Chairman Hu’s Red Flag Limo
There was a lot of speculation as to what car Chairman Hu Jintao would drive out in during the October 1st National Day Parade in Beijing. It was largely believed that the Chairman would be using the Hong Qi concept car from 2006 with a FAW designed V12 engine block under the hood, but it was a real surprise to see a totally new car. Chairman Hu drove by his troops shouting ‘Hello Comrades!‘ and ‘Comrades, you have worked hard!‘, the Chairman was followed by Lieutenant General Fang Fenghui in another limo.
Chairman Hu’s limo had the registration plate V-02009, whilst Lt. General Fang Fenghui had the registration plate V-01949, which represents the years from which the Communist Party has been in power (1949-2009). Previous National Day parades have also seen Chinese presidents use novelty number plates, in the 1999 National Day Parade President Jiang Zimin had the registration plate A-02156, the 21 representing China’s entry into the 21st century, and the 56 representing the fifty six ethnic minorities in China.
Information on the cars used in this years National Day celebrations is thin on the ground, we have learned that they measure 6.4 meters long, 2.05 meters wide and are 1.72 meters high, and with power being delivered by a V12 engine. The cars were considered state secrets during their development and were all hand made by First Automobile Workers in Changchun.
First Automobile Works was created during China’s first five year plan (1953 – 1957).to create an independent auto mobile industry that would be able to produce trucks and buses to free China from reliance on the then USSR. The Hong Qi brand was set up to provide state limosuines to government departments in the early sixties, previously Chinese dignitaries had to use captured American made Willy’s Jeeps, open air trucks or Soviet made limousines from which to address the military or the people. Since then Hong Qi has become a semi luxury brand for FAW, with FAW’s partnership with Audi, FAW was able to produce the Audi 80, 100 and 200 under the Hong Qi brand and provide a semi luxurious car brand to private buyers and companies across China during the 90′s.
Hong Qi has failed to innovate in the past few years with new independent development of cars, but sesterdays unveiling of the latest generation of state limousines shows Hong Qi still has what it takes to produce a limousine that takes on modern styling, but keeps the traditional styling of past state limousines.
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I was under the impression that Hongqi’s V12 engine was from Toyota Century, was it not??
It doesn’t make sense to develop a V12 when there is very little market for it. It it was an electric drive that would have been impressive, but not a V12 in today’s world.
The point of the V12 isn’t whether it makes sense to make your own V12 design-they basically commissioned it for reasons of national pride, kind of like why they have a space program. There’s about zero actual value of sending people into space other than to prove that you can do it
So the V12 in this car exists for the same reason China has a space program-just to prove that it can be done.
And on the more practical side of it, it’s also a nice halo effect for the rest of FAW’s lineup even though these cars were probably all hand built for exceedingly large amounts of money per car.
Perhaps it takes a V12 with a massive amount of power that can engage faster than most ‘electric cars’ to not only handle the weight of the vehicles (I’m sure it was armoured even though President Hu Jintao and Lieutenant General Fang Fenghui both opted to be physically visible via the roof portal), but to move them very quickly from any negative situation should that have been needed.
Tekdemon – There are many scientific researchs that cannot be done on earth. At the very least, earth is not an ideal environment for certain “peaceful” experiments. Of course, there are other peaceful reasons space exploration offers beside an unique environment for scientific experiments. …Some of today most significant technologies used in commerce are rooted in the space program.
As for a large V12 engine block, there are applications too. Not necessary for retail used. Some of the concept cars with extreme “this and that” does not always make it to the commerce and mass production, however, there are use for these concepts…
my eyes aren’t what they used to be. what is the prefix on the president’s car? is it 总 from zongtong?
No. It is “京”, and abbreviation from Beijing(北京).
What a strange looking car. From the side and the back, it looks quite modern … a mix of Rolls Royce and giant Hyundai Equus … from the front, an old Volga. Very odd.
Isn’t this the CA12GV V-12 that was self-developed in 2007, and produced from last April?
If so, in today’s climate, it’s good to keep the hood closed…..
It’s got the backend of a Rolls, but the front end very much reminds me of the old Austin 1100.
Take a look here http://www.the1100club.com/
Hello Ash,
I am a bit surprised that you regard the CA7600J as a new car; you are correct when you say that this is the 2005 (Shanghai Salon) concept HQD (later named HQE) with a FAW self-developed V12 engine (engine shown at the Beijing 2008 Salon). The main difference is that the CA7600J is armored.
Since 2007 this new paradecar is developed, 17 test models have been built. Seven were to see at the Oct. 1st parade: 4 black and 3 blue (for the press).
The CA7600J is built on the Lincoln platform. Originally the idea was to develop the concept just like it was, but the Chinese leadership insisted on a car with the old, traditional Hongqi front end. There was even a more traditional counter-designed Hongqi (see http://www.hongqiche.com/bbs/ShowPost.asp?id=793) designed in 2007 against the HQE which was regarded by some designers as too modern for a Hongqi.
In early September 2009 the same website Hongiche already showed a photo-shop as how the CA7600J would be, which is as we know now, quite correct.
The V12 engine is also developed for the big SUV which was shown at the same Beijing 2008 Salon.
I don´t see what is wrong to develop an engine for a small series of cars (the V12 is simply a double V6).
Sorry, the link is not working, here it is again:
http://www.hongqiche.com/bbs/ShowPost.asp?id=793
I think Russians did much better design job with restyling of their Volga then Hongqi. There is no point of copying Rolls-Royce architecture. They should have kept styling cues of the original Hongqi.
http://www.cardesign.ru/articles/newcars/2006/09/25/1828/
No wonder they built these in secret!
shut up
Its an ugly car and a waste of money. Why not buy a Rolls Royce or Maybach. That car is ugly, ugly, ugly.
it is not ugly you fucking bitch
Have you ever been to China before or have you ever seen the Chinese automobile industry?
I will teach you a better slang that we use in China. It is called Go and see.
Now it is time for you to jump out of your little circle and to know the truth.