450.jpg)
Click image for a high-res gallery of the HonQi SUV
FAW's premium HonQi (Red Flag) division has unveiled its V12 luxury SUV concept in Beijing. While photoshopped images based on the Lincoln MKT concept surfaced on a Chinese website ahead of the show, the actual vehicle on display looks nothing like those. It is, in fact, a unique design. HonQi, you might recall, will put the 6.0L V12 engine into production next year and have it power the production HQE limousine, a Rolls-Royce Phantom doppelganger that all the party big shots are sure to be seen in. In the SUV, the engine is said to produce 402 horsepower and 405 lb-ft of torque.
The SUV concept sports more gills and slats in front than a Porsche Cayenne, and the styling incorporates features meant to appeal specifically to the Chinese audience. The nose is highlighted by the "Tiananmen Square"-shaped grille (we're guessing the appeal of this may vary) and the head- and taillamps are shaped like ancient Chinese Ge weapons. Aside from the extremely pronounced front fender arches, the truck's overall shape is pretty conventional, and the HonQi SUV isn't going to win many beauty awards. Inside, light-colored leather and lots of blue lighting are the main themes, and the entire center stack appears to be an LCD touch panel that's typical of the fantasy equipment automakers love to show in concept vehicles. A roof-mounted rearview camera sends pictures of the view aft onto a video screen for the driver in lieu of a traditional mirror. We wouldn't expect to see a production version (if there even is one planned) until sometime after the HQE jumbo sedan arrives in 2009.
_thumbnail.jpg)
_thumbnail.jpg)
_thumbnail.jpg)
_thumbnail.jpg)
[Source: Autoblog Chinese]
All photos Copyright ©2008 Bin Chen / Weblogs, Inc.
Audi A3 TDI Clubsport Quattro concept
Spy Shots: Production Audi TT Clubsport Quattro
Chevy Camaro getting early unveil at Indy in September
James Garner recovering from mild stroke
VIDEO: God's ringtone is a V10-powered Audi R8
First Drive: 2009 Ford Escapes, more of almost everything
Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy
In the Autoblog Garage: 2008 Ford Shelby GT500 Mustang
Future Classic: 1984 Chrysler Minivans
_thumbnail.jpg "Lamborghini Reventon unboxed in Las Vegas")
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
cheezedog @ Apr 20th 2008 7:48PM
Someone should do a side by side comparison anyway... Photoshop vs Reality....
nissanfreak87 @ Apr 20th 2008 8:17PM
it's still butt ugly
CarbonBlack @ Apr 21st 2008 2:12AM
Not only is it Butt ugly, but it has a pitifully weak 12 cylinder.
The 12Cy has a high weight, but the power of a 6 Cy!
Guess the Chinese can't build ANY part of a car.
Dan @ Apr 20th 2008 8:19PM
It actually does look like the photoshop.
EuropaCar @ Apr 20th 2008 8:32PM
it's a relief that it is its own design but yeah it's still fugly
tekdemon @ Apr 20th 2008 8:48PM
I'm pretty sure it's all marketing silliness to call it a Tiananmen square shaped grille...seeing as how that really just makes it a squarish rectangle.
In that vein, from now on all the wheels on my car are going to be referred to as being shaped like Picadilly Circus.
Anyways, that interior has to go...you can't aim to sell a V12 luxury SUV with that interior...way too faux-futuristic Star Trek. And WAY too much plastic everywhere.
BTW, while Tiananmen may have negative connotations in the west, in China it's a positive thing. There's no really good analogy but I'd say it's kinda like the White House-even if it was burned down during a war, it's still the White House. Ok, horrible analogy.
HotRodzNKustoms @ Apr 20th 2008 10:19PM
Being proud of Tienanmen Square is like being proud of the Holocaust or being proud of 9/11. In my own opinion, but that's just me
tekdemon @ Apr 21st 2008 11:36AM
That's just because you don't feel connected to the 600 years of history connected to the place. You just think of it as some place where people were protesting in 1989. In reality most of the ensuing violence and whatnot didn't even happen in Tiananmen itself, but the streets near it.
Historically it's also been the site of a brutal French and British invasion of China, amongst other things.
But the reason why the Chinese would think of it positively is because it's still the gate (the name Tiananmen means Gate to Heaven) that opens into the Forbidden City, where the great emperors ruled China.
Thinking of Tiananmen as only the 1989 protests is like thinking of the United States only as invaders of Iraq.
MastrCake @ Apr 20th 2008 8:51PM
Right... and the cat next to my name doesn't look like Wilford Brimley...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKOnfSSLezI
Torrent @ Apr 20th 2008 8:54PM
well, it's less ugly than ever.
Lucas @ Apr 20th 2008 9:34PM
err I think this anti-chinese thing floating around autoblog for months has to go. w/e china makes and pioneers is one word: crap. I think for autoblog to become a reputable site for auto news, its own readers should have more than just following what people think or says without closely examine the value of the content.
HAWC1506 @ Apr 20th 2008 11:00PM
It's a reputation they've earned and it's a reputation that's not going to go away anytime soon. What would you rather pick? A Scion or a Chinese copy of Rolls-Royce? Do you want to be seen driving a ripped-off version of a car? Think about what people would say if they knew you were giving your money to a company who simply copy others.
I have no respect for Chinese-designed products right now. There is nothing good about them except for a lower price. Foreign-designed Chinese-made products may be a little better, but it's still built in a corrupt country and something will go wrong in the process.
Lucas @ Apr 20th 2008 11:17PM
yeop, I agree with you on that. True thats what Chinese auto industry has to suffered from trying to take shortcuts and loophole, but the eyes are clear and sharp outside of China where people recognize intellectual properties and efforts a lot more than an average joe in China.
