What makes a Drive of the Year (feat. BMW Eurokars Auto)?
18 Dec 2024|1,593 views
The air here doesn't just feel fresher. It's also… cold.
Sweater on, and arms folded in awe, the sight that greets us is the stuff of fairytales: Rolling hills dotted with the sorts of trees not typically associated with the tropics, and at the very peak, what appears to be a sprawling and tall stone castle. The prince would have quite a workout visiting Rapunzel daily here.
Instead of a 13-hour flight, however, the journey we've taken to this idyllic locale in Berjaya Hills named the Chateau Spa & Wellness Resort has required just a five to six-hour drive from the Singaporean-Malaysian border. As first-timers here, it's already likely that this will go down as one of 2024's most memorable sights and experiences - and we're only at the start of our four-day drive.
A drive, specifically, whose title has generated quite some anticipation for what's to come.
The four-day road trip we embark on marks the first ever Drive of the Year event to be organised by BMW Eurokars Auto
Cross-border road trips, often with shorter timelines or simpler itineraries, are not uncommon to many Singaporean drivers. But the days leading up to this have been steeped in exceptional excitement and loftier-than-average expectations; the question - ever since a curious email titled BMW Eurokars Auto Drive of the Year 2024 arrived in mid-October - still lingering thus far:
What exactly constitutes an event grandly labelled as a 'Drive of the Year'?
The roads leading up to the Chateau Spa & Wellness Resort are among some of the nicest we've driven on in Malaysia so far
For starters: Some of the nicest roads you'll get to drive in Malaysia
Blurry-eyed, and with the keys to the facelifted, third-gen BMW X3 handed over at Eurokars Centre at 5:00am in the morning, the answer was not initially so clear - but parts of the equation's first major slice were already falling into place on our way up to this castle-mimicking villa.
Blasting down the North-South Highway brings with it its own form of pleasure, but that's all too typical of any road trip across the border. Instead, what makes a drive truly special is the mixture of high-speed straights and nicely carved out backroads.
On this Drive of the Year, our convoy goes back and forth between both.
A good bit of highway driving is thrown into the mix as well across the four days
Shoot past the gates to Berjaya Hills, and from there on, the tarmac unfolds towards more than 10km of winding roads. From sharper hairpins to more sweeping bends, this road is the sort that feels dreamt up by a driving enthusiast. The fact that the tarmac feels well-maintained, and that there is a more notable absence of the stray road-hogging motorcycle or large truck, aids the general sense of comfort.
On our second day of this Drive of the Year, the roads up to Genting Premium Outlets (GPO) - just a 45-minute drive away - proffer a different sort of joy.
The terrain here likewise necessitates that roads snake and swirl their way up the highlands, but are still different from the roads up to the Chateau Spa & Wellness Resort with their extra lanes on both ways and the presence of heavier traffic. In their own way, they put up a good challenge to driver and machine.
During our free time on the trip, the Sgcarmart Media Team embarks on its own curated adventure up in Genting Highlands and within Kuala Lumpur
Ingredient 2: The freedom to craft your own adventure(s) along the way
Having said that, there is still underrated value in getting to return to one's own comfort zone after being stretched slightly.
The most enjoyable tours know how to strike a balance between giving participants the courage to wander where they normally wouldn't, and then letting go and giving them the space to craft their own adventure. And on this Drive of the Year, that's exactly what we get to experience.
Genting Premium Outlets presents a slightly more exotic alternative for outlet-shopping lovers, given its cable-car connection to Genting Highlands Resort and nicer weather
JB may be what most of us associate premium outlet shopping with, but the younger GPO - built in 2017 - functions as a nice counterpoint that is located in more central Malaysia.
Like its southern sibling, the list of tenants here will easily satisfy a range of budgets and tastes and preferences - whether it's casual apparel you're looking for (the likes of Adidas, Nike, VANS, Converse and Puma) or more high-end options (BOSS, Burberry, COACH, etc). But what makes the experience here extra special are the spectacular views, the cooling weather - and the adjoined cable car station up to Genting Highlands Resort.
Tentent Cafe & BBQ's menu of local and Western fare is matched by a view of the rolling hills just outside
Within a trio composed of one Gen Z-er and two millennials, however, cafe-hopping is admittedly more tantalising than premium outlet shopping. And on this front, the area answers our curiosity with a spectacular find too, as we hunt down a special spot overlooking the hills and situated near a campsite.
