China's rich last year did something that few associate them with these days: They showed some restraint.

China was knocked off its perch as the world's biggest buyer of Rolls-Royce cars, just one year after it overtook the U.S. for the first time.

The wealthy Chinese have fallen in love with the prestigious ride in recent years. First introduced in the country in 2003, the Rolls-Royce has ascended in a way that is even more impressive given China's rich have to pay substantially more than their Western peers for the cars, thanks to import duties and luxury taxes. The average Chinese buyer splurges on average four million yuan, or about $640,000, for a highly customized model, about 30% more than what Americans pay for the same car.

But in 2012, China slipped to second place, with the U.S. returning as the best-selling region, according to sales numbers released by the company last week.

The maker of the Phantom and Ghost models didn't break down sales by country, but said it sold a total of 3,575 cars world-wide, which is 37 more cars than it sold in 2011.

'Last year was a tale of two halves in China,' said Paul Harris, Asia Pacific director for Rolls-Royce. 'The first half was a slowdown, but the second half, we started to see a recovery,' he added. He said the shaky economic climateaffected sales, and many customers were waiting to see the new Phantom models, which weren't available for delivery until the second half of the year.

Still, overall sales volumes in China were greater in 2012 than the previous year, and about one out of every four of the company's cars in the world are delivered to China, he said.

Mr. Harris added that Chinese buyers still overwhelmingly opt for so-calledextended wheelbase models cars that are extra-long to give extra space in the back seats.

These cars were initially developed for the Chinese market, whose Rolls-Royce owners prefer to be driven rather than drive themselves.

'We see clients are doing meetings in the backs of their cars between cities,' said Mr. Harris, who added that 90% of models sold are the longer cars.

The majority of buyers are self-made entrepreneurs in their 30s and 40s, much younger than Rolls-Royce owners in the West who are typically in their 50s.

China's Rolls-Royce dealerships continue to be the world's best sellers. The Beijing dealership resumed its place at the top, outdoing Abu Dhabi, which came in second. Shanghai was ranked third, one spot ahead of Beverly Hills, Calif.

The company has 15 dealerships in the country and just opened its newest showroom on Friday in Nanjing.

Rolls-Royce has also been successful in tailor-making special limited-edition cars for the Chinese market, most recently with its 6.6 million yuan 'Year of the Dragon' model, which was sold-out 'immediately as we announced it' in 2011, said Mr. Harris. Expect a new special edition for the Chinese market to be rolled out soon, he said, though he wouldn't divulge any details about the design or the theme.

Jason Chow

• associate [ə´səuʃieit]   v.联合a.同伴的n.伙伴   (初中英语单词)
• wealthy [´welθi]   a.富有的；丰富的   (初中英语单词)
• western [´westən]   a.西的；西方的   (初中英语单词)
• import [im´pɔ:t, ´impɔ:t]   vt.&n.进口；输入   (初中英语单词)
• luxury [´lʌkʃəri]   n.奢侈(品)；享受   (初中英语单词)
• director [di´rektə]   n.指导者；....长；导演   (初中英语单词)
• climate [´klaimit]   n.气候；特殊气候地带   (初中英语单词)
• waiting [´weitiŋ]   n.等候；伺候   (初中英语单词)
• available [ə´veiləbəl]   a.可用的；有效的   (初中英语单词)
• previous [´pri:viəs]   a.先，前，以前的   (初中英语单词)
• driven [´driv(ə)n]   drive 的过去分词   (初中英语单词)
• impressive [im´presiv]   a.给人深刻印象的   (高中英语单词)
• pacific [pə´sifik]   a.和平的；温和的   (高中英语单词)
• delivery [di´livəri]   n.送交；分娩；交货   (高中英语单词)
• so-called [´sou ´kɔ:ld]   a.所谓的，号称的   (高中英语单词)
• edition [i´diʃən]   n.版本；很相似的   (高中英语单词)
• overtook [,əuvə´tuk]   overtake的过去式   (英语四级单词)
• substantially [səb´stænʃəli]   ad.大体上；本质上   (英语六级单词)
• phantom [´fæntəm]   n.幽灵；幻影 a.幻想的   (英语六级单词)
• affected [ə´fektid]   a.做作的；假装的   (英语六级单词)
• extended [iks´tendid]   a.伸长的；广大的   (英语六级单词)