They want to most exclusive cars-models that stand out in a traffic jam.
One foreign vehicle salesman says:'Russia is a place where the rice find it quiet normal to buy two or three cars at once, even if they are just flashy, summer toys.'
Daimler Chrysler has a lot of rivals in that niche market, but its Russia prospects still look extremely bright.
Last year, the company celebrated a record 92-per-cent increase in Russia sales.
It put a new Mercedes model encrusted with Swarovski crystals on display in its Moscow showroom.
The ice-blue crystals add €300,000 to the price of the Mercedes SL500, one of the fastest sports cars in the world.