While the economy is still struggling with difficulties, the number of luxury cars has remained on the rise in the year to date. Figures from the authorized importers of luxury sedan megabrands Rolls Roye and Maybach show that 80 vehicles of the two models have arrived in the country. “As of mid-November, as many as 20 luxury cars are being used in Vietnam,” said Michael Behrens, CEO of the Mercedes – Benz Vietnam joint-venture, which is the guarantee agency of Maybach in Vietnam. Vietnam remains an important market of Maybach in Southeast Asia, despite the exorbitant import tariff and tightened import policies from the government, he said. All of Maybach’s cars in Vietnam are second-hand, and the country has imported cars of models such as 57, 57S, 62, and 62S, which cost $460,000 each in the US, and the Zeppelin series, which fetches $670,000 per vehicle. Meanwhile, 32 Rolls Royce sedans have registered for maintenance and repair services at Euro Auto, its representative in Vietnam, a company spokesperson said. However, insiders said this is only some 40 to 50 percent of the real number of Rolls Royce cars in Vietnam. In 2012 the English company produced 33 Rolls Royce Phantom special editions, whose post-tax price is an enormous $1.7 million in Vietnam. Four of these luxury vehicles have been shipped to Vietnam as of last May, the company spokesperson said. “Vietnam is also the very first buyer of the Rolls Royce Phantom special edition, as local customers have purchased the first two cars in the series,” he added.