Although on the European continent the Chinese name Hongqi still sounds exotic to the mass buyer, the eastern premium brand is quietly gaining popularity and expanding its positions. The trend is already a fact on our market, as the first models of the brand have officially started to be offered in our country. And while the average European driver is still getting acquainted with this vision of luxury, the ultra-luxury sub-brand offering of the state-owned concern FAW has overtaken the British icon Rolls-Royce in sales on its home soil by betting on traditional crafts and Eastern snobbery.
Thus, the Golden Sunflower division, part of the portfolio of the Chinese brand Hongqi, has won the trust of about 1,400 buyers in the Celestial Empire over the past year. For comparison, independent market analyses indicate that registered sales of the legendary British manufacturer Rolls-Royce in the country amounted to only about 700 units for the same period out of a total of 5,664 vehicles delivered worldwide.
The state-owned giant FAW has managed to turn Hongqi - a brand known in the past entirely for limousines for party leaders - into a global luxury player. The key to this success lies in shifting the focus from horsepower and technical indicators to Chinese cultural heritage. For the wealthy local buyers, national symbols, traditional crafts and historical references now carry more value than European prestige.
A striking example of this philosophy is the flagship Guoli sedan, whose price exceeds $ 1.6 million. In its exclusive modifications, the ceiling is handmade for over 1,200 hours of masterful work with over a hundred silk threads thinner than a human hair. This eastern answer to the popular “star ceiling“ of Rolls-Royce demonstrates how the brand wins customers through cultural identity, not just through a lower price.
After achieving a dominant position at home, Hongqi is turning its attention to international markets. In addition to Europe, the company is preparing to enter Malaysia and is actively expanding its position in Russia, where the withdrawal of European premium manufacturers has opened a significant niche for high-end cars.