The value of the gifts is irrelevant, says Miss Audrey Tay, who received a customised hot pink Bentley Continental GT from her father on her 18th birthday.

"But rather, knowing that my parents are always thinking of me is what I cherish," adds the Singapore Institute of Management undergrad in an e-mail interview with The New Paper on Sunday.

"I was extremely grateful and happy when my dad bought me the pink Bentley. I saw it as more than just a present, it was also a gesture that my parents trusted me and were giving me more freedom, as I was able to drive myself around once I got my licence.

"My dad got it specially customised in pink as he knows it is my favourite colour. In fact, my whole room is in pink including the walls and carpet."

And the photo of the gift she posted on her Instagram account (@audreytayy) catapulted her to social media fame overnight.

Miss Audrey Tay's father gave her a Porsche for her 20th birthday (above). PHOTO COURTESY OF AUDREY TAY

She now has over 9,500 followers online. Miss Tay, 21, says she did not ask for the Bentley or the Porsche 911 Turbo that she got on her 20th birthday last year.

"I didn't have any particular preference but it was a pleasant surprise. My dad is a petrolhead and has his own collection of supercars."

But she did not expect the second car.

Says Miss Tay: "After a couple of years with the Bentley, with the car being a bit on the large side, it can be hard to find parking, more difficult to manage, and not as sporty as I'd like.

"I think the Porsche is a good fit for me as it is small, nimble and most importantly, fast."

"We traded in my Bentley and got a good price on the Porsche so it all worked out for the best in the end."

Miss Tay declines to share the prices of her supercars, but a check with Bentley Singapore indicates that a brand new Bentley Continental GT costs between $850,000 and $900,000.

Miss Audrey Tay's 18th birthday present from her dad was a Bentley Continental GT. PHOTO: INSTAGRAM / AUDREY TAY

DESIGNER BAGS

Other than cars, she has also received presents that include expensive handbags and high-end luxury watches from her parents.

Miss Tay says: "I have some bags from Hermes including the Birkin, Kelly and Lindy, which I think are gorgeous. I have recently started looking into timepieces like the Audemars Piguet which my dad just bought for me."

She adds: "When my dad is not around, I usually ask my mum when I fancy something."

Prices for a Birkin bag start at $12,000, while the starting price for an Audemars Piguet watch is $19,900.

Miss Tay acknowledges that she leads a privileged life but insists that she remains grounded.

"Being the youngest child and the only daughter in the family, my dad pampers me quite a bit. I always accompany my dad at home when he is not travelling for work and do my best to study hard," she says.

"I also contribute to welfare societies and charities to make him proud and give back to the community.

"Through the process of growing up and seeing more of the world and society around me, I am starting to see and understand how important it is to help the ones around us, to contribute positively to society as a useful person, and ultimately devote more time and energy to helping the less fortunate."

She is also aware that some netizens may think that she is showing off on social media, but she is not affected by the negative comments.

"I feel that by having an overall positive vibe and staying true to myself, these haters will not affect me," she says.

"I usually just ignore them. Plus recently I haven't been getting any hate at all."