[Above: Professor Euston Quah, head of economics at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU), with his Citroen C6 saloon which he bought in 2007. The professor is also NTU's acting chair of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences.]

By Samuel Ee

SPEED is not Professor Euston Quah's top priority when it comes to his motoring preferences.

Rather the head of economics at the Nanyang Technological University values ride comfort above all else. So it is no surprise to learn that the last three cars he has owned have all been of the same make - Citro'n.

"Citro'n's suspension is No 1," declares Prof Quah, referring to the French carmaker's trademark hydro-pneumatic suspension. "It has the best cushioning."

Other marques may be be faster but that is not the professor's goal. "I like cruising comfortably. How fast a car goes from the traffic lights - that is not my objective," he explains.

The professor, who is also NTU's acting chair of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, currently drives a Citro'n C6 with a 3.0-litre V6 engine. This large saloon, which he bought in 2007, is spacious and, obviously, comfortable.

But Prof Quah says another reason for his brand loyalty is the marque's innovative streak. He likes the idea that a Citro'n represents technological innovation and that it has a reputation for being an industry leader. "It is not a follower," explains Prof Quah.

After all, this is a marque that introduced the self-levelling Hydractive suspension and pioneered a new type of speed-sensitive steering which was eventually adopted by other makes.

Prof Quah's first Citro'n was a blue XM, which he bought 10 years ago. Before that, he had owned a string of Hondas. "I test drove it and I loved it," he recalls. "I liked the look of the sophisticated dashboard."

Citro'n's flagship model had distinctive styling but Prof Quah found the XM's many automatic self-adjusting mechanisms and safety features - even for pedestrians - equally attractive.

"The shape of the XM is unusual and this sets it apart from other models. I noticed that people on the street would sometimes stare at the car or its occupants," he says.

After driving it for five years, Prof Quah traded the XM in for a C5. But it was only an interim measure. "I had wanted to change to a C6 but the C6 had not arrived on our Singapore shores yet. So I settled on a C5 then."

He says he had always wanted the flagship Citro'n, as well as the latest model, and had read up extensively on it in car magazines and over the Internet. "I also saw the car in Paris when I visited and it just reaffirmed my choice of the C6."

Despite his love for the car and its design, there is one thing he wishes it had more of though - luxury. He says the quality of the interior has improved and the plastics materials used are better than in the past. "But they can do better and make it more posh," adds the professor. "It should look more opulent."

Nevertheless, he is not likely to change cars anytime soon. "The C6 is unique. It stands out from other luxury cars on the road."

samuelee@sph.com.sg

This article was first published in The Business Times.