Chow Yun Fat says his love for engines led him to purchase a Rolls-Royce V8

HONG KONG: According to VnExpress, Hong Kong actor Chow Yun Fat once purchased a second-hand Rolls-Royce V8, not as a status symbol but to satisfy his passion for automotive technology.

According to The Star, Chow recalls purchasing the vehicle while filming the 1979 TVB drama Man in the Net while making an appearance on Hong Kong host Carol Cheng’s YouTube program The Do Show.

He drove it to the set daily and even shared photos with the crew, but he insisted his intent was never to flaunt wealth.

“Love machines and engines”

“I was curious about how a V8 engine could move such a heavy vehicle so smoothly,” he explained. “Back then, second-hand cars were affordable, so I bought one, popped the hood with a mechanic, and studied the engine. I simply adore motors and mechanics, so it wasn’t about flaunting.”

Chow had five or six vintage luxury cars, including Mercedes-Benz and BMW models, at the height of his fame. A rare Rolls-Royce Silver Dawn served as his wedding vehicle when he married actress Candice Yu in 1983. However, he later switched to an eco-friendly electric vehicle, citing the high maintenance demands of classic cars.

“Keeping them in shape took more time than actually driving them,” he said. Chow said he couldn’t manage so many, so he sold them all.

Landed a breakthrough role with TVB

Now 70, Chow came from modest beginnings, working various jobs—shoeshine boy, office assistant, parcel delivery worker, hotel staff, and taxi driver—before landing a breakthrough role with TVB in 1974.

He rose to fame through dramas like The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly and The Bund, winning multiple accolades, including three Hong Kong Film Awards and two Golden Horse Awards. In 2023, he was honoured as Asian Filmmaker of the Year at the 28th Busan International Film Festival, becoming the second Hong Kong actor after Tony Leung to receive the award.