Chinese competitor to Mercedes and BMW: with the appearance of a Rolls-Royce and a four-seater saloon

The presentation of the new “four-door” Hongqi (“hunts” or “red flag”), a premium sub-brand of the FAW concern, took place in the Celestial Empire. The model will enter the home market later this year.

The Hongqi brand began to declassify its new sedan in the summer of 2019, when official sketches were published. Then there were spy shots of the car without camouflage. It was assumed that the Chinese are preparing for the premiere of the second-generation H7 four-door (the current Seven legally shares the platform with the former Toyota Crown), but in December it turned out that the new product was assigned a different index – H9. And as part of the debut, which took place the day before in China, it was announced: the “nine” is a separate model that will lead the range of mass Hongqi, live photos from the presentation were published by the local edition of Autohome. Recall that the L5 limousine with a V12 6.0 engine is also produced under this brand, but it is assembled by hand and on order, and the price of the Elka, according to unofficial data (there is simply no price list on the brand's website), starts at 6 million yuan,

“Nine” is built on a rear-wheel drive “trolley” with a longitudinal engine (own development), the dimensions of the model have not yet been disclosed. It is assumed that its length is about 5 m, and the wheelbase is about 3 m. does not protrude above the hood (so safer for pedestrians). And the H9 also has a two-tone body color, hidden door handles and two-tier head optics, while the lights are united by a red stripe. Giles Taylor, the chief designer of the FAW concern that owns the Hongqi brand, had a hand in the appearance of the model: he previously worked just the same at Rolls-Royce. But, as noted by the “celestial” media, the creation of a sedan began in 2017,

Inside there is a virtual “tidy” and a multimedia system with a large screen, there are also sensors on the steering wheel. In addition, the panel in front of the front passenger may light up. The sedan has so far been presented only in the top version with separate rear seats, but there will also be a five-seater version. Of course, natural leather and wood are used in interior decoration. There is also an air aromatization function, a panoramic roof, a pair of tablets for the rear riders.

FAW did not talk about the Hongqi H9 technique. According to preliminary data, the sedan will be offered with a 2.0 petrol turbo four and a V6 3.0 turbo engine. The latter, judging by the 50TD nameplate on the stern of the exhibition sample, the model got from the Hongqi HS7 crossover – this engine produces 337 hp on the SUV. and 445 Nm, although for the “four-door” it could be deformed. At the same time, it is believed that with the V6, the sedan will pick up the first “hundred” in less than 8 seconds. The motors are combined with a robotic box with two clutches. Also in the arsenal of the sedan are air suspension and adaptive cruise control with lane keeping function. But about all-wheel drive – so far not a word.

On the conveyor Hongqi H9 should get up in May, prices have not been announced. Local profile media refer to the sedan's competitors as Mercedes-Benz and BMW models, but not the flagship “escu” and “seven”, respectively, but the E-Class and 5 Series – apparently due to comparable sizes.

Meanwhile, as FAW noted, over 100,000 cars were sold under the Hongqi brand in China last year, while in 2018 – about 33,000 units. The plan for this year is 200,000 cars, in 2025 the Chinese expect to sell more than 600,000 units, and in 2030 – a million. Moreover, FAW did not specify whether foreign markets are included in these plans. So far, Hongqi mass models are presented only in China, but the brand is already eyeing Europe: for example, a couple of concepts were shown at the last Frankfurt Motor Show. In addition, over the next five years, Khuntsy is also going to release 21 new products (in addition to the “traditional” models, there will also be hybrids and electric cars).