Albert Yesudian_The Real Italian Stallion

We almost interviewed this avid car enthusiast some 12 years ago. The meeting was cancelled on the morning of the proposed interview due to unforeseen circumstances. Then there was no connection made until a few months ago when the Maserati car club was formed and the team at Naza Italia introduced me to their new Maserati owners club President. We met and chatted and after a few minutes we realised that this was the same person from 12 years ago that we were supposed to interview.

Albert is a die-hard Italian car enthusiast, a motorhead.  We say Italian as he started his car collection from a tender motoring age of 21-years old when he drove up and down the length of Peninsula Malaysia in his first Italian car, an Alfasud 1.3L. His passion for Alfa continued and after a few short years, Albert had four Alfa’s in his garage (this was at the time the 1^st interview was to be done) and was very popular with the Alfa owners fraternity in the country.

His passion diverted towards Fiat very soon and a Fiat 6-seater Multipla was next. This oddball 6-seater vehicle  turned into his family car first and then company runabout recently. Yes, the Multipla still runs well. Next was a modern Fiat Bravo hot hatch. This soon became the Albert’s daughter’s college transport. From Alfa and Fiat, Albert’s attention moved to the exotics. Maserati and then the ultimate Italian, Ferrari.

QUESTION: Your first employment…….what was it………and how you could afford an Alfa in those days?

Answer: MY FIRST SALES REPRESENTATIVE JOB WAS WITH A SWEDISH PHARMACEUTICAL CO ASTRA. MY FIRST CAR ONLY COST RM5,000, WHICH WAS ALMOST THE PRICE OF A BRITISH SEDAN.

QUESTION: Your passion for Alfa’s came from where?

Answer: I HAVE ALWAYS ASSOCIATED ALFA TO HISTORIC, CULTISH, WITH DISTINGUISHED CHARACTER, FAST AND SUPERB HANDLING WHICH IS DIFFERENT FROM THE MASS PRODUCED CARS.

QUESTION: What was your first Italian car and what year was it

Answer: 1979 ALFASUD 1.3.

QUESTION: What year you got your first Maserati and which model

Answer : A USED 425 BI-TURBO IN 2003

QUESTION: Tell us about your GTV6 and the drive to China

Answer: AS AN ALFASUD OWNER THE ULTIMATE DREAM ALFA TO OWN WAS THE GTV6, RARE, ELEGANT AND AHEAD OF ITS COMPETITORS. IT WAS MY 4TH ALFA AND A VALUABLE COLLECTORS ITEM THEN AND NOW. THE DRIVE TO CHINA COVERED THAILAND, LAOS. TOOK 12 DAYS AND 8,000KM BOTH WAYS. THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE TRIP WAS;

1. IT WAS THE ONLY CLASSIC CAR OUT OF 9 ALFAS IN THE GROUP THAT MADE IT TO CHINA
2. IT WAS THE ONLY CAR WITH SOLO DRIVER
3. 80 YEARS WAS THE COMBINED AGE OF CAR AND DRIVER WHILE THE OTHERS AVERAGED 50 YEARS.
4. MY GTV6 WAS THE FIRST CLASSIC CAR TO TRAVEL FROM MALAYSIA TO CHINA BY ROAD.

QUESTION: First Ferrari, when and what model

Answer: THE F 430 CONVERTIBLE YEAR 2008, BOUGHT IN 2011. ADDED TO MY CLASSIC COLLECTION A TESTAROSSA IN 2015.

QUESTION: Your favourite car right now in your stable and why.

Answer: IT HAS TO BE MY MASERATI MC STRADALE HANDS DOWN. THE MOST EXITING CAR I HAVE DRIVEN TO DATE. IT’S RACE BREED HANDLING WITH MINIMAL COMFORT COMPROMISED. IT BECOMES A RACING CAR WITH THE PRESS OF A BUTTON. A TRUE DUAL PURPOSE VEHICLE.

QUESTION: Your dream car to own and why.

Answer: I HAVE IT NOW, THE MC STRADALE AND MY GTV6, BOTH HIGHLY INNOVATIVE FOR ITS ERA AND PURPOSE BUILD.

QUESTION: Do you think you are obsessive about your cars?

Answer: YES I AM. THEY ARE UNIQUE AND OFFER SOMETHING ACCORDING TO YOUR MOOD.

QUESTION: Your favourite car, will you allow you daughters to drive it?

Answer: YES, JUST THAT THEY DON’T WANT TO KNOW THAT IT’S MY FAVORITE CAR.

QUESTION: If you had to choose one car to sell……must sell……which one?

Answer: My MASERATI GT AND/OR MY PORSCHE CAYENNE.

QUESTION: If the new Alfa Giulia came to town…..will you buy one?

Answer: VERY LIKELY SINCE IT’S GOT BOTH THE MASERATI AND ALFA ROMEO DNA.