hollywood billionaire

Chapter 455 DB11
“Although Aston Martin looks like a very fashionable and trendy brand, it was actually founded before the First World War, in 1913… Yeah, right? I was shocked to hear this on my first day of training here.”

"In other words, Aston Martin was producing cars 26 years before Ferrari was born, we were racing in the French Grand Prix six years before Enzo Ferrari decided to form a team, and while Ferrari was struggling with its first model, the 125 S, and had only produced two examples, we were already establishing our second dynasty - the David Brown dynasty."

The courtyard space on the other side of Aston Martin's Beverly Hills branch also seems very cramped, with seven new cars densely placed, one next to the other, with the rearview mirrors on both sides only an inch apart.

There is a black awning above the head, a few steps away is the trash can of Beverly Municipal Services, opposite is the ivy that covers the entire wall, and behind the ivy is the private residence. Los Angeles is such a big cake with extremely poor urban planning, and the high cost of land in Beverly Hills is always reflected in such the most abrupt and inappropriate details.

At this moment, Austin Day was standing in front of the trash can, and together with the two assistants waiting beside him, he tried his best to block the unsightly object to ensure that the experience of the two distinguished guests would not be affected by anything other than the sports car.

"It sounds like you guys are really obsessed with Ferrari." Han Yi did not suppress his desire to complain.

“Haha, yes, we often use Ferrari as a comparison because most customers are most familiar with Ferrari, and by providing these little stories and data, they will also have a deeper understanding and appreciation of our brand.”

Obviously, this isn’t the first time Austin has answered this question. Using different stimuli to spark conversations, from casual small talk to in-depth conversations, is a must-have skill for any high-end sales professional.

"Today, many of Aston Martin's most beautiful cars carry the DB prefix - DB is the abbreviation of David Brown, the Huddersfield businessman who bought Aston Martin in 1947 and Lagonda a year later. Before the Second World War, Aston Martin was a small-volume sports car manufacturer, with the highest annual output before the war being 1937 cars in 170. After Brown took over, he was committed to helping Aston Martin transform into a large-scale automotive supplier, and the way he achieved this goal was to launch the DB series."

"After three years of concept car testing, in 1950 Aston Martin launched its first mass-produced model, the DB2. Designed by WO Bentley, the Lagonda 2.6-liter straight-six engine, coupled with Aston Martin's most proud body structure, this model in many ways set a good template for future models. Although only 2 DB410s were produced, this number is already a lot for a small Aston Martin, fully helping Brown prove his value as a visionary leader of a new generation."

"In the following decade, Aston Martin has been launching new models step by step, DB2/4, DB Mk III, DB4, and then the most famous DB5."

"That James Bond car, right?" Han Yi asked.

“Yes, the James Bond car,” Austin nodded with a smile. “If there’s one car that defines Aston Martin, it’s this, the DB5. You know, interestingly enough, Connery’s Bond was supposed to drive a Jaguar E-Type, but Jaguar wanted the film studio to buy the car rather than give it to them for free. In the end, MGM called Aston Martin, and the DB5 earned its place in history.”

"The reason why I chose Aston Martin for you is actually because of this, baby." Yuzhen, who still held Han Yi's arm tightly, patted his chest, "DB5, James Bond, and Goldfinger."

"Sean Connery is the best Bond," Austin agreed.

"What do you mean?" Han Yi twisted his lips and gave Youzhen a puzzled look. "Do you want me to be James Bond, or do you think there is anything about me that can be related to Sean Connery?"

"I think that Britain seems to be more suitable for you than the United States," Yuzhen replied.

"Is the UK more suitable for me?"

"There's that... indescribable little feeling about you."

"That sounds creepy."

"That's right..." Yuzhen raised her eyes and thought for a moment, "Compared to a sweatshirt and jeans, you are more suitable for wearing Anthony Sinclair's three-piece suit... Oh, yes, a three-piece suit. Next time I should take you to have one custom-made."

Before this gift was even given away, Yuzhen had already started planning the next gift.

Compared to receiving things, giving things to people she likes seems to make Yuzhen feel more happy and satisfied.

