'A lot of pressure'

Car modeling on average pays more than other types of modeling - 3,000 to 50,000 yuan a day - because it's more demanding physically and mentally, Fang said.

Miao Doudou, a 20-year-old rookie car model, said she cried after her feet swelled by two sizes at the end of the first day working for Geely Holding Group at the Shanghai show.

"Being a car model is no piece of cake," she said. "The high-heeled shoes eat your feet. The loud music, the chaotic scene and the flashing lights make you feel dizzy. At the end of the day, my face is so numb that it's hard to squeeze out a smile.

"And you really work long hours. Though each presentation is short, you have to stay at the show all day long." Miao arrives at 7 am, two hours before the show opens, to get her dresses and makeup done and leaves after the show closes at 6 pm.

But the biggest headache, Miao said, is coping with the many "over-passionate" photographers and spectators. "Sometimes they would suddenly rush up and take photos with you. But you have to put up with it and be polite because it's about the carmakers' brand image.

"Some photographers are evil. They won't take your picture when you look perfect. They wait for slip-ups, such as when you unwittingly frown a little bit out of exhaustion. So it's a lot of pressure."

"Over-passionate" fans are not such a problem for Wei Guoqiang, a rare male car model, but he does find that his pants do not fit well after he stands for hours and his legs swell. "It's tiring, but I prefer doing it, because car modeling pays more than other jobs and working opportunities are abundant."

Ma Jian, a program manager and model with New Silk Road Model Management, one of China's biggest model agencies, thinks that modeling in the auto sector has the potential to go beyond striking poses.

"This type of standing-beside-the-car modeling is just the preliminary stage. Car models can blend in more by appearing in test-drive events and auto-club meetings," Ma said.

"I believe there are many new ways of involvement that we can develop. Car modeling as a profession has big potential in China."

Li Fangfang contributed to this report.