Art of Speed's Asep Ahmad: Kustom Kulture Equates to Kool People With Kash

Just 24-hours before the doors open for the annual Art of Speed showcase, the vast, pillarless Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang (MAEPS) exhibition hall is being prepped for the arrival of the myriad of vehicles that will be shown over the weekend.

From bikes to cars; to hot rods and skateboards and everything in between, this event never fails to deliver what can be summed up as the most liberating and vibrant expression of automotive art in Malaysia.

This is where old bangers are reborn as collectible gems and new rides morphed into exuberant statements of personal style and identity.

This is not a cheap game, let’s make that clear. Vehicle ownership in Malaysia can be costly. So, the commitment shown by owners who have their rides on display is both jaw-dropping and awe-inspiring.

It is no wonder more and more big companies - from manufacturers to ancillary service providers - are wanting to capture some of this interest, particularly when the propensity by the attendees to convert what they see to what they put their money down for is high.

Over the years, the number of corporates that has come on board has grown. Is this a new platform for marketing that offers faster returns, being so close to the target audience?

We speak to Art of Speed founder Asep Ahmad about his recipe of making Kustom Kool (sic) enough for Korporates (sic).