Supercars and hybrid vehicles

The year that was 2011

WITH a week to go before the New Year roll in, it seems to me the ideal time to look back at what kind of year it has been for car lovers in Brunei Darussalam.

The first and most obvious thing has been a heightened awareness over the previous years about cars and their frugality. As social experiments go, the decision by the Energy Division at the Prime Minister's Office to simulate what fuel at non-subsidised prices was a success. It meant Bruneians got a reality check if they rolled into the petrol stations on that fateful day. Since then there has been even more emphasis on whether a car visits the pumps often.

As a direct result, salesmen at car showrooms would tell you just how good the cars were in terms of fuel efficiency. That, on top of the usual, "deposit $xxxx, monthly $xxxx."

Buyers now are more conscious. With the focus now shifted, combined with the revision of taxation on vehicles based on their engine sizes, the average joes looking to buy a car in Brunei Darussalam now added frugal and cheap to their list of criteria.

In addition to being greener and friendlier to the environment, there was also another issue that gained attention. Although not really a believer in the electric vehicle that everyone seems to be falling for (I will remind anyone and everyone that lightweight fuel efficient vehicles are the way forward), it would be folly to say they and their hybrid cousins haven't invaded the consciousness of Bruneian motorists.

This year, following the heels of the Toyota Prius, the arrival of the Lexus CT 200 H was welcomed by many young execs and environmentally savvy motorists. While they have seen their prices adjusted to be more competitive, as the year wore on many more of the Lexus cars began to make appearances at traffic lights and on the motorways. It seemed to me that the curious boxy little hatches had managed to win over the majority of the young and upwardly mobile crew.

The very recent arrival of the Honda CR-Z has upped the ante even further. While being less expensive, and having a manual transmission, it appeals to a different crowd, having been touted as a successor to the CRX which has its own cult-like status around the world.

While opportunity to test drive the car has been strictly limited, because the initial three units have already been sold out, I am willing to bet my bottom dollar on the fact that having a manual gearbox gives it a far more engaging drive.

Another trend that was less obvious but had ramifications on the motoring landscape were the supercars that had been seen and heard on the streets. Some were brand new, others imported with low miles, but the exotica that hit Brunei's roads in 2011 are among the finest that we'll ever get to see.

Starting with the Nissan GTR, which I think was partly to blame, the MY'11 (Model Year 2011) made its entrance and all of a sudden the Audi R8 wasn't fast enough, nor were any of your non-turbo Porsche 911s. Ferrari owners were forced to get newer and faster cars to maintain street credo, and other sports cars were bullied into being merely after seeing the new Nissan GTR's staggering performance abilities.

And that's how it went. Fast Mercedes AMGs still remain, but I have heard stories of those with the purchasing power buying those and a Nissan GTR. While the GTR was being bought, cars such as Lamborghini Gallardos, Maseratis and Aston Martin V8 Vantages also traded hands.

Like I had mentioned earlier, Ferrari owners bought newer models, with one Bruneian car making waves on the internet. A gun-metal gray Ferrari 599 GTO, the only one it seems, in Brunei Darussalam. See this car in person and you begin to understand just what street presence is. People stop, stare, sometimes bump into things, other cars, just to catch a glimpse of it. It wasn't the only car that was "breaking necks", with the Mercedes Benz SLS Coupe and Roadster are two others, while a Ferrari 458 was also spotted in Brunei in the latter part of 2011.

It has been quite a year for those who like to keep an eye on new car models, and is a fair representation of what the Bruneian motorist is thinking about.

On one hand they understand the motoring industry is changing and getting greener. And at the same time they still appreciate, maybe even hanker, for the cutting edge provided by going down a separate performance and luxury direction altogether.

Here's hoping that 2012 will be filled with more technological advancements and groundbreaking vehicles, while still producing some of the truly special cars that are cherished no matter where in the world they are. The Brunei Times