You've never driven one. You probably haven't seen one at your local Cars and Coffee. You'll probably never pass one in traffic. We're talking about a Hongqi.
Hongqi is a Chinese luxury brand established in 1958, making it the country's oldest automotive marque. The cars were produced for high-ranking heads of state and the name literally translates to "red flag," which isn't an indication of its build quality but a direct nod to the communist rule of the country in which the cars were built.
Today, Hongqi is part of state-owned automaker FAW, and its current lineup is made up of a handful of sedans. In the latest video from Jay Leno's Garage, we learn about one of Hongqi's older models, a 1978 CA770. This specific model was launched in 1963 and was built all the way through 1980, and its sole engine throughout that period was a V-8 that delivered around 200 horsepower.
Jay is a bit stumped with this one, but he makes some great observations. First off, the styling seems to be a blend of American and Russian design elements. That engine seems similar to the Y-Block built en masse by Ford until the Blue Oval moved on to the FE. This specific car lived an interesting life as a hotel car that shuttled a Cambodian king around Beijing after he was brought there for protection by Chairman Mao.
It's an interesting visual walkthrough of a car that clearly leaves Leno a bit perplexed but also fascinated.
