More than an old car #105: Toyota Crown Comfort taxi

Taxis are an ubiquitous part of our public transport system and we rely on them to bring us wherever we want to go. Before the advent of ride-hailing services, the taxi was the only way one could travel to more inaccessible places, although one may have to endure the exasperated glare from the driver. I believe this particular taxi is easily recognizable to all Singaporeans: pretty sure most of us have sat in one before when one could not afford to waste any time travelling on buses and the MRT. It was a part of my childhood and I had fond memories of travelling in this 2006 Toyota Crown Comfort taxi!

The Crown Comfort was based off the Toyota Crown S150 and the Mark II X80, and it was designed in an effort to return to the original purpose of the Crown, which was to serve as a taxi. To increase interior space and reduce unnecessary costs, the dashboard fitments and seats were replaced with cheaper plastic-based versions. At the same time, its sister model the Toyota Comfort was also made but it was available only in Japan: it was the shorter version at 4590 mm long.

Comfort taxis in Singapore were powered by a Toyota 5L 2986 cc i4 engine, allowing it to reach a theoretical top speed of 140 km/h. It was 4695 mm long and weighed 1310 kg. The boot space was enormous, even when compared with the current taxis today.

Production of the Crown Comfort ended in 2018 and you could still see them in Japan and Hong Kong. However, all units in Singapore were phased out in 2014 as they were unable to meet the new Euro 4 diesel emissions standards. Since taxis here have a lifespan of 8 years, the 2006 model year cabs were the last survivors. A few units ended up in hospitals like this one here, where they were used for rehabilitation purposes. Certain features were removed such as the engine and the gear-stick. It carries a brown plate, which is a special seal fixed on by our motoring authority for vehicles to be put on display. For some reason, this scheme is not listed officially on the website and it entails a rather troublesome process.
This article covered this particular unit in more detail, including interior shots which I was not able to get. I was also aware of another unit that was scrapped recently and the article is attached below:

Apparently, this was the last unit that was on public display here, a far cry from its heyday in 2006 where it made up 80% (19,000 units) of the taxi population. I understand that this one has been scrapped very recently and it has been replaced by a Hyundai Sonata. There are still a few units but under private collections.

Some of you may have fond memories travelling in one of them: for me it was the anticipation of travelling to and fro my grandfather's house loaded with many goods. I still miss the boxy shape and how spacious it was compared to the newer Hyundai Sonatas and i40s today, especially the unique smell of polyester seats combined with the air freshener. Through this article, I aim to preserve a piece of heritage that may become intangible in the near future; I hope that this is a good trip down memory lane!

More than an old car #104: Subaru Rex/Viki M80

Cars come in all shapes and sizes, and it is the diversity that makes this blog more interesting. Small cars are generally not that popular because of its price: why pay so much for a midget when you could get a larger one by paying a little more? This has also made them an endangered breed on our roads, just like this 1991 Subaru Viki M80!

The Subaru Rex, was first introduced in 1972 as a replacement for the long-lived but outdated Subaru 360. Its name is derived from the Latin for 'king' and appealed to the young as a result of its wedge shape. The 3rd-generation Rex was released in 1986, where it featured mechanical and engine upgrades from its predecessor. A facelift was carried out in 1989, notably with headlights becoming more irregularly shaped.

While engine capacities for Japanese units were capped at 660 cc, export markets featured larger engine sizes. The car was also known as the Viki/M80 overseas as well. It was powered by a 758 cc EN08 i4 engine, allowing it to reach a top speed of 136 km/h with an acceleration of 17 seconds [0-100 km/h]. It was 3275 mm long and weighed 655 kg, which was very compact and light for its size.

Production of the Rex/Viki ended in 1991, with more than 1.9 million made across 3 generations. This unit has disappeared and most likely scrapped just 1 month ago, and I believe there are only 2 left in Singapore. It is a quirky car that still brings one from point A to B, although it was probably not collectible enough for the owner to give it another new lease of life. They were sold by Motorimage Enterprises, our local Subaru dealer and was relatively affordable at S$30,533 [S$54,600 in today's money]. Most people tend to forget about the existence of these less popular cars, and I hope this has been informative for you!

More than an old car #103: Saab 96

Having featured the well-known Saab 900 previously, I hope that it has educated you on this car brand that seems to be stuck between being popular and obscure. However, surprises do keep coming, such as this 1967 Saab 96, which is possibly the oldest Saab car in Singapore!

