The next-generation Hongqi L5 saloon, which originally debuted at this year’s Shanghai Motor Show, has now been approved for production. According to CarNewsChina, the company leaked some interesting details while obtaining the certificates for the car, including the starting price.
Although the Hongqi brand has always served the China Communist Party and its elite, it has recently begun selling its luxury cars to private customers as well – for the right price, of course. While not official yet, CarNewsChina claims the new L5 will start from a cool five million Yuan, which translates into roughly 680,000 USD.
The car itself is 5,980 mm long, 2,090 mm wide and 1,710 mm tall with 3,730 mm between the axles. It is thus 400 mm (15.6 inches) longer than the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class despite only having four seats inside. With all liquids in, it weighs 3,150 kilos (6,945 pounds). A proprietary 4.0-liter V8 sends 387 PS (382 hp / 285 kW) to the car’s 21-inch wheels, letting it reach a top speed of 220 km/h (136 mph).
The general assumption is that the new Hongqi L5 will become China’s most expensive vehicle ever to be freely available to private buyers.
