Singapore ‘vending machine’ dispenses Ferraris, Lamborghinis
SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Forget about soft drinks and potato chips. A “vending machine” in Singapore is offering up luxury vehicles, including Bentleys, Ferraris and Lamborghinis.
Used-car seller Autobahn Motors opened a futuristic 15-story showroom in December, with vehicles on display in 60 slots, billing it as the “world’s largest luxury-car vending machine.”
Customers on the ground floor choose from a touchscreen display the car they wish to see. The car arrives within one to two minutes thanks to an advanced system that manages vehicle retrieval, the company says.
Autobahn Motors general manager Gary Hong said the vending-machine format is aimed at making efficient use of space in land-scarce Singapore as well as standing out from the competition.
“We needed to meet our requirement of storing a lot of cars,” he told Reuters. “At the same time, we wanted to be creative and innovative.”
Hong said he has been approached by developers interested in using the company’s Automotive Inventory Management System for parking services.
Vehicles on offer run from modern luxury sports cars to classics, including a 1955 Morgan Plus 4.
US company Carvana also uses vending-machine-like towers to sell used cars. In March, it opened an eight-floor structure that holds up to 30 cars in San Antonio, Texas.