Hongqi

History

Hongqi is China's oldest passenger car marque: in 1958 First Automobile Works in Changchun launched the country's state limousine, the CA72. From 1963 the leadership rode in the CA770, of which around 1,600 were built. Production ended in 1981, and between 1995 and 2006 the brand kept going on rebadged Audi 100s and Lincoln Town Cars. FAW relaunched Hongqi as a luxury brand in 2018.

EV strategy

The relaunch runs on two tracks: alongside large combustion cars, Hongqi has electric model lines of its own and has been shipping to Europe since September 2021, first to Norway, then to Denmark and Sweden. Volumes have stayed very small so far. Since 2025 parent group FAW has been working with Leapmotor to get to electric technology faster.

Good to know

• The brand's script goes back to Mao Zedong's own handwriting.
• Hongqi means Red Flag. For decades the cars could not be bought at all; they were reserved for the state and the party.
• Between 1995 and 2006 Hongqi sold rebadged Audi 100s and Lincoln Town Cars under its own name.