“Yes, I agree with Ms. Han, I can definitely see that in you.”

Although he didn't know what "little feeling" the newlywed wife found in her husband, Austin Day really wanted to make this deal.

"You are definitely someone who can take a classic three-piece wool suit to its fullest. As the saying goes, luxury is a silk handkerchief floating out of the pocket of a bespoke suit, while extravagance is wearing such a bespoke suit while speeding through Monte Carlo in the moonlight, accompanied by the roar of an Aston Martin engine."

"And there's the symphony of bullets bouncing off the armored shells." Han Yi added humorously.

"Haha, yes, a James Bond-style life. My God, Mr. Han, I have to say that your wife knows every detail and characteristic of you and knows how to make the most of them. For you, the key to all the answers in life is definitely a good suit and a brand new Aston Martin DB11."

Austin-Day brought the conversation back to the point in just a few words.

“The most successful Aston Martin since the DB5, and the one most faithful to the brand’s founding spirit, has been the DB2004, launched in 9. It was a true return to James Bond-style Aston Martin, with an all-new chassis, an Ian Callum-designed body, a large aluminium-clad structure and a V7 engine that was even better than the DB12 Vantage. We sold 16500 of these bad boys and it was without doubt one of Aston Martin’s greatest commercial home runs.”

"In fact, it was so successful that we sold it for 12 years without changing the name, just introducing a few refinements and tweaking a few details here and there, until this year. Because it wasn't until this year that we could say with confidence that Aston Martin had designed a completely and thoroughly upgraded version."

“As the true successor to the DB9, the DB11 features a turbocharger, a 5.2-litre V12 engine, a completely new body and a significantly upgraded interior for the first time in the series’ history. In fact, I would venture to say – and the great Jeremy Clarkson himself has said the same – that the DB11 is even more stunning in its design language than the DB5.”

"I don't know much about cars. When I bought a car before, I just randomly picked a good brand that was safe and good-looking... The Audi store happened to be the closest to me." Hearing this, Zhao Youzhen raised his head and looked at Han Yi, "This time, I actually studied it for a long time, but I really don't understand those engine parameters... cylinder configuration, number of valves, engine torque, acceleration from 0 to 100 kilometers, etc. But then I realized that you didn't seem to be that interested in cars and hadn't studied it to that extent."

"Then why did you give me the car?" Han Yi laughed in silence.

"Because this is the most valuable gift I can afford right now - the most valuable gift among all the things that are useful to you." Yuzhen answered seriously, "I can't buy you a bunch of diamonds like you did? That's too exaggerated."

"But I don't need an expensive gift, dear." When he said this, Han Yi's identity was fake, but the content was sincere. "As long as it's a gift from you, even if it's a teddy bear keychain, I will like it and wear it every day until it fades completely."

"I want to give you a car and a teddy bear. Don't worry, I'll buy you whatever you like." Zhao Youzhen was unmoved. "Also, don't worry, everything I bought is our joint property... Don't forget, we are husband and wife."

"Will the United States recognize a wedding held in Italy?" Han Yi continued to act according to the script, even adding a few small details to increase credibility. "This is over. I've been deceived."

As soon as these words were spoken, Austin Day and his two assistants all laughed in cooperation.

"Did you two get married in Italy?" one of the female assistants asked softly. She needed to help Austin to build closer relationships with clients in these aspects. "How romantic! Where in Italy?"

“Lake Como.”

Han Yi and Zhao Youzhen spoke in unison and then smiled at each other.

"Oh, Cuomo!" The female assistant's expression and tone were equally exaggerated, "I love Cuomo so much, it's simply a paradise on earth!"

"The scenery is great, but when you have to welcome two hundred guests arriving in Milan at different times and arrange for them to go to the suburbs one by one by bus, you will know how tiring it is to hold a wedding there," Han Yi said seriously.

"Were there 200 people?" Yuzhen asked seriously, "Why did I feel like there weren't that many people there?"

“The lawn is so big that it looks rather empty.”

