Bold talk and proud buyers

Mercedes Car Group sales and marketing chief Joachim Schmidt handed crystal keys to the mainland's first two Maybach owners at Auto China in Beijing on June 8, and said: 'From today, Maybach 62 and Maybach 57 will officially come into the mainland China market. Later this year Maybach showrooms will be set up in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.'

However, the location of the revived marque's Beijing showroom and the dates of its Shanghai and Guangzhou bases' launch aren't known.

One of the owners was identified by The New York Times as James Wang, a 27-year-old developer of golf courses and luxury homes. According to the newspaper, Wang spent 'the equivalent of US$900,000, including taxes' on a silver Maybach 62 that has already been delivered to his home.

The report said Wang 'was vague about how he could afford a car that costs the equivalent of

1,200 years' wages

for a typical Chinese factory worker'.