DRIVERS is a series that highlights influential personalities in the HYPEBEAST space and their passion for everything to do with automobiles. The approach is simple: what is car culture for you and why are you passionate about it? Each contributor is given the opportunity to illuminate their personal vehicle or vehicles and say how they are driving the culture both figuratively and literally.
Our latest feature for DRIVERS highlights Samantha Tan, professional racing driver who not only drives professionally for BMW in the GT4 America class, but also owns her own racing team of the same name, ST Racing. To say Samantha achieved superlative goals would be an understatement.
Born in Toronto, Ontario, China, Samantha began driving professionally at the age of 16, cutting her teeth in professional racing departments at NASA – short for the National Auto Sport Association. As her sitting time increased and her skills improved, Tan crossed the finish line faster and more consistently than her competitors, earning awards that most drivers dream of. Tan became the first Asian to win the Dubai 24H earlier this year, while taking home the same title in Barcelona earlier this month. Her victories also stretch over the years: She also won consecutive victories at the Pirelli GT4 America SprintX races in 2019 and 2020.
Tan, now 23, continues to hone her skills and defeat stereotypes in racing as she is currently battling it out to win four championships this season. In 2022, Tan is also expected to advance from GT4 and start racing in the GT3 class.
While she dominates the tracks in her GT4-groomed BMW M4 racetrack monster, she remains a little more reserved on the streets and calls the bizarre, unique and now modern classic BMW 1M Coupé her “Around the City”. Tan drives the Valencia Orange Widebody 1M – which was only produced for one year in 2011 – through Irvine, where she just finished her degree in economics. The 1M is one of the rarest and most sought-after BMWs today. Her turn to him speaks volumes for her interest within the car enthusiast community, but also for her connection to motorsport and performance driving.
Read the full interview below and check out our previous DRIVERS with ILLEST brand founder Mark Arcenal.
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Make, model, year of manufacture of your car?
2011 BMW 1M.
When did you get it?
Technically speaking, my father made a Europe delivery in Munich in 2010. I officially took ownership of the car in 2015 when I was 18 years old.
Why did you choose this car specifically?
I loved the way it felt, like it suited me perfectly. It’s small, agile and very unique. The 1M was only in production for six months and only 220 were shipped to Canada. I just loved the fact that it was a “parts container special” with a widebody 135i shell and components from the BMW E92 M3 and Z4 sDrive 35iS. I loved the color, Valencia Orange, the M-seams, the sound of its inline 6 twin turbo on a cold start. I fell in love instantly.
What is the main purpose of this car for you?
It is more than just using something; This is the car that inspired my passion for cars, for BMW and motorsport. Above all, it’s the feeling that it gives me. There’s the adrenaline, the feeling you get when you nail a heel perfectly into a corner, the chill I get when I mentally step back on a cruise, living in the moment and realizing that this car is all that I had ever looked.
What was done with this car? Where did it go
It was the car I learned the manual in, the car I went to my first racing school in, the car that introduced me to the automotive community and car culture. I remember driving to school every morning there was a traffic light with a huge hill on it and I would panic every time I had to start the car in first gear.
As I became more and more involved in the Toronto auto community, I had the opportunity to take the 1M to track days and car meetups. I loved the way it was handled and ended up spending countless hours washing and detailing my car to make sure it always looked perfect. Over time we had many night drives and unforgettable experiences together, so that the 1M became one of my best friends. I will never get rid of it.
Since moving to Irvine to take part in the UCI, the 1M followed me here in 2016. She’s been here ever since.
Any details? Modifications? Changes?
My car is mostly tuned to Dinan. It features an upgraded oil cooler, intercooler, cold air intake, racing coilover kit, software tuning, Brembo BBK, Revozsport carbon fiber parts, motorsport hardware stud kit, remote muffler and custom X-pipe exhaust.
“Motorsports is a tough and brutal business that requires a lot of money and connections in addition to the driving skills required to move up in classes. It takes dedication, discipline and sacrifice. ”
What is a car for you: high performance, functional tool, stress reliever, etc.?
For me, a car is all of that.
It can get me from point A to point B, but it can also make this experience enjoyable.
If I can buy my dream car, it will also be an ambitious success, because that’s what I’ve been working towards for a long time.
I can’t count the number of times I’ve taken a trip to relieve stress! Whether I’m popping music with the windows down, singing my heart out and driving PCH down, driving on a night drive on the freeway, or flying through some canyon roads, there is always something that can distract me from reality and the endless to -Do lists. It allows me to pause for a moment, enjoy life and breathe.
What was your dream car when you grew up?
My dream car was definitely the Ferrari F40.
What have you already owned What would you like?
I once had a 2016 Honda Civic Si with the registration number “RACECAT”. It was a manual 6-speed with a half roll cage and straight pipe, with a set of slicks in the trunk. It was my racing car.
I have so many cars that I would like to have … [BMW] E36 M3, E92 M3 DTM, [Nissan] R34 Skyline, Ferrari FXX K, Ferrari F40, McLaren F1 …
What does the future of the automotive industry look like? Car culture?
The future of the automotive industry is electric. With the global implementation of the Paris Agreement to combat climate change, many nations are slowly trying to replace the internal combustion engine with the electric drive. With soaring gasoline prices and increasing environmental awareness, people will choose electric vehicles when deciding on their next car. Cars with internal combustion engines are slowly becoming more expensive and rare. I think that will make the automotive community closer and more focused if that makes sense.
Given the high prices for gasoline powered cars, there is no question that they are only bought by car enthusiasts. I think the rise of social media has also helped the automotive community to network with each other and will continue to do so.
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What advice would you give aspiring riders who want to compete?
Seize every opportunity, learn to market yourself effectively and build a unique brand. Motorsports is a tough and brutal business that requires a lot of money and connections in addition to the driving skills required to advance in classes. It takes dedication, discipline, and sacrifice. It will be very difficult at times, but I think the rewards are always worth it.
The journey can be daunting, but as I’ve said in the past, when you try something new you will often fail and make mistakes. You have to learn to deal with it. Failure just means you try. You fail and eliminate a method that doesn’t work. We learn from mistakes, grow and are successful.
The post DRIVER: Pro racer Samantha Tan and her BMW 1M Coupé first appeared on monter-une-startup.