The situation repeats itself as the convoy heads back down to KL on Day 3; leaving behind the glitz and glamour of Pavilion Kuala Lumpur and other malls around Bukit Indah (certainly alluring in their own right), we head instead to the Gasket Alley for lunch at a fusion Mexican joint and an immersion in a retro-automotive world.
The Gasket Alley, located about 30 to 40 minutes out from central KL, is sure to thrill any petrolhead on a road trip
The BMW brand may be the heart of this trip - but any automotive fan will gawk at the sight of a pristine EK9 Type R, or a highly limited Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution.
Within the robust scaffolding of the larger programme, these sub-quests feel even more so like they are our personalised experiences to own; this gift of extra autonomy also helping to add colour to the trip.
Not forgetting: The best cars
Still, a Drive of the Year would naturally feel incomplete without a steady steed.
Tasked with carrying three people and their small suitcases across highways and up and down occasionally difficult roads for four days, the third-gen X3 - despite its slight age - rises to the occasion without breaking a sweat.
The new generation is already arriving in Singapore - but this third-gen X3 is still a wonderful road trip car with its space, comfort, power and driveability
In this xDrive20i guise, the car's 2.0-litre turbocharged engine is just about gutsy enough to handle all the driving on the trip, while its eight-speed transmission is nice and smooth, if not the most sporty.
As one of the better all-rounders in the BMW family, the X3 is also spacious, refined, comfortable and stable at speed in a straight line - yet handles surprisingly sweetly when thrown around bends, and has a quick steering rack to boot.
You get the sense that the convoy-centricity of the drive has a huge part to play in the wonder and fun of moving around too.
Sight to behold: Travelling in a convoy is somehow always more thrilling than taking to the road in a solo car
The firm's bread-and-butter is present in machines like the 318i Sedan, the 330i Touring, the 735i and a head-turning M4, but alongside our X3, also present are a multitude of SUVs, going all the way from the X1 to the X7.
Defying stereotypes, even the X cars feel in their element across the four days and the sometimes-demanding driving scenarios we face on this trip. Particularly praiseworthy are the X1 and X2, which - in large part thanks to their skilful drivers too - keep up incredibly well with the pack despite their smaller engines.
Not every brand might be willing to put all of their cars into a programme with such a heavy emphasis on mountainous roads, but there is palpable confidence with these German machines.
Familial scenes: All here are united by their love for the open road, and for the BMW brand
Last but not least: The best company
At the ultimate heart of it all, however, any road trip is held together by those who have come along for the ride.
Over wanton mee and Kopi C; over the freshest seafood and chinese tea; and over an international buffet and red and white wine, the same spirit unites all present.
Everyone here shares the same love for the open road and for new experiences. And everyone here is present first because he or she has a love for the BMW brand.
After a final round of fresh seafood at lunch on Day 4, the smiles for the group photo are even wider than when we first began on Day 1, as handshakes and hugs are exchanged, and goodbyes (for now) are said. Camaraderie cannot be faked - and there is a specific and genuine sense of it after taking to the road for four days all together.
"It's really amazing to see all our customers come together in a very sweet, familial environment to really enjoy and test their cars out on the roads," Charmain Kwee, Group Executive Director of Eurokars Group, tells us as we catch her next to her X5 xDrive40i right before we push back off to Eurokars Centre to hand our X3 back over. (And a real test this has been. When we reach the carpark eventually, our digital instrument cluster reads out a whopping 1111.3km.)
Our first ever Drive of the Year completed: Four days, more than 1,110km, and innumerable moments of laughter and wonder
As an experience, the past four days have certainly included the right ingredients that make this drive deserving its 'of the Year' label - and were far grander than any of the two breakfast drives we partook of in 2024; that they have come in late November makes things even sweeter, since it permanently affixes a pleasant note to the end of 2024.
Initially, the thought of leaving four days' worth of wonderful memories in the rearview mirror sounds painful - but the revelation (and relief) comes quickly: This is simply the first of "many, many Drives of the Year to come". As a first rodeo, we'd say the formula has already been nailed down pretty well.
Here are a few other articles that may interest you!