"Outdoor weddings are the best!" The female assistant continued to act as a supporting role, "Which hotel?"

"It wasn't held in the hotel." Han Yi glanced at Zhao Youzhen and replied with a smile, "It was held in Villa Barbianello."

"Ah——" The three listeners exclaimed collectively.

"Isn't it the one you often see on Instagram, the one with three arches, where the newlyweds can leave directly by boat after the wedding ceremony..." The female assistant gestured and described it.

"Yes." Yuzhen responded with a hint of shyness in her expression, "It's right there."

"what--"

There was another chorus of sighs.

"Since the wedding is held in Europe, the honeymoon will also be in Europe?"

Austin thought for a moment and then asked the next question.

It is not only to allow customers to continue to immerse themselves in happy memories and further enhance the shopping experience, but also to pave the way for his subsequent sales pitch.

"Yes."

The scripted couple looked at each other again and exchanged a knowing look.

"After the wedding, we will head south." Yuzhen began to fantasize.

"Rome." Han Yi followed closely.

"Venice," Yujin added.

“Oh, the sunsets in Venice are the best.”

“Especially from our suite at the St. Regis, the view is unparalleled.”

“After leaving Venice, we stopped in Florence for a day.”

"Hmm, just for one day, there's nothing special to see there."

“The steak was pretty good.”

“Yeah, the steak is good.”

“Then we continued south and spent a week in Capri.”

"The weather is very comfortable, with clear blue skies every day."

The couple chatted with each other and created a honeymoon trip that didn't exist at all.

"It sounds like a dream trip." Austin smiled and clasped his hands together. "So you went to Rome, Venice, Florence... Did you go to Tuscany?"

"Of course." Han Yi nodded in response.

"What month did you go?"

"Nine..." Han Yi cast an inquiring look at Yu Zhen.

"September." This detail was made up by the woman, "early September."

"Tuscany in early September is so comfortable. The weather is sunny but not hot at all, perfect for a drive in the shade of the trees on the country roads...How about Capri? Spend a week on the island? Or take a boat to Positano?"

"Yes." Han Yi cleared his throat and subconsciously hugged Yuzhen's waist. When lying, Han Yi always needs to hold the object closest to him to find a sense of security. "How can I go to Capri without going to Positano, haha."

"This might be my favorite place on this trip." Although goose bumps appeared all over her body from waist to arms to back, and the temperature of her body was rising sharply, Yuzhen still maintained her composure. She licked her lower lip and calmly placed her palm on the back of Han Yi's hand that was holding her.

"I don't care if others say it's too commercial. It's the purest and brightest gem on the Amalfi Coast." Austin pinched his index finger and thumb together, drawing an invisible line in the air. "But it's definitely a very difficult gem to dig... The wind is strong and the waves are rough, and cruise ships often stop sailing. Did you encounter this situation when you went on your honeymoon last time?"

"us……"

Neither of them had been to the Amalfi Coast, Capri Island, or Positano. All their impressions of southern Italy came from travelogues they had read or travel shows they had watched. It was fine to deal with it roughly, but they were at a loss when it came to getting into the details. "I've never encountered it before."

After a brief moment of daze, Han Yi reacted faster and gave a direct negative answer.

"You are really lucky. When my wife and I were traveling, there were three consecutive days of no cruises. We wanted to wait for the cruise ships to resume operation before going to Positano, but we couldn't wait, so on our last day in southern Italy, we rented a Fiat and drove all the way from Sorrento to Positano... Let me tell you, that was the highlight of our trip."

The authenticity of the story is unknown, but Austen told it with great enthusiasm.

"That day, the wind and waves in the bay were very strong. It was said that the wind speed reached 30 kilometers per hour or something. I am not familiar with metric units... Even ships were shaking even when they were docked in the harbor. However, this kind of wind is only dangerous for sailing on the sea, but it is extremely comfortable when blowing on land. We drove the Fiat, rolled down the windows, slowly climbed up and down among the ridges of the Amalfi Coast. On the left was the lush forest, and on the right was the endless blue Mediterranean Sea. The song playing in the car on a loop was the Doors' "Moonlight Drive."

