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From BT: IS tropicalisation a myth? Do cars sold in Singapore have to be modified to prevent overheating or other climatic problems? This question is often raised whenever the subject turns to parallel imports, which are not brought in through authorised distributors dealing directly with the factory. For example, BMW cars are said to require a bigger radiator and different engine cooling system to cope with the warmer weather. Authorised distributor Performance Motors Ltd declined to comment when asked about this. But most motor traders and grey importers claim the hot weather and road conditions here are not an issue for most modern automobiles. 'That may have been a problem 15 years ago when we were importing used cars from the UK,' said one parallel importer at Automobile Megamart in Ubi. 'But now, the new cars we bring in do not need any modifications.' The manufacturer of Mercedes-Benz, one of the most popular brands targeted by parallel importers here, agreed. 'Our cars are set up for worldwide temperatures, with large radiators and seamless provision for all types of cooling,' said a DaimlerChrysler spokesman. 'If any adjustment is needed, it is for the cold, not for the heat,' he added, referring to the cold weather packages available for Mercedes-Benz cars bound for snowy countries. In fact, the only modification Mercedes-Benz has made for Asia was for the road conditions some 20 years back. For example, cars sold in Malaysia came with higher springs and taller tyres because of the bad roads then. 'But these are no longer necessary today,' he said. One authorised distributor of another European marque said there is no difference between the models made for Europe and those he gets. 'If anything is changed, it's in the software, not the hardware,' he said. 'The program settings for the automatic transmission, for instance, can sometimes vary from European cars because of our start-stop driving conditions.' No tropicalisation seems to be required for Japanese cars either. A spokesman for Ricardo Cars, which specialises in grey imports of Toyota, said he has not heard of Japanese cars having an overheating problem. 'Maybe it's because the climate conditions in Japan are a bit closer to South-east Asia,' he said. 'In fact, some Japanese cars can be ordered with 'cold area specs' to handle fog and frost.' He added that some features in these JDM - or Japan domestic model - cars are actually more suitable for use in tropical countries. 'Some cars have dark tinted windows which are perfect for blocking out the sun,' he said. 'But sometimes, these darker windows have to be changed because they may not meet the Land Transport Authority's rules on visible light transmission.' But a spokesman for Borneo Motors, the authorised distributor of Toyota and Lexus, emphasised that JDM models are different from their export versions. 'When a Toyota is built for the export market, there are certain differences, such as a heavy duty aircon and heavy duty rubber seals,' he said. He added that while such changes may vary from model to model, there are other more important tweaks for different specifications such as emission standards and compatible petrol. 'You can't just take a domestic model and ship out for use elsewhere,' he said. But when it comes to issues related to climate, one well-known German marque summed it up best when it said its cars do not have to be modified before they are shipped out. 'All Porsches undergo extensive testing in all kinds of climate zones,' explained a representative of Porsche Asia Pacific. 'Therefore a special tropicalised version is not necessary.'