Fit for Crazy Rich Asian 2 - this is where Singapore's elites store their tax-free cars

The Wearnes Bonded Gallery located behind South-East Asia’s first-ever Bugatti showroom in Singapore is where crazy rich Singaporeans store their legally bought cars that cannot be driven on roads.

In an island country like Singapore, there aren't many places to drive an exotic car like a Bugatti. So, instead of buying a car to drive, the ultra-rich purchase these cars like they would an art piece.

This means that they would buy an exotic car without tax and store it in a goverment-approved facility. 

In tax terms, the word ‘bonded’ means that an item has not had its tax paid, which also means that it cannot be taken out outside the Custom's bonded zone.

And this is where Wearnes Bonded Gallery comes in - it is a goverment-approved, bonded facility that doubles as a gallery for car collectors to store their purchase. The richest of the rich in Singapore will purchase an exotic car without duty and they will leave the cars under Wearnes’ care.

The supercar storage facility reportedly cost SGD 30 million (RM 93 million) to build as it features a climate and humidity-controlled gallery to make sure the cars are kept in optimum condition.

From what we understand, the eight-storey 200,000 sq ft facility is now home to a few Ferraris, Porsches, vintage Bentleys, Rolls-Royces, and Jaguars. Photos also showed a Rimac on one of its stages while hidden in a midst somewhere is a €5 million (RM 25 million) Bugatti Divo.

According to Wearnes, these owners purchase a car intending to make it a collector’s piece or to pass it down through the generations. Not to drive them.

Of course, the ownership at the gallery doesn’t mean just admiring it alone. The gallery has fashioned a special programme where owners can hold exclusive parties to show off their exotic wheels while enjoying food and wine.

The private gallery also houses a kitchen, dining area, a lounge, and even a cigar room for use should an owner choose to hold a party with their ultra-rare rides as the centrepiece.

In case you're wondering, the gallery charges car owners SGD 1,200 (around RM 3,800) a month to store their cars in the facility.