra weight. The RF sports a sexy fastback design and continues to promise nimble driving dynamics.


Singapore Motor Show models

A cursory Googling of 'women at car shows' will result in thousands of hits, a shocking number of them titled something along the lines of 'auto girl's sexiest moments'. By combining flashy new cars and seductive girls, crowds are more likely to enjoy the experience, more likely to stay longer and eventually make a buying decision.

One thing's for sure and it's that the buying power lies in the hands of women, not men. In the meantime, although attitudes might be slowly changing year-on-year, some things still stay the same. These women are always friendly, always smiling.