Cadillac Cafe

 Pricey wheels do pretty well, too. The Rolls-Royce outlet in Beijing is one of the brand's top-selling dealerships. And Bentley Beijing has sold a half-dozen 728 stretch limos, the world’s most expensive car, at $1.2 million each. That is more stretch limos than any other dealership in the world. For thriftier millionaires without an extra million to drop on transportation, Cadillac, Mercedes, or BMW are eager to help. Shoppers at any of a dozen "Cadillac Experience Centers" in the mainland, for instance, can relax on a black leather sofa and enjoy a glass of Rosemount Cabernet in the "Cadillac Cafe" while browsing through photo-rich brochures that describe the brand's 102-year history. "Our whole showroom supports our brand: It's modern, sophisticated, and not your traditional luxury vehicle," says Stuart J. Pierce, who oversees the Cadillac brand at Shanghai General Motors Co. (GM ).

Now the luxury goods marketers are looking far beyond Beijing and Shanghai to find China's millionaires. Cadillac plans to have 40 showrooms in China by the end of 2007, and last year dispatched a 1959 El Dorado convertible on a seven-city "heritage tour" to drum up interest nationwide. At this year’s ice festival in the frigid northern city of Harbin, watchmaker Cartier created a massive ice replica of its flagship Paris store. "Our aim is to have the second- and third-tier cities become a more important part of our business," says Daniel Chang, who oversees Cartier's sales in northern China. 

Lately, China's new moneyed class has become interested in more than just fast cars, flashy threads, and extravagant timepieces. Growing numbers of mainlanders are snapping up everything from ancient scrolls and traditional ink paintings to French Impressionists. Christie's International says mainland buyers account for 20% of purchases at its Hong Kong auctions, compared with virtually none five years ago. And while most collectors prefer Chinese art, mainlanders now bid on Renoirs, Monets, and Van Goghs in New York and London, and a Shanghai businessman paid $1 million for a Picasso in a private sale. "There's tremendous potential," says Ken Yeh, deputy chairman of Christie's Asia. 

Even as the likes of Cartier, Christie's, and Cadillac try to separate China's millionaires from their wealth, others aim to help them preserve it. Although foreign banks are barred from marketing their offshore services inside China, they are discretely wooing mainland clients via their Hong Kong offices, figuring those who have made money abroad are fair game. And soon, banking regulations in the mainland are to be relaxed. "In the long term, China can surpass Japan as a major market for wealth management," says Kaven Leung, who oversees Citigroup's private banking efforts in China.