[thetycho]

To the surprise of many, Chery Automobile brought it's Eastar 4-Door 'Dictator' Convertible to the common market. But Hongqi was there first with the CA7220A9E and CA 7220A9EL.

Some wonder whether this car actually excisted other than in photoshops. No need for more wondering, it does excist, I saw it myself at the Changchung Auto Show in 2004. Changchung is Hongqi's Hometown, the CA7220A9EL was standing on display with a couple of other vintage Hongqi's.

Unfortunately I just took one picture of the car, but proof is proof, here it is:

http://www.thetycho.com/news/hongqi_history/hongqi_history_1.jpg

Hongqi's 'Audi' range was based on the Audi 100. Hongqi's mother First Auto Works (FAW) and Audi made the 100 from 1986 in their joint venture in Changchun. Part of the deal was that Hongqi could use the 100's design for it's own cars.

Hongqi, meaning Red Flag, sold many different version of the 100, including the sedan, a limo, a pick up, a station, several policecars and a few convertibles.

The one on the picture above is the CA7220A9EL, convertible and extended. More precise: it is the sport-version of the CA722A9EL which is visible by the front spoiler.

http://www.thetycho.com/news/hongqi_history/hongqi_history_2.jpg

It has a spoiler on the back as well, the two cars on the left are not-extended sporty ones. The car top-right is a not-extended normal car, the one down-right is a extended sporty, see the rear spoiler.

http://www.thetycho.com/news/hongqi_history/hongqi_history_5.jpg

The standard extended version was called CA7220A9EL, looks a bit more sober, like a Chinese limo of those days should look.

http://www.thetycho.com/news/hongqi_history/hongqi_history_4.jpg

To be continued, I can't post more than 4 pictures...

http://www.carnewschina.com/2011/06/01/hongqi-ca7202e3-l-parade-car-from-china/


All The Audi 100-based Hongqi Parade Cars From China:
http://chinacarhistory.com/2017/12/21/all-the-audi-100-based-hongqi-parade-cars-from-china/

 

[thetycho]

History Lesson Part 2: Hongqi's 4-Door Convertible (Audi 100 based)

Part 2:

Factory photo from the CA7220A9EL.

http://www.thetycho.com/news/hongqi_history/hongqi_history_3.jpg

Hongqi also sold a CA7220A9E with the B-pillar intact. This one is the not-extended version.

http://www.thetycho.com/news/hongqi_history/hongqi_history_6.jpg

The car on the right is an extended version with all pillars intact. The car on the left is a not-extended convertible with B-pillar.

The production of the CA77220A9E's started in 1998 and continued until 2001. I didn't find any numbers of cars made but I did find a pricelist for second hand A9E's. For a good A9E with less than 175.000 kilometers you should pay 151.500 rmb and for the A9EL 174.200.

That's 22.000 US dollar and 25.300 US dollar. The fact that a list like this exists indicates that at least a couple of convertibles were build.

http://www.thetycho.com/news/hongqi_history/hongqi_history_7.jpg

The car on the left is the A9EL version of the facelifted 'Audi', Hongqi designed a new front and rear for the ancient 100 so the limo had to change as well. The picture top-right is taken in front of the factory with some happy workers smiling.

The picture down-right shows the production line, workers working on a older A9EL with all pillars, or maybe thet didn't chop them off yet.

Next time I'll show you the rest of Hongqi's Audi 100 based cars, a strange but interesting bunch it is.

Sources pictures:

Sina.com, Hongqiche.com, Auto.sohu.com and one of my own.


History: the amazing Hongqi CA1021 Audi-based pickup trucks from China:
http://www.carnewschina.com/2012/02...i-ca1021-audi-based-pickup-trucks-from-china/