The Hong Qi soft top limo is a fairly iconic car to all Chinese, both in China and out of China. The first Hong Qi was actually named a Dongfeng and based off an earlier Soviet design that Moscow had passed onto Mao to ride into town on for his first big day in Beijing on October 1st 1949. The later Hong Qi’s were actually based off American cars, the first one being the CA72 model which was riding on a Chrysler 300 platform, later models were a mixture of Audi 100′s and Lincoln Town Cars. But for China’s big 60th birthday celebration, Hong Qi is planning to go back to its 1949 roots and has produced a wonderful beast from which Chairman Hu Jintao will inspect his troops:
Its unclear what platform the above Hong Qi might be riding on, its more than likely to be its own special platform, and will have FAW’s domestically designed and produced V12 engine in it. The above Hong Qi is also most likely to be a road worthy version of the concept car that we saw a few years ago in 2006.
Brilliance have also attempted to enter the state limo arena with their own cars, but it seems there attempts have fizzled out.
Omg. that is so ridiculous did they just build this thing on top of a SUV that is just unbelievable, where the hell is the real Hong qi and why do they do that, does that mean all the tanks and weaponry that they are put on display on the day of the parade are gonna be fake as well?
wtf. This isn’t built on top of a SUV, it’s just a random pic, stupid.
ye someone plz explain about that SUV pic, is it really random ?
Ahhh – I should have explained that one, its for platform testing only.
This is a terrible hybrid made from the 2005 concept (HQD, later HQE) and the old Hongqi front end. This is the way Hu Jintao wants it for his 2009 paradecar. The platform: I don’t know, but I suppose the Lincoln.
Why dont they just restore an old one and use that? Then again they may have all been scrapped for steel long ago..
Because they are mostly rotten, aside from a few museum pieces that are now mostly fiberglass.
I don’t agree, Ash, there are wonderful restored copies, not only the fiberglass types.
In 1999 they restored 5 cars of the CA772 (the armoured 1970s version) for the 50th year parade for Jiang Zemin. They could have done that again, but the present leadership wants a new car…So they designed and produced this terrible thing, you will see it on October 1st.
It is a more refined Rolls Royce, made in China for 25% of cost. With the proud Chinese smiling face
The Hong Qi Limo looked great on Beijing’s Changan Street today for the 60th anniversary.
It certainly did, we should get some pics up ASAP
Totally agree – a very good looking car indeed and I am so so glad they changed the front grille to the one we all saw on 10-1. The one in the 2007 auto show was just a little bit too much of a trying-to-copy the RR. This one at least lent itself to the proud historical front grilles of past vehicles used by our leaders. Very tastefully done – but cannot mistake the side rear paneling – very much taken from the RR.
China is surely and quickly coming of age. Be prepared for high performance cars to match lambos and ferrarris for price cheaper that the Z from Nissan. I am sure it is in the works..