The Hongqi CA770 is an iconic, hand-built luxury limousine produced by China's First Automobile Works (FAW) between 1966 and 1981. Widely regarded as China's "national car," it served for decades as the official state vehicle for top officials of the Chinese Communist Party, including Chairman Mao Zedong and Premier Zhou Enlai.

Built on a platform based on the Chrysler Imperial, around 1600 of these V8-engined Hongqis were built in total, and over the years various versions were released including a 1965 long-wheelbase model with three rows of seats and a 1969 armored version (CA772).

The exterior styling was heavily influenced by mid-century American luxury cars, particularly the Chrysler Imperial. However, it incorporated distinct Chinese cultural motifs, such as a front grille shaped like a traditional fan and three flags on the front fenders representing the "Three Red Banners" of the era.

Specialized variants were built, including the CA770J (an open-top parade car with a handrail for state reviews), the armored CA772 for high-level security, and medical/station wagon conversions.

A pickup truck version was also produced, with three built. A funeral hearse version was planned, but never produced. 

The vehicle was powered by a 5.6-liter V8 engine producing around 223 horsepower, paired with a 2-speed automatic transmission, allowing the heavy limousine to reach speeds of up to 160 km/h.

Several modernized modifications of these cars continued to be built in limited numbers until the mid-1990s. The whole range was replaced by the Hongqi Mingshi and its derivatives, which were based on a Chinese built version of the Audi 100.

The Hongqi HQE is a large four-door limousine built by FAW Hongqi. Released in 2009, it is the first Chinese-built V12 cylinder engine-equipped luxury car. As Hongqi's most advanced top-of-the-line vehicle type, the HQE will serve as the high-end vehicle for VIPs and high-ranking national officials. The HQE was designated the presidential vehicle for paramount leader Hu Jintao's troop review for the People's Republic of China National Day 60th anniversary celebration. The production model of the HQE is called L7 (short wheel base) and L9 when the mass production began in 2013.

Based on the HQD concept car, the HQE is completely hand-built. The body comprises a rectangular section of galvanized steel with square edged exterior panels mounted on a Toyota Land Cruiser Prado-derived chassis, and the outward appearance and detailing contains aspects of Chinese styling. Dimensionally it is 6.4 meters long, 2.05 meters wide, and 1.72 meters high. The HQE is priced at over 3.000.000 RMB or approximately US$439.300 (as of 2009). An armoured version of the car is also available.

The Hongqi was designed at the FAW R&D facility in Changchun. The design team was staffed jointly by FAW and Magna Steyr, and contained members from China, Austria, the United Kingdom and the United States. The vehicle’s aesthetic is a deliberate modern tribute to the legendary Hongqi CA770 from the 1960s. It retains classic design cues such as the round headlights, a prominent vertical chrome grille shaped like a traditional fan, and the signature red flag emblems on the hood and fenders.

The HQE is powered by an independently researched and developed aluminium V12 cylinder engine of Chinese design (designation CA12VG), with a displacement of 6.0 liters and producing 400 hp.

The Hongqi HQ300 is a premium executive luxury sedan produced between 2006 and 2010. Unlike the bespoke, hand-built state limousines like the CA770 or HQE, the HQ300 belongs to an era where Hongqi's parent company, FAW, relied on strategic partnerships with foreign automakers to bring modern technology into its lineup. Specifically, the HQ3 series was a badge-engineered version of the fourth-generation Toyota Crown Majesta (S180).

The "300" in its name directly denoted its engine displacement. It was powered by Toyota's highly reliable 3.0-liter V6 engine (3GR-FE), producing 231 horsepower and 300 Nm of torque. This power was sent to the rear wheels via a smooth 6-speed automatic transmission. (A 4.3-liter V8 model, the HQ430, was also available).

While the overall body shell, chassis, and greenhouse were identical to the Japanese Crown Majesta, Hongqi added distinctive brand elements. These included a redesigned vertical chrome front grille, FAW center caps on the wheels, and the iconic, stylized red flag ornament running down the center of the hood.

Because private wealthy buyers during this era overwhelmingly preferred German luxury cars like the Audi A6L, the HQ300 was primarily purchased by Chinese government fleets, provincial officials, and state-owned enterprises.

The HQ3  saw little market success. First year sales totaled near 500, and while the target for the second year was 1400 units, the HQ3 would not be profitable until annual sales of 5000 were reached—something that may never have happened.

By October 2008, the price was reduced considerably and the name changed to Shengshi ("Days of Prosperity") in order to better appeal to private buyers. Sales during the first half of 2008 were all from inventory and totaled 788.