We talk to Albert Oon, group managing director of the Shun Zhou Group, about his passion for Porsche
We arrive early to a pair of smart-looking grey-red buildings in Tuas that serve as the logistics hub to the Shun Zhou Group.
And what are we doing so far from the city centre? Well, we’re here to talk to Mr. Albert Oon, the 53yo group managing director of Shun Zhou Group and a long-time petrolhead.
Homegrown Shun Zhou Group was founded from scratch by Albert’s late father in 1988 and is in the business of supplying essential hardware and engineering solutions to the marine, oil and gas industries.
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And If you were wondering, Albert started with the company that same year, when he was just 16, right at the very bottom of the company!
The company stocks a vast inventory of essential items, largely because time is of the essence in the industry.
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As a Total Solution Center, Shun Zhou utilises robotics and AI for custom fabrication, modifications and inventory management.
As of end 2024, the Shun Zhou Group returned a revenue of S$46m – no mean feat considering it started out over 35 years ago as a two-man outfit comprising Albert’s father and uncle!
The head office may be in the Lavender area, but as everybody knows, a lot of the good stuff is normally tucked away from the beaten path, and for this, we head to Tuas.
This is further reinforced by a pristine 1977 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow II (pictured above) we happen across as we wander Shun Zhou’s Tuas premises, although the grand old dame proves to be just the tip of the iceberg.
Some head-honchos feel their offices need to be on the top floor to better reflect their top dog status. However, if you’re expecting to take a lift up to Albert’s office, you’d be mistaken, because his inner sanctum actually sits on street level.
The reason for this becomes clear when we open the digitally-locked swing doors and enter his 1,500 sq ft cave of wonders, and bask in the presence of three variations around the turbocharged Porsche 911 theme.
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It almost feels like a showroom for cult cars, except this happens to be Albert’s passion project. The cars on display can be changed on a whim and can be driven in/out easily thanks to the fact that his office sits on street level.
In particular, we really like the synergy between the current turbocharged trio of an air-cooled G-model 911 Turbo Cabriolet, a 991 GT2 RS and the limited edition 992 Sport Classic. His two other 911s are naturally-aspirated: a 997.2 GT3 RS and a lovely peppermint 964 C2 Coupe, both manual naturally.
The cars take centrestage and a lounge area for visitors is situated right in the thick of the action, with Albert’s desk relegated to the back of the room for a perfect vantage point.
This writer takes a moment to compose himself and pick his jaw up from the ground. Albert’s office is a Porschephile’s slice of 911 heaven and a spotter’s delight, especially because it is so incongruous to the ubiquitous functional and heavy machinery found around Tuas.
If it wasn’t clear, Albert has a penchant for Porsches that borders on addiction. We’re not just talking about the iconic 911s either, because his household garage also includes a Taycan and Macan.
Sure, he’s gone through the familiar supercar carousel that has seen Ferraris and Lamborghinis pass through his hands, but his first love (and some say true love) has always been Porsche.
In many ways, the Shun Zhou Group embodies all the same qualities as the Porsche sportscar brand. With an innate resilience, they have an ability to pivot quickly in response to changing needs and commercial environments. Both companies are equally agile, yet capable of delivering high-performance results, even under challenging conditions.
One of his earliest memories of Porsche can be traced back to his childhood, when he was a boy of five and staying in a two-room flat.
Albert tells us, “In my earlier days, I did not know anything about Porsche, but I could recognise the silhouette of a 911. When I was five, my late father's friend used to come and pick him up in a 911 – a white 911 SC. I did not know what an SC was back then, but I still recall the car vividly. One time, I popped my head through the window grille to look at the car and found myself stuck. My mother had to put a lot of shampoo on my head before I could pull my head back in again. I was very excited whenever my dad's friend came by to pick him up, because I dreamt about the sight and smell of the car.”
In his 20s, Albert had to take on several jobs to make ends meet, including that of a car valet at a nightclub. He recalls the one time a gentleman rocked up in an orange Porsche 911 and asked him to park it.
Albert recalls, “I was very excited, because even if it was just to park it, it would be my first time driving a 911. From then on, I promised myself that when I became successful, I would love to have a 911. This motivation would later evolve into my passion for the brand and its iconic model. Today, I have five 911s from different eras.”
With its distinctive “tea-tray” rear spoiler, the air-cooled 1987 930 Turbo Cabriolet is possibly the definitive 1980s sportscar – with its black plate, it also happens to be the only one of its kind in Singapore.
“I went to view this car in an underground carpark where it was parked some 14 years ago. The car couldn’t be moved because it wouldn’t start and all four tyres were flat. However, I was mesmerised, because even in the dark, the silhouette was unmistakable,” he recalls.
Albert goes on, “I bought it and it spent two years undergoing a full restoration. Besides, I wasn’t in a rush because I knew this was going to be a keeper. In fact, it even shares the same 2nd of July birthday as me!”
It so happens Albert has more turbocharged Porsches in his garage now than nat-asp, but it is not something he deliberately planned.
At one point, he had both the red GT2 RS (that he has kept) and a naturally-aspirated 991.2 GT3 RS in Lizard Green, but the latter was sold more recently.
Even the fast and ferocious GT2 RS is something of a rarity in Singapore, with less than five units running around and from what we recall, none in red. With 700hp channelled to its rear wheel and a hard-edged chassis fettled by Porsche Motorsport, the GT2 RS was the highest evolution of a turbocharged 911 at its launch in 2017, and was perched above even the Turbo S model.
The 992 Sport Classic (pictured above) rounds-off his turbocharged triumvirate. Like the 930 Cabriolet, it could be the only registered unit on our roads. Limited to just 1250 units worldwide and created by Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur, the Sport Classic is one of four collector’s cars presented by Porsche in 2022 as part of its Heritage Design strategy.
In a nutshell, it is a rear-driven 992 Turbo with a stick-shift transmission (the regular Turbo models are now PDK-only and all-wheel-driven), no intake vents on its flanks and features a retro rear duck-tail, “double-bubble” roof and inimitable Fuchs-style alloy rims.
The theme and trim for the Sport Classic came about through a collaboration between the Style Porsche design department and the brand’s bespoke arm, Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur. The intention was to create a modern spin on iconic 911 models and equipment/trim from the 1950s through to the 1980s as Porsche’s own “reimagination” exercise.
Albert says, “I bought the Sport Classic after watching a promotional video sent to me on a chat group. When I saw the promotional video with its theme song and retro vibe, I was hooked and knew I had to buy it! I immediately called up the dealer to put down a deposit, but with only a small allocation for Singapore and quite a few other interested parties ahead of me, there was no guarantee I would get it.”
“Beyond its performance, I love everything about the car. It has a lovely cognac leather interior highlighted with pepita upholstery, there’s warm wood trim, gold badging and it exudes the same aura as my 930 (pictured above), except it is of a modern era,” he adds. “Very much like an old soul in a modern body.”
He goes on to say, “When I finally got to drive it after it arrived (he didn’t test-drive it before putting down his expression-of-interest), it’s interesting how the Sport Classic tries to mimic the characteristically laggy performance of an old school turbo model. A modern 911 Turbo or Turbo S has all but eradicated turbo lag for smooth and seamless performance, but this isn’t the case for the Sport Classic. The turbo kicks-in to phenomenal effect from above 2500rpm and really puts a grin on the driver’s face!”
And what’s the next Porsche Top Trumps car for Albert? “I’ve been thinking about the limited edition 911 S/T, which in my mind, is possibly the purest modern naturally-aspirated 911 model, and it would certainly make a good partner to the Sport Classic,” he smiles.
