A Chinese man identified only by his surname Wang hired men to smash his $423,000 Maserati Quattroporte with sledgehammers in front of onlookers at the Qingdao International Auto Show on Tuesday. The stunt was in protest of a $390 bill charged by dealership Furi Group after the owner took the Maserati back to have a problem fixed. He says the dealership tried to pass second hand parts as new spare ones.
Watch the video below to see the Maserti being smashed up.
"I hope foreign luxury car producers acknowledge clearly that Chinese consumers are entitled to get the service that is commensurate with the brand," Wang reportedly said, adding that Maserati China -- the Maserati dealer -- and the insurance company were guilty of fraud.
Qingdao's Maserati dealer issued a statement via China's Twitter-like social media service Sina Weibo: "We deeply regret that before the two sides could reach a result via negotiation, the vehicle owner ... smashed the world famous car in public ... to cause a sensation."
It is not the first time a wealthy car owner has made use of the International Auto Show in Qingdao as a stage for protests. In 2011 a businessman destroyed a Lamborghini he had bought in Germany after he said problems with the engine and other parts were inadequately repaired.
In 2009 China overtook the United States to become the world's largest auto market, with luxury brands especially raking it in as the nation's new rich splurge on fancy cars.
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