A hearty breakfast drive to Desaru
The air here doesn't just feel fresher. It's also… cold.
Sweater on, and arms folded in awe, the sight that greets us is the stuff of fairytales: Rolling hills dotted with the sorts of trees not typically associated with the tropics, and at the very peak, what appears to be a sprawling and tall stone castle. The prince would have quite a workout visiting Rapunzel daily here.
Instead of a 13-hour flight, however, the journey we've taken to this idyllic locale in Berjaya Hills named the Chateau Spa & Wellness Resort has required just a five to six-hour drive from the Singaporean-Malaysian border. As first-timers here, it's already likely that this will go down as one of 2024's most memorable sights and experiences - and we're only at the start of our four-day drive.
A drive, specifically, whose title has generated quite some anticipation for what's to come.
The four-day road trip we embark on marks the first ever Drive of the Year event to be organised by BMW Eurokars Auto
Cross-border road trips, often with shorter timelines or simpler itineraries, are not uncommon to many Singaporean drivers. But the days leading up to this have been steeped in exceptional excitement and loftier-than-average expectations; the question - ever since a curious email titled BMW Eurokars Auto Drive of the Year 2024 arrived in mid-October - still lingering thus far:
What exactly constitutes an event grandly labelled as a 'Drive of the Year'?
The roads leading up to the Chateau Spa & Wellness Resort are among some of the nicest we've driven on in Malaysia so far
For starters: Some of the nicest roads you'll get to drive in Malaysia
Blurry-eyed, and with the keys to the facelifted, third-gen BMW X3 handed over at Eurokars Centre at 5:00am in the morning, the answer was not initially so clear - but parts of the equation's first major slice were already falling into place on our way up to this castle-mimicking villa.
Blasting down the North-South Highway brings with it its own form of pleasure, but that's all too typical of any road trip across the border. Instead, what makes a drive truly special is the mixture of high-speed straights and nicely carved out backroads.
On this Drive of the Year, our convoy goes back and forth between both.
A good bit of highway driving is thrown into the mix as well across the four days
Shoot past the gates to Berjaya Hills, and from there on, the tarmac unfolds towards more than 10km of winding roads. From sharper hairpins to more sweeping bends, this road is the sort that feels dreamt up by a driving enthusiast. The fact that the tarmac feels well-maintained, and that there is a more notable absence of the stray road-hogging motorcycle or large truck, aids the general sense of comfort.
On our second day of this Drive of the Year, the roads up to Genting Premium Outlets (GPO) - just a 45-minute drive away - proffer a different sort of joy.
The terrain here likewise necessitates that roads snake and swirl their way up the highlands, but are still different from the roads up to the Chateau Spa & Wellness Resort with their extra lanes on both ways and the presence of heavier traffic. In their own way, they put up a good challenge to driver and machine.
During our free time on the trip, the Sgcarmart Media Team embarks on its own curated adventure up in Genting Highlands and within Kuala Lumpur
Ingredient 2: The freedom to craft your own adventure(s) along the way
Having said that, there is still underrated value in getting to return to one's own comfort zone after being stretched slightly.
The most enjoyable tours know how to strike a balance between giving participants the courage to wander where they normally wouldn't, and then letting go and giving them the space to craft their own adventure. And on this Drive of the Year, that's exactly what we get to experience.
Genting Premium Outlets presents a slightly more exotic alternative for outlet-shopping lovers, given its cable-car connection to Genting Highlands Resort and nicer weather
JB may be what most of us associate premium outlet shopping with, but the younger GPO - built in 2017 - functions as a nice counterpoint that is located in more central Malaysia.
Like its southern sibling, the list of tenants here will easily satisfy a range of budgets and tastes and preferences - whether it's casual apparel you're looking for (the likes of Adidas, Nike, VANS, Converse and Puma) or more high-end options (BOSS, Burberry, COACH, etc). But what makes the experience here extra special are the spectacular views, the cooling weather - and the adjoined cable car station up to Genting Highlands Resort.
Tentent Cafe & BBQ's menu of local and Western fare is matched by a view of the rolling hills just outside
Within a trio composed of one Gen Z-er and two millennials, however, cafe-hopping is admittedly more tantalising than premium outlet shopping. And on this front, the area answers our curiosity with a spectacular find too, as we hunt down a special spot overlooking the hills and situated near a campsite.
