At a local autoshow in Beijing I found this beautiful Hongqi CA770, it was made in 1978 and has a V8 engine. The owner told me it was undergoing restauration and worked all fine. He took the car to the show to “educate” youngsters about China’s rich automotive history. Hongqi is a brand from First Auto Works (FAW) from the city of Changchun in northern Jilin province.

The massive machine is almost 6 meters long and 1.80 wide. Hongqi’s were made for the government but many are now in private hands. Prices have gone sky high, a good example cost at least 100.000 dollar.

V8 looked a bit dusty but the owner told me it ran like a “baby rabbit”, those run well indeed.

Dash a mix of wood and cheap looking plastics, chrome is fake. Clock in the middle of the dash is missing.

Gearlever at the wheel.

96071 kilometers, it can do many a more. Below Tiananmen gate at Tiananmen square.

Very comfortable sofa in the back.

Owner promised to contact me when the restauration was finished, later more…