Fellow Motorist: Rene Gerhard, managing director, BMW Group Asia
Mr Gerhard, 46, is the scuba-diving, laksa-loving German MD of BMW Group Asia who was based in Thailand for two years before he relocated to Singapore for his current post.
When and where did you get your driving licence?
In 1997, in Germany, Dortmund. Are you into soccer? Most people, if they have heard of Dortmund, they’ll know about the soccer club. But I was probably the only guy there who wasn’t into soccer!
What was the car you learnt driving in?
In driving school, it was a VW Golf, manual - very important, yah.
Remember the very first car you bought with your own money?
My very first car, I didn’t buy it myself, my grandma did. It was a Honda Civic hatchback. The first car I bought with my own money was a Lotus Elise, maybe around 2004. I was a sales consultant and I saved money for the Elise, a Mk II. I always loved the Mk 1, though. No electronic help, nothing, it was good.
I also drove a black E36 3 Series convertible. I remember borrowing it from my dad for my prom nite in 1999.
Any other past car, personal or corporate, that you remember fondly?
My first company car, an E46 320i black convertible, maybe in 2003. My wife still has a 4 Series convertible in Singapore, a blue one. She absolutely loves it. In Thailand, she had a MINI John Cooper Works convertible, which she drove roof-down in Bangkok traffic!
Rene saved money from his sales consultant job to buy his first car, a Lotus Elise Mk II.
What is your all-time favourite BMW?
BMW Z8. Because I love how that car combines the modern world with the heritage. It was a perfect marriage of two worlds. It was not about technology. It was a manual roadster, with one of the best engines we had from the old M5. Even the GPS was just a small monochrome piece.
I’m actually not a massive convertible fan myself. I love them, but don’t usually put the top down.
What is your ultimate dream car?
Clearly the Ferrari F40. If I had the money and was willing to spend it, and also got the approval of my wife, I would buy that supercar. Never say never!
Towards the end of the 1980s, I was 8 years old or so, and Ferrari was a very rare breed on the road. It took me a long time to see an F40 in the flesh. It is not fancy at all on the inside, it is all about light weight, it is a driver’s car. I bought a 1:18 scale F40 for my son.
Tell us about your current company car in Singapore.
M850i Gran Coupe, V8. It’s from the final production batch, that’s why the colour chosen is Laguna Green, a BMW Individual colour inspired by the original 850. It’s something we can be really proud of - we have a heritage and it’s good to connect to that heritage.
What do you like about motoring in Singapore?
I like that it’s very sorted. It’s not difficult to drive in Singapore. It’s also very scenic, I really enjoy that. Everywhere is green and beautiful. And I hardly see real traffic jams here.
Everything is linked. You go to your carpark, it beeps - you don’t need to pull a ticket and go to the parking machine. If you park at the roadside, you type in the car number with the app. It’s part of digitisation and I think it’s cool.
What do you dislike about motoring in Singapore?
I shouldn’t drive too fast, which is the right thing. Singapore is one of the strictest countries in Asia when it comes to traffic rules. So far, I only got a parking ticket, which is already an achievement. There are lots of speed cameras, which the OBU reminds me, so it’s good.
It’s about the right balance, which you can apply to traffic rules and also business. Don’t overdo and don’t use extreme ways - use a healthy midway.
Rene's all-time favourite BMW is the Z8 retro roadster.
What is the most interesting aspect of your job as MD of BMW Group Asia?
The diversity in the region. BMW Asia consists of 14 countries which are very different in culture. They also perceived the brand differently. Every day is exciting when you look at the spread from Sri Lanka to Guam, and all that Asia has to offer.
And what is the most challenging aspect of your role in the company?
The automotive industry is on the verge of a paradigm shift. We need challenges so we can improve. There are many things we can do better, even on a daily basis.
BMW is a globally trusted brand for 110 years, customers believe in the brand - how do we foster that further? Internally, how do we launch the Neue Klasse (BMW’s dedicated EV platform) in our markets? How do we position our cars and where do we want to place BMW?
Everyone talks about Chinese OEMs, but we have to define our playground, our segment, which we have never approached on a price level. We have our turf.
How would you leverage your earlier work experience in Thailand and India for the 14 markets under BMW Group Asia?
This is not country-specific or continent-specific. There are lots of things that I was blessed to learn in Thailand and India, which stretch a long distance from north to south, like some BMW Asia markets.
Markets might evolve quickly, changing in either direction. Regulations change in some of these countries within 24 hours. As a global player, we plan on a longer term, but we adapt to an ever-changing landscape. It’s remarkable how my teams have learnt to adapt to these changes, and I had to learn with them.
The overall environment impacts your daily life and not only your business life. But we learn to take things as they come, because it’s not the end of the world.
Rene would get his Ferrari F40 dream car if he had the money and his wife approved.
What do you admire most about Thailand?
I admire their culture as well as their people, who are very kind and hardworking. It’s a very open and welcoming culture.
What do you admire most about Singapore?
The environment and how the country managed to bring in a sense of sustainability. Singaporeans are conscious about keeping everything neat, clean and safe. You can really enjoy living here. Not only for the families, but for everyone, who feels comfortable and very safe in Singapore.
What do you miss most about Germany?
Not much, besides immediate family and my parents. I like German beer, but basically you can get it around the world. Germany’s four seasons are still special - proper summer, proper winter. It’s lovely. My family of four resided in Munich before we moved overseas. We loved the mountains and lakes.
What is your favourite food and preferred drink?
I like Coke Zero and very spicy Bloody Mary. I love Asian food and Italian food very much, everything except shellfish. I also love German food, as well as Greek and Spanish cuisines. I can handle spicy Thai food, yes. I really enjoy spice, that’s why my Bloody Mary has to be very spicy!
How would you rate Singapore as a food paradise?
Very high, because I’ll find the huge food variety I’m after. Singapore has fantastic Italian restaurants, fantastic Greek restaurants, the best Indian food, Thai food, local food.
I really like laksa, which I add chilli to, either pure chilli or chilli oil. The only thing I don’t have in my laksa is prawns.
What are your hobbies?
At heart I’m a scuba diver, and my wife is also a scuba diver. Our boy will do his scuba-dive certification this year. Maybe we can do scuba-diving together.
I started to play pickleball with my wife, who’s a certified pickleball trainer. It’s good for us to do a hobby together, as I work and travel a lot. When I play pickleball with my wife, she always has that teaching approach, but I’m listening! I’m trying to improve.
Laksa, with chilli and without prawns, is Rene's favourite Singapore dish.
Super App for
Vehicle Owners
Download the Motorist App now. Designed by drivers for drivers, this all-in-one app lets you receive the latest traffic updates, gives you access to live traffic cameras, and helps you manage LTA and vehicle matters.
Did you know we have a Motorist Telegram Channel? Created exclusively for drivers and car owners in Singapore, you can get instant info about our latest promotions, articles, tips & hacks, or simply chat with the Motorist Team and fellow drivers.
