Luxury cars are big boys' toys
By Mark South (China Daily)
Updated: 2006-06-02 09:31 According to Virginia Killory, Ferrari's communications manager
in Shanghai, customers are offered a "Corso Pilota" race-track driving course, a
chance to vent the frustrations that arise when your six-speed, 700 horse-power
car rarely gets out of third gear.
"We run courses to teach customers how
to drive their cars safely and also to give them the opportunity to indulge in
the kind of driving experience they cannot have on the public roads," she
said.
German company Porsche, whose latest Carrera GT retails at
an eye-watering 6.8 million yuan (US$850,000), also sees the Chinese market as
one ripe for exploitation.
Shifting just 390 cars on the mainland in 2004,
sales last year took off, more than doubling to 857. By the end of this year,
Porsche plans to have 20 dealerships across the country.
But, as some
have painfully discovered, the reality of owning a marquee brand does not always
live up to the fantasy.
Shanghai restaurateur Dong Rongting ordered his 3
million yuan (US$370,000) Ferrari more than three years ago and has been
embroiled in legal action almost ever since.
After successfully suing the
dealership for its delayed delivery of the car, which arrived a full year later
than promised, and receiving 1.7 million yuan (US$212,000) compensation, Dong
has since taken the dealer to court a second time claiming the car does not run
properly.
Declining to talk to China Daily
yesterday for "legal reasons," one thing is clear: Dong's high-octane dream has
been a big disappointment.
(For more biz stories, please visit Industry Updates)
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