Beijing ( CNN ) -- After focusing on `` green cars '' in recent years , carmakers are wowing visitors at the Auto China 2012 car show with vehicles that are big , bad and gas-guzzling . `` I would definitely be interested if the price was right , '' says Wang Xizhen as he ogled a deep purple Aston Martin DBS . Aston Martin launched its Dragon 88 China-only limited edition this week . With gold dragon emblems embroidered onto its leather seats , the car also carries a hefty price tag - more than 5 million yuan ( nearly $ 800,000 ) . Jeep also launched a China-inspired car -- a flashy Wrangler concept car emblazoned with a long silvery dragon across the hood . `` Jeep brand sales in China in 2011 increased 81 % over the prior year and China , '' said Mike Manley , CEO of Jeep Brand , Chrysler group , at the unveiling on Monday . `` Last year , more Jeep vehicles were sold in China than in any other country besides the U.S. and Canada . '' Manley said because the brand is committed to China , it 's important to design and tailor vehicles specifically to Chinese tastes . But some consumers , like Wang , disagreed . `` Just because it has a dragon on it , does n't mean Chinese people will love it . After all , we 're after going after a western brand , '' said Wang . `` I like the subtlety of Aston Martin 's dragon design , but to put a huge dragon across the entire car is going overboard . '' Jeep and Aston Martin are among many foreign automakers hoping to woo hundreds of thousands of Chinese consumers visiting the show this week , especially as China has become the world 's largest auto market amid a sales slump in Europe and tepid growth in the United States . Despite the push in green cars in previous years following government subsidies for cleaner vehicles , this year 's focus turned to gas-guzzling SUVs . Crowds swooned over the new Lamborghini Urus SUV concept car -- a potential competitor to the popular Porsche Cayenne . Ford also unveiled three SUVs at the show , including the EcoSport , which is expected to be manufactured at the company 's China factory in Chongqing . `` SUVs are a strength for Ford globally and here in China , the SUV segment is one of the fastest growing segments in the industry , '' said Joe Hinrichs , president of Ford 's Asia Pacific and Africa region . `` So you put the two together ... it 's a very exciting time . '' Automakers have turned their attention to bigger cars and flashier cars to attract consumers since there are fewer government-backed incentives to pursue green technology , analysts say . `` It costs automakers about the same to manufacture a hybrid versus an SUV—so it 's not profitable for them to pursue green cars given the market development for SUVs right now , '' said Zhang Xin , an analyst at Guotai Jun'an Securities , based in Beijing . `` If you take into account China 's widening wealth-poverty gap—it 's a huge factor in luxury automakers in business . '' Chinese auto sales -- which surged to 35 % in 2010 -- showed signs of cooling in the first quarter of this year with just 2 % growth . For high-end automakers like Rolls Royce , their bet on the China—their largest market—remains optimistic . `` It is really hard to predict growth rates , because when you look back nobody could have predicted the growth rates we 've seen over the last couple of years , '' said Torsten Müller-Ötvös , CEO of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars , Ltd. `` Since last year , we 've seen growth rates of 50 to 60 % , something I would definitely would not expect this year , but there 's definitely sustainable growth to come . '' But analysts like Zhang say with the demand , also comes pollution and infrastructure challenges . `` Experts here still say that China falls behind on the number of drivers it could have—whereas there are on average 140 drivers for 1,000 people in the world , China only has about 50 for every 1,000 , '' said Zhang . `` But they do n't take into consideration population density and infrastructure challenges . '' But for drivers like Zhang , who says he can only afford a local brand now but may upgrade to an Audi SUV in the near future , owning car is about convenience and comfort . `` I do n't know many drivers who would be concerned about creating more pollution , '' said Zhang , a 26-year-old law student . `` We just want travel in comfort and get to our destination on time . ''
Big , bad and gas - guzzling cars are center stage at Auto China shows . This after recent Beijing car shows dominated by ` ` green '' cars . Chinese car makers have launched a variety of vehicles aimed at Chinese consumers . Chinese car sales grew only 2 % the first quarter of 2012 .