The Chinese have a predisposition towards crazy expensive bespoke cars, and German tuner company Carlsson Autotechnik is exactly the tuning shop to deliver them.
Zhongsheng Group Holdings Ltd., a Chinese auto dealer company, has taken hold of 70 percent of German tuner Carlsson, to cater to the large demand for custom cars with beefed up engines. Zhongsheng sold roughly $47 million last year in aftermarket accessories alone, making the investment into Carlsson seem very sensible. Mercedes-Benz, Audi and BMW have become such common nameplates in China that it takes something truly special to stand out anymore, and that is here Carlsson comes in.
Zhongsheng has plans to open up an exclusive Carlsson dealership somewhere in China, as well as manufacturing facilities that will produce the body and tuning kits. All of these aftermarket parts are approved by Mercedes-Benz, which makes the cars more desirable as the warranty is still valid, even with the aftermarket add-ons.
[Source: Reuters]
