Published : 2024-08-01

On August 1, 1958, China's first "Hongqi" (紅旗) luxury sedan was produced, marking a successful trial. In Chinese, Hongqi means "red flag".

It is reported that this car was designed mainly based on the "Imperial" model produced by the U.S. carmaker Chrysler Corporation in 1955. Hongqi borrowed it for reference from the Jilin University of Technology.

The design principle was to "mainly imitate, make appropriate improvements, and design independently," and the car was completed within just about a month.

The exterior of the first "Hongqi" luxury sedan was quite magnificent with a streamlined body in black. The logo of a flag waving in the wind was prominently displayed on the front of the car, with the words "China's First Automotive Works" in Chinese, written by Mao Zedong, on both sides.

At the rear, the tail lights were designed to resemble the palace lantern, and the brand name "Hongqi", also written by Mao Zedong, was marked as well.

Its engine was a V-8, with a maximum 200 horsepower and a top speed of 185 kilometres per hour.

The interior was even more luxurious, with Hangzhou brocade, carefully selected wood grain material for the dashboard and window frames, and even Chinese handmade carpets.

In addition, it featured a remote control radio, electric windows, and movable seats, amongst other advanced technologies of the time.