When you hear of a Rolls-Royce-rivalling ultra-luxury limousine from China, it might remind you of those hideous-yet-funny knock-offs that have been a butt of jokes for many years. But things might be different this time around. If you’re not aware of a car brand named Hongqi, or Red Flag, it has been China’s state car brand for decades, dating back to the early years of Chairman Mao.
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Back then, it made replicas of Russian GAZ and ZiL limousines. However, the Chinese company, part of the automaker First Automotive Works (FAW), now has former Rolls-Royce design boss Giles Taylor at the helm of its design department and has revealed its plans to create a million-dollar-plus luxury car that will compete against Roll-Royce. The company wants to capitalize on growing patriotism in China and appeal to its affluent young buyers. “Even though they love a Rolls-Royce I think there’s now an appetite to buy Chinese luxury,” Giles Taylor says.
Taylor, however, insists that the company is not interested in building a Rolls-Royce clone and instead wants to build on the history of China. “We have to find a new Chinese and innovative and digital way of crafting new Hongqi vehicles that stand alone from maybe being ever accused of being a copy of Rolls-Royce,” says Taylor. “We’re not going to do that.” Neither does Hongqi want to sell its ultra-luxury limo by undercutting Rolls-Royce on price. Taylor says any top-shelf luxury car will sell on its content and innovation. “I came back to craftsmanship, the artistic culture of China, whether it’s woods, whether it’s jade stones, silks. There’s a beautiful rich crafted history … we will use those crafted traditions in a way that will be beautiful and elegant and attract people in their own ways.” Taylor acknowledges that it would be extremely difficult to challenge Rolls-Royce in the international markets, but he believes a Hongqi flagship will be accepted in China. “We need to work out a way of carefully crafting its brand persona and platform outside of China, and that will take time,” Taylor says.
Source: Luxury Launches