Chinese car makers looking to appeal to their consumers global tastes have turned to "the billionaire pedigree," or creating a premium brand around a wealthy CEO, and the hiring of executives from European car companies.

These steps can help car-makers eliminate the baggage of the past and convince customers to pay higher sticker prices, said Stephen Dyer, a partner with Bain & Company in the firm's Shanghai office.

“It may be helpful to emphasize that though the brand is Chinese-owned, it relies on global resources, so it’s not a ‘Chinese car’ per se,” Dyer said.