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Crown The Brown: Verushka Singh – The Car Enthusiast
Crown The Brown: Verushka Singh and her love for exotic cars! We often hear about boys and their toys, but why only boys? Cars were always considered to be a “manly” hobby. Women are perceived as not knowing how to change tires or being bad drivers but what about a woman who is passionate about cars? Well, meet Verushka Singh! A South African woman with a love for exotic cars. We had the privilege of finding out more about her love for cars, here is what she shared with us:
Business woman, lover of exotic cars. Tell us more about yourself. What are 3 things people don’t know about Verushka?
For starters, I’m also passionate about business. I come from an entrepreneurial background. My experience was gained from the food and retail services industry. My line of trade is actually pure and exotic spices. Simmi Naidoo (my mom) is the founder of Simpli Spice, which is our name brand and we are business partners and have been in the market for 11 years.
Although my social media portrays me to be an extrovert, I’m really an introvert and probably the most shy individual you will ever meet. To back up my car enthusiasm, I have a car page on Instagram commonly known as not_a_car_spotter. This Instagram page showcase exotic cars that I encounter in South Africa. Which has always been my original mission, to show that South Africa has wealth, we are not just a jungle.
You have an obsession with exotic cars. When did the obsession start and who inspired this love for cars?
I’ve been drawn to cars since birth. My late dad was a car enthusiast and a collector of classic cars. However when he passed on, I was only 3 months old at the time, it was only revealed to me much later when I turned 27 that my passion for cars come from him. I realized then that I’m carrying his ‘car-gene’! Loving cars is in my blood. When I was handed my first camera phone as a teenager, I would document cars by taking pictures of them. I could finally answer why love cars so much, thank you dad!
What do you love most about cars? What makes them so unique and special to you?
Just looking at a super car or hearing one gives me an adrenaline rush! I really can’t describe it and I’m sure most car enthusiasts will be able to relate. Super cars are a combination of many things such as appearance, power, acceleration, sound, performance, the list is endless.
What makes a super car unique to me is that it shows what man is capable of designing, engineering and building. Cars are continuously evolving and improving and involves the latest technology. You can’t wait to see what they are going to create next!
As a female, there are many stereotypes and gendered roles within society. What challenges have you experienced regarding your love for exotic cars? How do people perceive your obsession?
In the beginning it was a challenge because it is a male dominated industry. When I started my car page, I initially hid my identity because of this very reason but my mission wasn’t to show that I’m a female car enthusiast, it was to prove that we have amazing cars in South Africa. It’s not everyday that you meet a female super car enthusiast. But while establishing my page,
I crossed paths with many more female car enthusiasts like myself, which made it easier. My next challenge was attending car shows and car meets. I would introduce myself as not_a_car_spotter, the common reaction would be “wow, I always thought that was a guy.” Some find my obsession abnormal, which doesn’t surprise me because cars bring out a reaction in me I can’t contain but ultimately most people love how I feel about cars, there’s always a positive outcome.
In a society where women are continuously told that they are either too feminine or too masculine. What do you think society should do to strive towards a gender neutral mindset?
We should continue to strive to be open minded to new ideas, new things and new challenges while still maintaining a positive mindset and a positive approach to achieving that.
What are some of your favourite cars and favourite memory regarding super car experiences?
This is possibly the hardest question for me. I’ll make my list as short as possible. My favourite cars are as follows : Lamborghini Aventador, Ferrari La Ferrari, McLaren P1, Porsche 911 Turbo S and last but not least, the Nissan GT-R!
There are a few favourite memories because every moment with a car is special, two of my epic memories was attending the launch of the McLaren 720s hosted by Daytona in 2017 and also crossing paths with a one of a kind Pagani Zonda in central Sandton.
Do you ever experience men feeling emasculated by your knowledge or cars and love for them? How do you cope with arrogant male tendencies in such a predominantly male obsessed environment?
Yes, there is that odd occasion where I’m given a ‘stiff look’ by some individuals, including women! I simply ignore it, because this is something I’m passionate about and I’m not going to hide it! If I were them, I’d use it as an opportunity to be open minded and learn, as I myself am open minded to learning as much as possible about cars.
I would focus my attention on someone who is willing to educate me about cars than opposed to someone that would snub me because they assume I know it all, when in actual fact I don’t, as I pointed out before, I’m here to learn.
What do you hope to achieve in the next few years regarding your exotic car projects?
Ideally I would like to be an established female car enthusiast. I would also like to start writing articles and reviews on cars and eventually have my own YouTube Channel. Also to fulfill my vision of owning a super car, which is one of my ultimate goals that I’m working towards sometime in the future.
What advice do you have for other women who may have certain hobbies or occupations that are “claimed” as a male dominated sector?
It doesn’t matter what people say, you were not created to please them. If you are passionate about something, don’t let people’s opinions limit you or scare you. Why hide who you are ? Swim against the tide, accept the challenge and grab the bull by the horns! Make your mark, life is short.
Today I get the opportunity to inspire over 19 000 people on a social platform just by something I’m passionate about and I wouldn’t have it any other way. If I let people’s opinions and fear of being myself detour me, I would not be the woman I am today.
Exotic cars are surely a passion for this business woman and we can certainly see why! Be sure to follow Verushka and her page @not_a_car_spotter on instagram! Follow Crown The Brown for more exciting interviews and South Asian content!
