Today we have a beautiful and near perfect example of the Hongqi CA7246 L. It is based on the Audi 200 and stretched by 60cm in the middle, bringing the total length to 5313mm. Hongqi, Red Flag, is a brand from First Auto Works (FAW). FAW had at the time, and still has, a joint venture with Audi/Volkswagen to make the Audi 100 for the Chinese market.
As part of the agreement FAW was allowed to produce the Audi 100 and Audi 200 under licence and to sell the cars under the Hongqi brand. FAW took all it could take out of that, making stretched versions, stations wagons, stretched station wagons, hearses and 4-door convertibles.
This CA7246 L was made only in 1996, how many were made is unsure. I saw the car on the compound of one of Beijng’s biggest film academies, where student learn how to make a movie. The car looked so well maintained I guess it was used in an actual movie, but until today I haven’t seen it yet.
If one of my Dear Readers knows more, please let me know. Another possibility is that the limo is from a Chinese movie mogul, but they usually have Benzes these days…
The CA7246 L was powered by an Audi 2.4 V6 engine, top speed was 180 km/h.
An archive pic from another CA7246L, note ‘red flag’ on the bonnet. The car on my own pics doesn’t have it, cars that were sold to private customers ususally didn’t, cars sold to the government of course all did.
