Chinese corporation FAW Group used to design Hongqi (lit. ‘Red Banner’) cars for the country’s higher-ranking Communist Party officials, but four years ago, it decided to conquer the local luxury vehicle market. Meet the Hongqi H9, its newest flagship saloon.
The ambitious newcomer dethrones the Hongqi H7, which came out in 2013 based on licensed Toyota Crown components. Granted, there is also the top-of the-line Hongqi L5, which packs a twelve-cylinder engine, but the company will only sell it to select customers, so don’t be surprised if you are denied even if you have the €500,000 to pay for it. As for the H9, it will become openly available in a few months, and should provide some competition to the Audi A8, BMW 7 Series, and Mercedes-Benz S-Class.
Hongqi hired ex-Rolls Royce designer Giles Taylor in 2018 to define its design philosophy, and likely wants us to believe that the H9 follows that philosophy. However, the work on the car actually started in early 2017, when Ding Yangfeng presided over the design department.
The car boasts a dual-tone paintjob and slide-out door handles, and features an interior trimmed with fine leather and veneer. Two large displays fulfil the functions of the dashboard and the multimedia system, and the front passenger has access to another screen. The steering wheel controls are touch-based, and the engine start button inexplicably lurks between climate control knobs.
The first modification of the H9 to grace the market with its presence is also the more luxurious, offering individual rear seats with power adjustments, heating, and ventilation. The conventional three-seater sofa will become available at a later date. Options include displays for the rear passengers, a panoramic glass roof, an air freshener etc. The adaptive cruise control has lane control capability by default, among other things.
Other than that, the details are scarce. Hongqi says the H9 comes based on a RWD platform and has a longitudinally mounted engine, as well as air-cushioned suspension. For now, two turbocharged engines are available: a 2.0-liter V4 with 252 hp (188 kW) and 380 Nm (280 lb-ft) of torque, and a 3.0-liter V6 with 272 hp (203 kW) and 400 Nm (295 lb-ft). If you find these lacking in power, note that even the Mercedes-Benz S-Class routinely ships with two-liter, four-cylinder engines in China. A dual-clutch transmission sends the power to the wheels, and sprinting from zero to 100 km/h (62 mph) takes less than eight seconds in the V6 version.
The Hongqi H9 will start shipping closer towards the summer, with prices still pending.