Vehicle modding no longer all-boys club

Modified cars provide customers with a sense of freedom, adventure and personality. [Photo by Zhang Wei / China Daily]

Display of taste

"The volume of the market has been doubling every year for three years in a row," he said at the fourth China Cross-Country and Modified Vehicle Trade Show.

"People, especially females, are waking up to the fact that a vehicle is more than a brand- it is a display of taste and personality."

Ke Le, founder and leader of Traversing Off-Road Vehicle Club, witnessed how the club evolved over three years from an all-male group to one that has one female in every five members.

"Many of them were introduced to us by their male friends and family members. It has now become part of their life, and they are just as passionate as the guys," Ke said.

While many of the female drivers are trying their hands at places close to home, some are looking for challenges further afield.

Hua Chao, a 28-year-old who works in finance, started driving modified off-road vehicles in 2010 after borrowing one from a friend.

She instantly fell in love with the generous view the vehicle provides.

"The sense of freedom and openness was incomparable, not to mention its drivability," she said.

Keen for adventure, Hua has driven to places like the Bashang grassland in Hebei province and Hulun Buir in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region.

Hua is now saving up to buy her first off-road vehicle, and she is looking for something around the price range of 300,000 yuan.

"I hope I can have it within three years. And the first place I'm going to would be Tibet," Huang said as she searched for the perfect pick at the trade fair.

Even within the crowded city of Beijing, driving a personalized vehicle creates a different experience, one that has less pressure and more excitement, said Zhang Na, a 29-year-old fashion buyer.

A diversity of creative cars is on display at the fourth China Cross-Country and Modified Vehicle Trade Show.

"Ordinary vehicles simply can't ignite my passion for driving," Zhang said.

Every morning when she opens her windows, the first thing she sees is her modified BMW M3 racecar.

"As soon as I see it, I can feel the energy swelling in me. Driving the car gives me the same satisfaction as other women get from luxury bags," she said.

Zhang had the wheel hubs of her BMW modified from 18 inches to 19 inches. An Ohlins suspension system was added to allow the car to run closer to ground to get more traction.