Year of the Dragon at Beijing Auto Show

Daimler's new 'smart Dragon' car

As many as 800,000 people are attending this week's auto show in Beijing, attracted by dozens of new concept cars and new model-year cars. China is the world's largest market for passenger vehicles; luxury cars accounted for nearly 8% of Chinese auto sales last year. SUV sales are strong, and brands such as Jeep are popular in China for the outdoor lifestyle they represent.

A number of models have been named for the Year of the Dragon, including a super-compact smart car from Daimler (above) and luxury cars such as the Rolls-Royce Year of the Dragon Phantom. The bespoke Phantom, available with many custom options, sold out the entire year's production in only 8 weeks--indicating that the appetite for upmarket consumer goods continues to be very strong in China.

The Aston Martin Dragon88 costs 5 million yuan, not as much as the Phantom, yet buyers are crowding in to look at it and pay deposits, since only 88 of these cars will be produced. For a gallery of photos from the show, click here.