Full-time automotive photographer and his BMW 3-litre turbo wagon

SINGAPORE – You do not often see a station wagon like this black BMW 535i Touring on the roads here. The rare vehicle belongs to automotive photographer Adrian Wong, whose passion for cars has given him an unusual way to make a living.

“I work closely with car brands and produce assets for them, which may be new car shoots, press release photos, marketing material or car videos, as well as cover new car launches or other automotive-related events,” the 38-year-old said.

He is married to Ms Tan Lixing, 33, who is in marketing and public relations. The couple have a one-year-old son, Ayden.

Mr Wong’s passion for wheels goes back to his childhood and toy cars.

“I refused to go to school until my parents bought me either a Hot Wheels or Matchbox car. It was a weekly ‘reward’. My appetite got bigger as I grew older and I started my own collection in secondary school,” he said.

He now has a range of scale models including 1:64, 1:18 and 1:12.

His first “real” car was neither a BMW nor a station wagon, but a three-door Volkswagen Scirocco 1.4 TSi that he bought in 2019.

Its replacement was an Audi A4 Avant. He bought the station wagon in early 2021 as it suited his need for cargo capacity.

Nine months later, when the Audi’s certificate of entitlement (COE) was due to expire, he found a seven-year-old BMW 435i Gran Coupe with an unusually low mileage of 36,000km.

The smoothness of the 4-series’ 3-litre engine convinced him that his next car had to have the same twin-turbo inline-six engine.

That opportunity came in early 2025 when the BMW 535i Touring, which belonged to a friend, came up for sale. Mr Wong bought it in March 2025 and paid $111,000 to renew its COE for 10 years.

“Over the past year of ownership, I have grown to love my Touring even more. I love its station wagon looks, its combination of load capacity, unpretentious luxury and, of course, that glorious engine,” he said.

While his wife does not drive, she appreciates the car’s comfort and ample space for the baby equipment that accompanies their son.

The engine has been left in its original form, but Mr Wong made some cosmetic upgrades, namely a Maxton Design bodykit, custom-forged rims and a Thule cargo box that is mounted on the car’s roof.

The piece de resistance is the car’s customised wrap, which is a combination of three finishes of black – gloss, satin and matt.

He described the look as being subtle yet stealthy, and was something he had been dreaming of for a while.

With another nine years remaining on the COE, there are no plans yet to replace the Touring, although his replacement options include a BMW M5 Touring or an Audi RS6 Avant.

In the meantime, he would one day like to have a fun weekend car like the BMW E92 M3, an Audi R8 with a manual transmission, or a Porsche 911.

What’s in the boot?