"Hmm..." Han Yi frowned slightly and praised with a smile, "Impeccable music taste."

"Let's swim to the moon, let's climb to the top of the nine waves, let's surrender everything to the world that awaits us, and it's beating softly against our bodies..." Austin hummed a few tuneless lyrics, "It was at that moment that I realized that I might have no choice but to surrender everything to the woman sitting next to me. Imagine that after you buy this car, you can also take it back to the place where you spent your honeymoon and experience the same experience."

"Whether it's between the ridges of Positano or in the fields of Tuscany, whether it's you or she at the helm, the melody of "Moonlight Drive" will slowly flow out from the 11-watt B&O car audio system of DB. You are completely wrapped in the soft light brown leather seats. The world is flying by you, but you don't realize anything. Because, in that completely enclosed space, all you can hear is her humming along with the melody of the Doors, and all she can think about is where you will hug tonight."

"We really should hire you as our honeymoon commentator." With surprise and admiration, Han Yi raised his eyebrows and joked, "regardless of whether there is such a job as a honeymoon commentator in the world."

"my pleasure."

Austin bowed slightly, and he was very satisfied with his performance today. He had prepared a lot of professional introductions for the newlyweds, but after face-to-face communication, he found that Mr. Han was not an avid car enthusiast, and Ms. Han just wanted to give her husband an eye-catching and expensive gift. In other words, what the two people valued more was the emotional value that a new car could bring, which had nothing to do with its technical parameters.

With this baseline in mind, Austin quickly adjusted his strategy, using casual conversation to narrow the psychological distance between the two, bringing them into a familiar situation and telling a story that cleverly implanted the product.

Austin believed that with his clever instigation, the trust fund babes in front of him, who were not short of money to begin with, would definitely play this game of house to the end.

"Honestly, this doesn't just happen when you're in Europe. You can always find a day or two when you both don't have work and... drive out of town and have the same experience. Yosemite, Highway 1, or even just a quick trip to Disneyland. It doesn't matter where you go, the only thing that matters is that when you roll down your windows, you're taking in all the wonder of the world. And when you close your windows, you get to enjoy each other, too."

“You had me at Disney.”

Yuzhen covered her mouth and let out a string of sweet laughter like silver bells.

"I've been in Los Angeles for many years, but I've never been to Anaheim..."

"Baby, when we buy this car, you'll take me to Disneyland in it, okay?"

Who can say no to those eyes?
She's the moonlight.

She's the drive.

She's the waiting worlds that he surrenders to.

One of the waiting worlds.

"I promise you."

The same ripples as Yu Zhen's appeared in Han Yi's eyes.

“This will be our first trip after we buy it—Anaheim, Disneyland.”

"Okay, I'll wait."

Yuzhen took a deep look at the man who made the promise, then gently leaned her head on his shoulder and said to Austin with a faint smile.

"I think we've made our decision. No more models or versions, this is it."

"Great, Ms. Han and Mr. Han, congratulations to both of you."

Austin clapped his hands with a smile on his face and wanted to say something else, but his attention was attracted by a noise behind Han Yi and Zhao Youzhen.

"Perfect timing! Our manager just arrived, hey, Angelica!"

The couple turned around and saw three black suits of different sizes and lengths.

"Let me introduce you to our store manager, Angelica Ortiz, our finance manager, Julie Wall, and our director of customer service, Brian Dooley."

"Thank you all for coming here in such a short time." Han Yi Chong and the other two nodded in greeting.

"But you came at the right time." Yuzhen held Han Yi's hand around her waist, "We just decided to buy this car."

"Oh, that's great news, congratulations!" Angelica's reaction was exactly the same as Austin's, as if their O'Gara car dealership had a unified emotional management manual. "You will love this car. It is a one-of-a-kind custom masterpiece... Austin, have you told them how we got this car? From start to finish."