The Saab 96 (internally known as Project 93C) was first introduced in 1960, as a replacement for the 93 and was the 3rd production car by Saab. It featured greater storage space and a larger rear window for better visibility. Some time in 1965, it underwent a facelift that featured a more intricate front end and a longer engine bay, in anticipation for a larger engine. A major facelift also happened in 1974, where the headlights became rectangular and the chrome bow was replaced with black plastic. 

It was praised for its unique aerodynamic shape, giving little wind noise at high speeds and the adjustable back seats, allowing one to load more goods if necessary. The Saab 96 proved popular due to its durability and ease of maintenance, and was suitably equipped for the Nordic conditions such as heating mechanisms, large tyres and abundant ground clearance.

An unusual feature was the 'freewheel', where the transmission could run faster than the engine, providing an advantageous fuel consumption when going downhill for instance. As such, it proved popular at rally events, experiencing success throughout the 60s. It was equipped with a 841 cc Saab i3 engine, allowing it to reach a top speed of 127 km/h with an acceleration of 24.1 seconds [0-60 mph]. It was 4170 mm long and weighed 873 kg.

Production of the Saab 96 ended in 1980 with 547,221 units made. Currently, this is 1 of 2 units that are left in Singapore, where the other unit is a facelifted version with the rectangular lights. It was first introduced here in 1961 by Malayan Motors, where it had a retail price of $6,950 [approximately $30,000 in today's money]. I am inclined to think that few people would know what this odd-looking machine is, given how Saab is dying out here. It is also surprising that the owner has kept it it good condition, even sporting its original plate number! This unit seems to be driven once in a while and if you're lucky, you can perhaps see it on the road!

More than an old car #102: Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 3

Mention the words Lancer Evolution, and to the average Joe, it may convey images of souped-up cars and illegal racing by 'ah bengs'. For the car enthusiast, it is seen as a powerful car with decent performance, and one may bemoan the demise of the 'Evo' as Mitsubishi shifts its production to SUVs instead. However, as with old cars here, older Evos tend to be neglected by most people. To be honest, I did not really think much of them until I saw this 1995 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 3 GSR here!

The Evo is the 'high-performance' variant of the regular Lancer cars that we are more familiar with. It was built in limited numbers initially in order to acquire World Rally Championship homologation (ie to be able to compete in the rally races). Available in 10 different versions, they resemble their 'plebeian' cousins even though they were based on different chassis/platforms. Introduced in 1995, the Evo 3 differed from the previous editions by featuring more aggressive styling, side skirts, a large front bumper to introduce more air into the radiator and a larger spoiler, which was unusual for 'regular' cars at that time. GSR models were equipped with conveniences of a typical street car, such as power windows and a rear wiper.

The Evo 3 is well-known for its debut on Jackie Chan's film Thunderbolt, where it pulled off a series of cool stunts that most people would dream of. Interestingly, Jackie Chan had signed a contract with Mitsubishi, where its vehicles feature almost exclusively in his films. It was powered by the classic 1997 cc 4G63T i4 engine, allowing it to reach a top speed of 180 km/h. It was 4310 mm long and weighed 1260 kg.

Production ended in 1996 with 8,998 GSR units made, where it was replaced by the more famous Evo 4. This unit has been in Singapore since the 90s and I believe it is the only one left here. Back then, Evo 3s were not that well-known outside Japan and this was thus parallel-imported. Having changed hands a couple of times, it has been subjected to an overhaul by the current owner, such as the retro 1996 International Swedish Rally livery that sets it apart with its burst of colour. As can be seen, it was previously in Scotia White paint before the livery added a nice classic vibe.

Fortuitously, this car does appear quite often at events, compared to when it was a 'garage queen' that rarely saw daylight. This unit joins an exclusive group of around 10 classic Evos that still exist here, do keep a lookout for them!

More than an old car #101: Suzuki Swift (Cultus)

It is common knowledge that Singapore is not a friendly place for cars, and this has led to the demise of many old family cars. Comparing pictures of street scenes in the 1990s and today, you will be hard-pressed to find any regular old cars that have persisted for so long, such as this 1991 Suzuki Swift (Cultus) here!

The Suzuki Cultus (badged as the Suzuki Swift in Singapore) was first introduced in 1983 as a replacement to the Fronte 800, which helped Suzuki to establish itself in the Japanese compact car market. The 2nd generation of the Cultus appeared in 1988, continuing the company's plan for an inexpensive 'global car'. Hatchback and sedan styles were available, along with engine capacities between 1 litre to 1.3 litre. Its global nature was proved by its success in the US as the Geo Metro, and in India as the Maruti 1000. This unit was powered by a 993 cc G10 i3 engine, weighed 820 kg and was 4095 mm long.