The situation repeats itself as the convoy heads back down to KL on Day 3; leaving behind the glitz and glamour of Pavilion Kuala Lumpur and other malls around Bukit Indah (certainly alluring in their own right), we head instead to the Gasket Alley for lunch at a fusion Mexican joint and an immersion in a retro-automotive world.
The Gasket Alley, located about 30 to 40 minutes out from central KL, is sure to thrill any petrolhead on a road trip
The BMW brand may be the heart of this trip - but any automotive fan will gawk at the sight of a pristine EK9 Type R, or a highly limited Mitsubishi Pajero Evolution.
Within the robust scaffolding of the larger programme, these sub-quests feel even more so like they are our personalised experiences to own; this gift of extra autonomy also helping to add colour to the trip.
Not forgetting: The best cars
Still, a Drive of the Year would naturally feel incomplete without a steady steed.
Tasked with carrying three people and their small suitcases across highways and up and down occasionally difficult roads for four days, the third-gen X3 - despite its slight age - rises to the occasion without breaking a sweat.
The new generation is already arriving in Singapore - but this third-gen X3 is still a wonderful road trip car with its space, comfort, power and driveability
In this xDrive20i guise, the car's 2.0-litre turbocharged engine is just about gutsy enough to handle all the driving on the trip, while its eight-speed transmission is nice and smooth, if not the most sporty.
As one of the better all-rounders in the BMW family, the X3 is also spacious, refined, comfortable and stable at speed in a straight line - yet handles surprisingly sweetly when thrown around bends, and has a quick steering rack to boot.
You get the sense that the convoy-centricity of the drive has a huge part to play in the wonder and fun of moving around too.
Sight to behold: Travelling in a convoy is somehow always more thrilling than taking to the road in a solo car
The firm's bread-and-butter is present in machines like the 318i Sedan, the 330i Touring, the 735i and a head-turning M4, but alongside our X3, also present are a multitude of SUVs, going all the way from the X1 to the X7.
Defying stereotypes, even the X cars feel in their element across the four days and the sometimes-demanding driving scenarios we face on this trip. Particularly praiseworthy are the X1 and X2, which - in large part thanks to their skilful drivers too - keep up incredibly well with the pack despite their smaller engines.
Not every brand might be willing to put all of their cars into a programme with such a heavy emphasis on mountainous roads, but there is palpable confidence with these German machines.
Familial scenes: All here are united by their love for the open road, and for the BMW brand
Last but not least: The best company
At the ultimate heart of it all, however, any road trip is held together by those who have come along for the ride.
Over wanton mee and Kopi C; over the freshest seafood and chinese tea; and over an international buffet and red and white wine, the same spirit unites all present.
Everyone here shares the same love for the open road and for new experiences. And everyone here is present first because he or she has a love for the BMW brand.
After a final round of fresh seafood at lunch on Day 4, the smiles for the group photo are even wider than when we first began on Day 1, as handshakes and hugs are exchanged, and goodbyes (for now) are said. Camaraderie cannot be faked - and there is a specific and genuine sense of it after taking to the road for four days all together.
"It's really amazing to see all our customers come together in a very sweet, familial environment to really enjoy and test their cars out on the roads," Charmain Kwee, Group Executive Director of Eurokars Group, tells us as we catch her next to her X5 xDrive40i right before we push back off to Eurokars Centre to hand our X3 back over. (And a real test this has been. When we reach the carpark eventually, our digital instrument cluster reads out a whopping 1111.3km.)
Our first ever Drive of the Year completed: Four days, more than 1,110km, and innumerable moments of laughter and wonder
As an experience, the past four days have certainly included the right ingredients that make this drive deserving its 'of the Year' label - and were far grander than any of the two breakfast drives we partook of in 2024; that they have come in late November makes things even sweeter, since it permanently affixes a pleasant note to the end of 2024.
Initially, the thought of leaving four days' worth of wonderful memories in the rearview mirror sounds painful - but the revelation (and relief) comes quickly: This is simply the first of "many, many Drives of the Year to come". As a first rodeo, we'd say the formula has already been nailed down pretty well.
Here are a few other articles that may interest you!
A hearty breakfast drive to Desaru
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