TATLER FOCUS Andrew Tang went from amateur go-kart racer to professional racing driver thanks to the support of his father Tang Siu Kan. Here, the duo talks about their passion for cars from behind the wheel of the latest Porsche Cayenne
Andrew Tang was only three years old when he developed a fondness for cars, after his businessman father Tang Siu Kan bought him his first remote-control vehicle. The car became a constant companion, and Andrew would zip it around the house whenever he got the chance. This early zest for speed didn’t go unnoticed by his father, who saw how competent his toddler was in controlling the car and navigating it safely around obstacles.
A few years later, this budding interest eventually became a full-blown passion when Siu Kan introduced Andrew to karting. The youngster started taking part in karting competitions and at age eight, he scored his first win. At 16, the Generation T lister made the difficult decision to move to Europe alone to join the young driver development programme of a British Formula One team, a stint that would greatly shape him to become the racing driver he is today.
Andrew scored big again in 2015 when he was picked from more than 100 applicants to be a Porsche China Junior driver and raced in the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia for two years. The 23-year‑old’s racing career continues to flourish just as the bond with his father grows stronger. Recently, the duo took time off their busy schedules to indulge in their shared love for cars and test-drive the new Porsche Cayenne.
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The luxury sports utility vehicle (SUV) proved to fit both their driving preferences—Andrew’s need for speed and Siu Kan’s desire for a smooth, comfortable ride. “I can feel that the Cayenne’s 3.0L, V6 turbo engine is really powerful,” said Andrew as he skilfully navigated the SUV through morning traffic on the highway. “Its torque delivery is also strong, and its braking and steering responsive, which clearly comes from Porsche’s motorsport knowledge.”
Porsche’s road cars are known to take notes from its race cars, so for the Cayenne, this translates into having a dynamic, lightweight chassis that results in a nimble SUV that produces 340hp and a top speed of 245km/h. It also delivers great handling despite its size and weight.