"That's what I was going to say." Austin glanced at Angelica, then raised his arm, directing Han Yi and Zhao Youzhen to turn their attention back to the car. "Like most high-end luxury car brands, every Aston Martin is hand-built, purely customized, and one is produced for the next order. And that's exactly what we do for most customers who want to buy a DB11 - assisting them in selecting and determining all the specifications and sending the order to the UK factory. Each DB11 is usually completed within six months, and the delivery time is between three and four weeks."

“But we also know that some high-end customers are very time-sensitive and don’t want to waste six months waiting for a car, as the average interval between buying a car and looking for the next one is usually around twelve months.”

At this point, Austin made eye contact with Han Yi, because the latter was the most typical example - less than two months after the two $11 million luxury cars were put into the warehouse, he bought a Bentley Bentayga for commuting, and six or seven months later he came to see the newly launched Aston Martin DB.

Here's the reality: Billionaires may not think they spend huge amounts of money on cars or other luxuries, but when they look back, they'll be surprised at how much they wrote.

If the speed of making money exceeds the speed of spending money, then consumption is no longer a pressure worthy of attention.

“The US market accounts for 10-15% of Aston Martin’s annual sales, and Los Angeles plays a vital role in that 10-15% share. As the only authorized dealer in Southern California, we took several orders for DB11s right after the UK factory opened the assembly line. We took the orders before anyone else outside the UK, so this was actually the first shipment they had shipped overseas.”

"To ensure that the DB11 is an explosive hit as soon as it is launched on the market, each of the cars we ordered has the absolute top configuration. What I mean by this is that the DB11 in front of you has everything that Aston Martin's British factory allows to be customized while maintaining simplicity and elegance. The paint is Knight Grey, which is inspired by the element of Xenon and uses a variety of semi-rough and super-rough coated aluminum. If you look at it in the right light, it even emits a faint blue glow. For the bottom of the body, we chose a high-gloss carbon fiber finish, and it is also equipped with an enhanced spoiler and side skirts to maximize the sporting performance of this sports car."

"As you can see, the grille design is exactly the same as the most classic DB5 grille. Here, we chose a bright finish to restore Aston Martin's most iconic classic appearance. The optional roof is the most popular panoramic glass skylight in recent years. The 21-inch multi-spoke forged wheels are made of satin black diamond polished material, which allows this sports car, which has a very low-key color choice, to retain a certain luxury texture in places that others may not notice. For the braking system, we chose a high-performance carbon ceramic braking system, which can help the vehicle reduce weight by at least 50 pounds and also improve performance to a certain extent."

"We smoked the taillights so that when the brake lights are on, the bright red will not affect the overall texture of the car body. We did not choose high-performance seats because most users do not need to fully replicate the racing-style driving experience. Therefore, we chose more comfortable sports + seats, which strengthen the driver support and adjustability, and support 16-way adjustment of the seats."

"As for the interior, we did not make any bold and adventurous attempts. We played a safe card and a classic card - the main color is agate black, and the secondary color is Oxford brown. We used the most traditional color combination to ensure that it can resonate with most people, or at least... or at least, arouse the least offense. In other aspects, the carpet is also selected to complement the overall color of Obsidian Black, and the sports steering wheel is heated. The interior trim, from the dashboard to the trim on the back of the seat, is made of carbon fiber."

"In addition, we will also send a series of kits with the car. The dustproof car cover is made of knitted polyester fabric with Teflon coating, which is fully windproof and breathable. Floor mats, trunk mats, tire mats, cleaning kits, and... In addition to these regular kits, we have also prepared convenience packs for outdoor sports and emergencies, including LED flashlights, additional portable triangle warning signs, Aston Martin's high-visibility safety clothing... and carefully selected Swissvax leather care and cleaning kits."

"The only option we don't have with the car is the winter wheel and tire package, after all, there is no real winter in Los Angeles and Southern California where you can use the car on a daily basis. Of course, these kits are currently sold separately in the store. If you need to drive this car to Maine or the Great Lakes for long-term use, you can place an order at that time."

"That's all you need to know about this car. The first batch of DB11s to leave the factory, and many more to come, are standard. Aston Martin will not sacrifice road performance to make more money, so every car leaving the factory now has the same engine and performance. We don't recommend you modify this car, as it has been fully tuned and tuned to its maximum potential at the factory, but I don't think you would want to do that."

