Habitap's Franklin Tang tells us more about his passion for BMW M and the close-knit petrolhead community
Petrolheads regard BMW M as one of the great performance archetypes of the automotive world. Why? Well, simply because BMW has proven time and again to have its finger on the pulse of all performance things rorty, snorty and naughty, and of both the ICE and EV variety no less.
Even when the automotive world was swept up – and in some cases, went all-in – by the fever of electrification, BMW persisted with its holistic approach of offering multiple powertrain solutions to ensure consumers had a choice.
Mind you, in many quarters, having this “choice” is regarded as the most sublime sort of luxury, because the truly discerning don’t take well to having “no choice” rammed down their throats. Considering many brands have walked-back from offering EV-only portfolios, BMW seems to have hit on a winning combination with its hybrid, ICE and BEV range.
This also makes it possible for Bimmer die-hards to mix-and-match from within BMW’s diverse model portfolio depending on use-case. From fun to formal to functional, it is all about having a different BMW (or even BMW Group car!) to fulfill one’s household’s different needs.
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Beyond the cars themselves are their owners, because “car guys” tend to form a close-knit community that is hard to communicate to folks who aren’t able to look beyond the price-tags or badge on the bonnet.
All this brings us to Franklin Tang (pictured above), the forty-something founder and CEO of Habitap, who isn’t just a dyed-in-wool petrolhead and driving enthusiast, but is also passionate about building communities. “Habitap is Asia’s first fully integrated smart living platform. It combines three core pillars – smart home device controls, community management, and lifestyle offerings – into a single smartphone application,” Tang explains.
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He adds, “My early years of involvement in the car community helped me understand what brought people together, and how to align the objectives of various stakeholders. This has certainly contributed to the success of Habitap.”
“My interest in cars led to my involvement in motoring clubs from 2008 to 2016. Serving as a committee member allowed me to indulge in the pleasure of driving, meeting like-minded people and growing the community. I will always remember those days. Bonding and forming friendships over a shared love for driving and for fun cars. Till today, this common passion for sports cars still keeps us together!” Tang tells us.
Remember what we were saying about the BMW brand serving up a diverse range of cars for different needs? Well, with the M2 CS (pictured above top left), M3 CS Touring (pictured above top right), M5 and i7, Franklin’s current roster of BMWs fulfills B-road thrills, cross-country family trips and gala events.
Despite his tub-thumping trio of storming BMW M sports cars, he took to the brand only relatively late in his car life – circ. 2015 – but has been hooked ever since.
He tells us, “An M car is special because it offers the perfect blend of daily usability and performance. M is often misunderstood as either an expensive BMW, or just a very fast one, but it is a whole lot more. It offers near-supercar levels of performance with comfort and fun, a usable form factor and is well-deserving of a place in one’s garage.”
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“Unlike most other high-performance cars, the M models get used daily instead of living out life as garage queens. As a petrolhead, what is the point in having a car that you cannot enjoy? Usability aside, when you dive deeper into the M model range, you realise that each M model offers something different and fulfills a different purpose. I’ve come to learn that there is an M model for every part of one’s motoring life,” Tang continues.
BMW M models are arguably the thinking person’s choice of performance machines that require meaningful time behind the wheel to be able to properly appreciate what the cars are dynamically capable of.
One doesn’t just slip into BMW M ownership, but is likely to be a die-hard petrolhead and driving passionista, because otherwise, an average person would just buy a high-spec variant of a plain vanilla BMW.
Tang smiles and tells us, “I have been fascinated by cars since I was 12. My dad was a member of the Automobile Association of Singapore, and we received its “Highway” magazine monthly. This piqued my interest in cars, and I remember bugging him to buy me the other local motoring magazines as well, such as ‘Motoring’ and ‘Torque’.”
This would sow the seeds of a lifelong passion for fun cars and even funner roads. “I believe driving should be for pleasure,” Franklin says. “When it is purely for commutes, I am happy to be picked up in our BMW i7 by the family chauffeur. As far as driving fun is concerned, I am particular about picking the right car for the occasion because it enhances the pleasure of driving.”
He elaborates, “It is all about finding that special moment – that perfect moment between man and machine, with the right music playing in the background. In some cases, it could even be as simple as living in the moment and enjoying the mechanical orchestra of the engine and exhaust. It isn’t exclusive to ICE cars either, because I enjoy such moments in my i7 as well. Its serene ride, coupled with that perfect piece of music makes me just as happy.”
Car brand aside, the dealer experience can also make-or-break one’s ownership journey, and Franklin has been a long-time client of Performance Motors Limited (PML).
“I have been a customer of PML since 2005,” he tells us. “I value its service, the attention to detail, as well as the range of activities and privileges that cater to both me as the owner, as well as my family. For instance, breakfast drives that cater to the keen driver, while at the other extreme, airport transfers – a welcome feature of the PML experience – that can be enjoyed by the entire family. Equally importantly, whenever I face issues with my BMWs, PML has resolved them in a professional and timely way, giving me peace of mind and building my confidence in the BMW brand,” Tang adds.
