One good reason to drive up north and into Kuala Lumpur is the SMART tunnel. It is presumably the longest stormwater drainage system in South East Asia and has a 4km long tolled motorway tunnel built into it. The tunnel is limited to light vehicles and if you were to drive up and into it (at a cost of RM2.00), you’ll realise that driving through a 4km long tunnel is an automotive experience to behold. However if you drove through this tunnel with any car with an engine that gives you a sense of occasion from its noise, things are even better.

Imagine driving through this tunnel with a car that has a howling induction roar, like a VTEC engine from an Integra TypeR or the throb from a Subaru Boxer. Imagine then driving through it with a Ferrari V8, a BMW V10 or the supercharged Mercedes SL55. Imagine following any of these glorious cars mentioned above with your windows down and you’ve basically made your day. If you’re driving these cars, or then again any car with a louder than stock exhaust or an induction, wind down your windscreens (grin and bear with the slightly exhaust fumed air) and soak the noise bouncing off the walls as you keep your car on song by keeping it in third gear. It’s somewhat surreal as you get to hear at least 4km worth of exhaust or intake roar compared to about 350m or so if you did the same thing through Fort Canning Tunnel.
(above - note the lack of traffic at the entrance of the tunnel during rush hour compared to the Sg. Besi highway to the right - but it is misleading as there is a jam at the exit)

Now if the estimated S$2.5 billion Marina Coastal Expressway linking Tanjung Rhu and Keppel opens in 2013, Singaporeans will get to experience the same thing closer to home; a 3.5km tunnel that’ll make tunnel hopping a fun late night pastime for car enthusiasts. Imagine travelling in the early mornings to all the tunnels in Singapore just to soak up the slightly different ways the noise may hit and bounce off the tunnel walls. Just remember to keep within the speed limits to avoid the usual problems with authorities and in the meantime, for those extra long tunnel thrills, a trip up north is a must.



SMART Tunnel, Kuala Lumpur and 3 more...

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