Here’s a Hongqi Qijian CA7460, seen at a car market in Beijing. The big Hongqi looked a little dusty but seemed otherwise in good shape. It was black, as they all are, with a shiny grille and loads of chrome.
About Hongqi
Hongqi (红旗, ‘Red Flag‘) is one of China’s most famous car makers, founded in 1958 and based in Chengdu, in northeastern Jilin province. Hongi’s owner is First Auto Works (FAW). The brand is famous for its stately state limousines and its quirky, Audi-derived sedans and wagons.
In recent years, however, Hongqi has increasingly shifted its focus to the consumer market, offering a wide lineup of gasoline, PHEV, and EV models. Even today, every Hongqi proudly carries its iconic Red Flag hood ornament. On the Qiyuan CA7460, the frame is made of metal, while the red insert uses a special plastic.
The Hongqi Qiyuan CA7460
The Hongqi Qijian CA7460 was the result of a cooperation with Ford Motor. Under this deal, Ford shipped nearly-finished Lincoln Town Car sedans to China.
The Chinese added a new grille, headlights, badges, and, of course, a hood ornament. The overall design remained unchanged. Hongqi produced the Qiyuan CA7460 from 1998 to 2005. Qijian (旗舰) means ‘Flagship’.
Note the Ford stamp in the window. American glass! Hongqi didn’t even bother to replace it with a Chinese equivalent.
But it did add some extra chrome elements, like a 3-line decoration on the C-pillar.
The tires have a huge sidewall, but the wheel size is relatively small: 255/70 R16. Teraflex is a Chinese tire company based in Shandong Province. The shiny multi-spoke mesh alloys are a Hongqi design.
This is the ‘Winged 1’ logo of First Auto Works.
Hongqi decorated the rear with extra chrome, including the license plate frame and the bars on each side. It is such a massive and impressive machine; I have always loved the looks of the Hongqi Qijian CA7460. I was fortunate enough to see several of these enormous sedans when they were still in production – a sight I’d never forget.
I also have this beautifully detailed factory-commissioned 1:24 dealer model, complete with two certificates. The model is part of my enormous collection of Chinese car models.
The interior of the Hongqi Qijian CA7460
The interior is interesting because Hongqi changed exactly nothing. It even retained the shape of the logo on the steering wheel and replaced the Lincoln logo with a red plaque. The interior looked good for its age, with beige leather seats and classy wood-brown trim. Look how spacious these cars were! A bench as wide as a sofa. The Lincoln Town Car, and thus the CA7460, was built for comfort – a true long-distance highway cruiser.
On top of the dashboard is a statue with two red flags: the one on the left features a yellow hammer and sickle symbol, associated with communism. The other one is the Chinese flag.
The center console with a radio-cassette player and small buttons that looked very high-tech at the time. Note the gear lever that looks oddly oversized compared to today’s ride-selection handles.
Large windows + a long wheelbase make for a spacious rear cabin. The leather looks a little worn. Well, at least it has been used for what it was intended for. The red floor mats are an aftermarket addition, but match nicely with the seats.
Specifications of the Hongqi Qijian CA7460
Next to the Hongqi stood a well-preserved Beijing-Jeep Cherokee XJ; more about that car in an upcoming post. In front of the Hongqi was a massive Hummer H2. Definitely one of the best spots in the entire market!
Technically, Hongqi again didn’t make any changes compared with the Lincoln Town Car. It has a big American 4.6-liter V8 with 210hp (158kw) and 392nm, good for a 185 km/h top speed. At the time, this was by far the largest engine used by a Chinese brand.
At the rear, it has a CA7460 badge on the left, a ‘handwritten’ Hongqi badge in the middle, and a simple ‘V8’ badge on the right. Hongqi also sold several limousine variants of the CA7460.
The Hongqi Qijian CA7460 is a rare car. Hongqi built only a limited number, and over time, most have disappeared. In Beijing, strict emissions laws make it difficult to keep this luxury sedan on the road, so owners have sold many of them to other provinces. Sadly, unlike the older state-limousines, the Hongqi Qijian CA7460 has never gained museum status, so if you want to see one, you just have to be lucky.