Production of the Suzuki Cultus ended in 2003, where it was replaced by a revamped model known as the Cultus Crescent. This unit is a facelifted model due to the grille gap, and remarkably there are still a handful that have survived till today, even though this one in question has been scrapped. It looks to have been well-maintained given that the stock wheels had been changed to a sportier type. The Swift was relatively affordable at that time and quite a number of people had this as their family/first car, due to its cheap maintenance expenditure.
I feel it is unfortunate that many people will forget that this existed here, so hopefully years from now people can have a walk down memory lane. Do keep a lookout for the remaining ones here!

More than an old car #100: Citroen HY

Many of you would be familiar with the concept of food trucks, as they are a staple in almost every large-scale carnival in Singapore. Sometimes if you are lucky, you can see the renowned VW Kombi too. Let me introduce you to this 1970 Citroen HY Van, a food truck that you would not see before!

The Citroen HY, also known as the Type H/H Van, was a panel van made starting from 1947. Pierre Franchiset, who was working in the body development department, is credited for coming up with this innovative design. Its name is derived from it being the 8th project that Citroen worked on, and eventually decided to produce it. Taking cues from its Traction Avant range of cars, it featured a uni-body design and had its engine pushed all the way in front, a feature that was unique compared to vans of that time. Furthermore, the wheels had independent suspensions, enabling it to take more weight than expected.

As with the 2CV, the HY was designed to be durable yet cheap for the masses. For example, the windshield was made in 1 complete piece as it was cheaper to do so, and the distinctive corrugated body work was inspired from the Junkers Ju bomber planes: the ribs added strength without adding weight, even to the point that a horse could be loaded into one! Its remarkable height of 1820 mm also enabled one to stand inside the van, which proved useful if one wanted to load/unload goods. Most HY vans were powered by a 1911 cc 4-cylinder engine, which allowed it to reach a top speed of 78 km/h. It was 4270 mm long and weighed around 1500 kg.

Production ended in 1981 with 473,289 made, remarkably over a long period of time. This unit is a post-1969 facelift model due to the squarish rear fenders, compared with circular ones before that. HY vans have entered cult status just like the VW Kombi, and it is very common to see them being converted to food trucks selling all kinds of "hipster" foods. However, none made it to Singapore originally, since practically all of them were in left-hand drive.

This unit, with its engine removed, was imported from Sweden and has found a new life becoming a coffee van. I believe most of you would not be familiar with this since none existed here previously, despite it being well-known in Europe. It's pretty unique to see something not so common, and do check this out if you have the time!

Miscellaneous classics #3: Nissan Cabstar F23

As a continuation of my old lorry appreciation posts, I will be sharing about one of the most common trucks on our roads. Nissan trucks have always been one of the crucial movers of our economy: the intermediate goods that contributes to the end product among our midst [such as barrels, ladders, paint cans], not to mention the ferrying of migrant workers that help to build our infrastructure that we take for granted. This humble 1998 Nissan Cabstar F23 has been through a lot, but none of you would recognise the importance it has in our history.

The Nissan Cabstar, or technically known as the Nissan Atlas in Japan, is a small and medium-duty truck sold by Nissan Motors. The Cabstar name was used to refer to another series of trucks made between 1968 to 1982. The "Atlas" name refers to the Greek god Atlas, who carried the world on his shoulders; it alludes to Nissan's aim of having this truck carry the country, both figuratively and literally.

Currently, there are 3 generations of the smaller Cabstar/Atlas and I am sure most of you have seen them before. The 2nd generation was known as the F23 series and was made between 1992 to 2007. It was powered by a 3153 cc QD32 i4 diesel engine and was 4460 mm long. Its unladen weight was 1620 kg while the maximum laden weight was more than twice at 3350 kg.

Some of you may be wondering why this particular truck is considered a classic when there are still many of them on the road. Let's compare the above with this model here made in 2005. There was a facelift done in 1999, and as you can see, the lights became trapezoidal rather than rectangular, while the Nissan logo was now part of the grille. The bumpers were also changed as a result although it is hard to see from here. Another clue is by looking at the number plate: GQ to GT plates were issued between 1998 to 2000, while GU to GZ plates were issued between 2000 to 2005.

A check on the database revealed that the lorry had been scrapped on October 2018, since it has already reached its 20-year lifespan. This makes it all the more pertinent to see them before they are definitely gone in a few years time. It is a pity that most people do not care about lorries simply because they are not as cool as a car. I hope this has been informative to you and personally, I feel I have done my part in capturing a piece of history that future generations could look back at [if we are not using lorries anymore]...