Car COE prices rise slightly for first round of May bidding

In the first COE bidding exercise for May, COE premiums see no significant change, with Cat A, B and E increasing slightly.

Premiums for Cat A, for cars up to 1,600cc in engine capacity and with an output of no more than 130bhp, increased by $431 (1.12 percent) and ended at $38,941.

Premiums for Cat B, larger cars with more than 130bhp or engine displacements larger than 1,600cc, went up by $1,171 (3.14 percent) and ended at $38,501.

In Cat E, the open category, prices also rose by $211 (0.55 percent), with premiums closing at $38,600.

Despite increasing slightly, the relatively unchanged COE premiums for Cat A, B and E since the last tender is not surprising, considering the fact that there have been no major new car launches recently.