Fortunately, Mr. Li's friend Zhang Rongchang is more forthcoming. Aged 30 and a factory owner, he typifies everything I'd been hearing about Chinese buyers from the western firms trying to figure them out and sell them cars. "They are frighteningly young, these people," said one senior source. Bentley's average customer here is now under 35, and Ferrari and Lamborghini's profile is younger still. Contrary to some western views, Chinese buyers are no longer motivated mainly by status and price; this was once the case, the sources tell me, but is rapidly changing. Zhang loves Ferrari's F1 heritage, and loves the agility and noise of his 458 ('better than sex!'). He saw his first Ferrari in 2001 and "it became my dream to buy one." He did it aged 28. "The business was running well. Sometimes your dream comes so quick!"