"We are not interested in modification." Han Yi shook his head, "We are not planning to drive this car on the track."

"Exactly." Austin clasped his hands again. "Do we have any other questions about this car?"

"How much is the current price of this car including all the options?" The most important question has to be asked by Yuzhen, the buyer who pays the money.

"The bare car price is £15.4, which is the factory guide price given to each exclusive dealer in the UK... After adding options and a 2.5% import tax, the total price is £18.5, or $22.6. This is a good deal, as the exchange rate between the pound and the dollar is currently at an all-time low."

"Then the financial policy for this car..."

"Because... Mr. Han is a high-quality customer of O'Gara Car Dealership. Although we don't have a membership plan yet, we will provide the best possible convenience and discounts to the large consumers on record." Angelica answered first, "Normally, the down payment ratio is generally 20%, but we are willing to provide you with a down payment ratio of at least 10%, the same as the down payment ratio for used cars. The financial institutions that cooperate with us can provide a loan interest rate as low as 4.07%."

"I..." Youzhen thought about it in her mind, "I still want a 20% down payment ratio."

"Is it okay?" Han Yi asked in a low voice in Chinese.

"Sure." Yuzhen squeezed Han Yi's palm and gave him a sweet smile, "Don't worry, I have saved some money now... There will be a lot of commission next month."

"If it's not enough, don't try to be brave."

"If it's not enough, you can support me." Yuzhen bit her lower lip, smiled and glanced at her, then continued to ask Angelica, "If it's 20%, how much do I need to pay back every month?"

"The car price is $22.6, the loan period is 42 months, and the interest rate is 4.07%..." Financial Manager Julie Wall took out her portable calculator and typed in a few numbers. "The down payment is $45200, plus the 7.5% sales tax that needs to be paid in advance, so the total initial payment is $64350. The total loan amount is $18.08, and the total interest is... $13489.03. So, the amount you need to pay back every month is $4625.93."

"This is... two months' rent for your apartment." Although the balance in the bank account was already calculated in 100 million, Han Yi still felt a little distressed when he heard this number.

Because the one who has to bear the loan is not him, but the girl who was still worried about the tuition for the next semester half a year ago.

"It's okay. Now I can get $6000 in commission for each performance of Maddie... She's going on tour soon." Yuzhen comforted her, "Don't worry, I'm fine... Didn't I tell you that if I really run out of money, you'll support me."

"You should let me raise her." Han Yi sighed helplessly. Zhao Youzhen said so verbally, but her actions were more stubborn than anyone else. Although she was temporarily staying at 864 Stradella Road these days, she did not waste her time at all and bought a lot of things for her family.

In fact, Xu Yiru and Madison were the same. If there was anything missing at home, they would pay for it out of their own pockets. As a result, Corey, who was responsible for counting the inventory and purchasing items, counted the items at the weekend and found that there was nothing missing, but even a lot more.

If they were really willing to let him support them... his return of the money wouldn't be so slow.

"You think I'm polite? You're on my side for lunch today, dinner...and midnight snacks." Yuzhen continued to show Han Yi her big appetite in Chinese while finalizing the details of the deal with Austin in English. "Is a cashier's draft okay?"

"Sure." Austin tried his best to suppress the upward curve of his lips. "Do you want to...test drive it first?"

"We can just drive away today, right?"

"Yes, after all the signing procedures are completed, Julie will verify with your bank, and you can drive away after the verification is completed."

"Then let's sign the contract first."

"No problem." Several store staff quickly made way for the two of them. "Then please go to our signing room and sit down. I'll ask my assistant to print out the contract and receipt right away."

"last question."

After staring at Zhao Youzhen's profile thoughtfully for a long time, Han Yi suddenly raised his right index finger into the air and spoke.

"Because we got married overseas, there is no record of it here yet."

"So, in order to keep everything within the confines of our marriage…."

"What are the steps to put both of our names on the vehicle registration and jointly own the car?"

(End of this chapter)