Top 12 Luxury Cars to take over China: Flippin-rich Chinese love the high-life

there is no GL-55, i'm assuming they meen g-55

— EvoAudi (View Profile)

Posted on 4/19/2007 9:42:29 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -3   

Where's the LS, S550, 7 Series?

— david999 (View Profile)

Posted on 4/19/2007 9:42:48 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -2   

Odd spectrum of cars. There's the Infiniti G35, and only two cars above it is the Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG?

— S4cabriofoxone (View Profile)

Posted on 4/19/2007 10:15:08 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

New money, no surprise (look at Korea).

A quick war can change all that though, as well as slave-labour competition from their neighbours.

I find it odd that most top end models aren't listed, and I don't see Porsche anywhere.

Are these the real deal, or just knock-offs?

— huu76 (View Profile)

Posted on 4/19/2007 10:30:22 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

i think it might be because the LS, 7, A8, and S are just too expensive. yah there are lots of rich people, but import taxes makes those cars much more expensive than here in the US. thats why a lot of them are imported privately. dont forget the domestic luxury cars...

— gsh23 (View Profile)

Posted on 4/19/2007 10:57:26 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -2   

so much for communism

— neutral (View Profile)

Posted on 4/20/2007 1:51:11 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

China is still quite authoritarian though, despite the fact that Deng Xiaoping was very forward looking in many ways after some horrendous failures. the Liaisons provided to you by the government do attempt to limit your access to certain things. I do happen to say this as someone with a Chinese Visa in my passport.

And there are still massive issues with intellectual property..

— cdoke (View Profile)

Posted on 4/20/2007 1:39:31 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

Where are the Buicks we've been hearing are so popular in China?

— Will_ (View Profile)

Posted on 4/20/2007 2:04:41 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

Have you driven an XKR or a Bentley?

— Agent63 (View Profile)

Posted on 4/20/2007 5:05:56 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

I did see the list. Do you not notice 9 of the 12 are considered entry level cars? The G55 is not a luxury car, it's a reliable workhorse repriced for the stupid.

Big deal, so RR sold 3 cars in a market of 1.4 billion. Where are the actual figures? % is easily distorted by low volume. You really think the 3 guys who bought a RR are merely smart businessmen? They're more likely related to some gov't official, or operate front companies for the gov't?

You fools should learn to think for yourselves rather than just listen to what so-called "experts" say. The Chinese gov't is NOT capitalist, they're opportunists and deceptive and the common ppl (99.9%) are unfortunately just tools. Bet no one knew China, the self proclaimed superpower, European saviour and poster-girl for know-nothing "entrepreneurs", still collected welfare cheques (i.e. foreign aid) in 2005.
http://www.economist.com/daily/chartgallery/displaystory.cfm?story_id=8981066

Let the currency float and the dragon would fold like a Made in China suit.

— huu76 (View Profile)

Posted on 4/20/2007 8:04:46 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

Just a few things:

Some time ago, but not long enough to lose its import, I recall reading an article in the Economist about China's supposed growth rate. At the time it was recorded as being rather high, but not to 11%. Basically the Economist called B.S. on the numbers. They interviewed some people and found that at each locality the numbers were being fudged in order to make both people and provinces look better.

I believe they suggested an actually of between 3.5-5% or something like it. That may be incorrect as well, the point though is that one should remain skeptical of some numbers that we read.

Mao had a singular gift when it came to controlling people. One of the most effective ways to do this is to first deify yourself, and second, indoctrinate kids [very easy to do] such that their allegiance is ONLY to you. One of the best ways to control people is through their children. You have a spy in every household with a child, and they are more likely to tell. You make yourself or what you are doing or stand for a religion.

As far as revolting, to say that it is easy is an oversimplification.

Now this isn't to say that this is unique to China, but most certainly more planned. Americans view the Constitution as sacrosanct. The painting in the dome of the Capitol is called "The Apotheosis of Washington." Literally, "The Deification of Washington," and it depicts Washington as well as some other founding fathers as gods.

In addition, there are some interesting things that may seem innocent but really are not. One of the typical behaviors of these youth cults is that they repeat vows of dedication over and over without real understanding of what it means. This occurs in the United States: when kids say the "Pledge of Allegiance" in schools; that is a form of indoctrination.

Lastly, China is not Capitalist in that they have no transparency and are not liberal [again, not in the idiotic bastardized journalistic sense, which some troglodyte just made up. I mean in the actual sense of the definition]. Those are requisites for the system.

— cdoke (View Profile)

Posted on 4/21/2007 5:51:25 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Before some1 bashes china as a country I advice them to give it a visit......

— M53R (View Profile)

Posted on 4/22/2007 9:40:53 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

It says in the title luxury "cars" not luxury boats..... just kidding.

— M53R (View Profile)

Posted on 4/23/2007 8:50:17 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Lexus ALWAYS understates their 0 - 60 times by at least .5 seconds. Here are the results of the 5 Top Luxury Cars in this test which was reported in the January Issue of Car and Driver. Please note these tests were all done on the same day at about the same time and at the same altitude. The results reflect the average of 3 runs and all cars are the 2007 vintage.

Mercedes S550 5.6, 0 - 60 quarter mile in 14.1 (Benz specs show 5.4)
BMW 750iL 5.7, 0 - 60 quarter mile in 14.2
Jag XJ Super 6.0 0 - 60 quarter mile 14.5
Lexus LS460L 6.2 0 - 60 quarter mile 14.6
Audi A8 6.8 0 - 60 quarter mile 15.2

Note that Lexus, as usual, is more than the 5.4 the manufacturer CLAIMS to get by .8 seconds.

Also note the LS430 (prior model the LS460 replaced) was rated at 295 HP and was actually 278 when Lexus corrected their rating. And there were no refunds or apologies from the so-called "quality" car company. ABC - Always Be Careful what you buy from the Lexus people.....

— bevisroy (View Profile)

Posted on 4/26/2007 6:38:14 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0