However, China's "doomed" auto industry is the same concept as poor nations that cannot pull itself out of poverty loops. The more they try to pull themselves out of the trouble using methods that are not on-grid with the world economic infrastructure, the deeper they get into because of their corrupt leadership and poor national foundation from previous abandoned colonization. So how does half of the people on earth who got left-out of the global party pull themselves up and sustain? It requires international recognition and efforts (that means from technological sharing, changes in politics and global coherence)
Let's go back to Chinese auto industry, it is the same thing isn't? What we need is patience and acceptance to what is going on in China, we need patience to allow China to demonstrate what kinda of nation it really is and what it is capable of. It might takes awhile and require a lot of patience and understanding, but seeing China try to grow economically and sustainably can be a good model for other nations out there that are trying to step up and become a member of the world party.
Lucas @ Apr 20th 2008 11:55PM
I think the lack of innovation in Chinese auto industry is a great representation of the need for educational reform in China. When I grew up in Chinese elementary school, students were masters at solving problems, but never designed anything or ever being taught to think outside of textbook. It was all about memorization and prove how good you are at it.
I think that teaching styles needs to change FAST especially at high school and college levels in order for China to become a country that innovates and creates its own image of automotive and technological advance. The world is a different place comparing to ancient China.
I_Hate_China @ Apr 21st 2008 12:30AM
Lucas
> Let's go back to Chinese auto industry, it is the same thing isn't? What we need is patience and acceptance to what is going on in China, we need patience to allow China to demonstrate what kinda of nation it really is and what it is capable of.
No need to wait to find out what kind of place China is, Chinese oppression of Tibet has already shown this.
> It might takes awhile and require a lot of patience and understanding, but seeing China try to grow economically and sustainably can be a good model for other nations out there that are trying to step up and become a member of the world party.
Japan, Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan are good role models, China isn't.
Basically, China's problem is its "We are the center of universe" and "We are above international laws" mentality. The other Asian countries didn't have this mentality, so they adopted whatever they deemed superior to their own. China completely disregards international laws.
This is the reason China will never become a major auto export power that westerners fear, because China doesn't play by US and European rules. All these cars you see here are for Chinese domestic and third world markets only.
Lucas @ Apr 21st 2008 12:48AM
I have nothing against you, I_Hate_China, as your name already shows how your mind drives you. And I agree with you on how China needs to get connected online with international auto regulatory to make it work.
But I have to state that using the issue of Tibet to state what a nation China really is completely full of junk because you simply have no knowledge of the relation between China and Tibet during the Mao era and how the issue of one Tibet got involved into today's media-distorted notion of China's oppression on Tibet.
I suggest you to have an open mind when looking at international crisis such as Tibet and look not only in CNN or BBC or any other biased media but analyze the issue before you make any blasphemy.
Do you trust media, or the voice of the people from both sides of the story. I don't blame the readers, but as a wise citizen of this globalized world, one should think twice on corrupted media distortions that are gunhole on supporting democracy without careful analysis on the Tibet case as well as Taiwan.
Lucas @ Apr 21st 2008 12:59AM
Above all, I really appreciate you all for bringing up your voice on Chinese auto industry. No one opinion is right or wrong, they all contribute to the growth of international relations and how countries could improve.
However, I want to state that it is sad that the world especially developing countries such as China in India are still pursuing the American dream, benchmarking instead of focusing on more important matters at hand: environmental sustainability, green automotive development and global environmental crisis. I believe the world needs to redirect itself and give up what is valued the most such as technological achievement in order to make the world more sustainable and livable for all.
Lucas @ Apr 21st 2008 1:03AM
*technological achievement in automotive performance
Funny guy @ Apr 21st 2008 2:31AM
@ I hate China
if you're very confident of what you said, then why bother to go every Chinese cars place and and throw insults, only insecure people would do that to be honest.
I don't think those countries you mentioned are any better when they were in the middle of development and yes I mean including your Korea. Korea used to go to go through a cheap, shoddy products reputation, so what makes you think it's a good model ? I also heard that 20 years ago, people could easily buy a Nike knockoff on the streets of Seoul, is this true ?
I_Hate_China @ Apr 21st 2008 9:51AM
Lucas
> I have nothing against you, I_Hate_China, as your name already shows how your mind drives you.
There are very few China lovers, if any, outside of China. All the massive anti-China protests forming everywhere the Olympic Torch goes should tell you that. You complain of anti-China biase in Autoblog, but this is what public opinion is like everywhere.
So before blaming foreigners of their anti-China biase, you should put your hand over your heart and ask why foreigners dislike China so much first.
> But I have to state that using the issue of Tibet to state what a nation China really is completely full of junk because you simply have no knowledge of the relation between China and Tibet during the Mao era and how the issue of one Tibet got involved into today's media-distorted notion of China's oppression on Tibet.
Tibet was an independent country after Tang invasion for a thousand years, until Mao's red army invaded. At least Chang Kai Shek's nationalist army had the decency to stay out of Tibet during Kuomintang era.
> I suggest you to have an open mind when looking at international crisis such as Tibet and look not only in CNN or BBC or any other biased media but analyze the issue before you make any blasphemy.
I formed my opinion at school in history classes.
> However, I want to state that it is sad that the world especially developing countries such as China in India are still pursuing the American dream, benchmarking instead of focusing on more important matters at hand: environmental sustainability, green automotive development and global environmental crisis. I believe the world needs to redirect itself and give up what is valued the most such as technological achievement in order to make the world more sustainable and livable for all.
Well, the presentation of a high personal social status is important in China for social interaction and business, and it's hard to make that presentation if you are riding a bycicle or a bus. Heck, you need a car, preferably an expensive foreign brand one, if you are to impress a girl, and there is nothing wrong with Chinese consumer demand for automobiles.