Key facts
- China's state-owned Hongqi has surpassed Rolls-Royce in ultra-luxury car sales within China.
- The special edition Hongqi Guoli sedan, unveiled in April, costs approximately $1.6 million.
- The Guoli is Hongqi's flagship vehicle, produced by FAW Group.
- The previous generation, Hongqi L5, was once the most expensive Chinese-made car at US$800,000.
- The design of the Hongqi H9 sedan, which bears resemblance to Rolls-Royce, was influenced by a former Rolls-Royce designer.
China's state-owned automaker Hongqi is challenging established ultra-luxury brands like Rolls-Royce, with its most expensive models now surpassing the British marque in domestic sales. This surge is fueled by a growing trend of patriotic consumption among China's wealthy elite.
The special edition of Hongqi's top-tier model, the Guoli, was unveiled at the Beijing Motor Show in April and carries a price tag of approximately $1.6 million. The Guoli, formerly known as the Hongqi L5, is produced by FAW Group and serves as Hongqi's flagship vehicle.
The Hongqi L5, in its previous iteration, was renowned as the most expensive Chinese-made car available for purchase, costing CN¥5 million (US$800,000). It has also served as the official state car for Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
Another Hongqi model, the H9 sedan, has drawn comparisons to Rolls-Royce, a similarity attributed to the hiring of Giles Taylor, a former head of design at Rolls-Royce, by Hongqi. While the H9 also shows influence from the BMW 7 Series, its design started with a Chinese designer in 2017, with the company intending for it to resemble a British luxury car.
The second generation Hongqi L5, renamed Guoli, was revealed in April 2023 and features a V8 4.0-liter turbocharged engine. The vehicle measures 5,980mm in length with a wheelbase of 3,730mm, significantly larger than its predecessor.