China’s Hong Qi State Limo twice the price of RR Ghost

FAW's Hong Qi Limo - a snip at £720k

China’s FAW is to produce a civilian version of the 2009 Hong Qi State Limo for £720,000. Twice the price of a Rolls Royce Ghost in China.

It would have been unthinkable just a few years ago, but this week China has seen the reveal of two cars that would stretch even the finances of a Western plutocrat.

The Hong Qi State Limo is a behemoth of a car designed to ferry China’s elite in safety and comfort. It was used in China’s recent 2009 ‘Review of the Troops’ to chauffeur Chairman Hu. Once such a car would have been the preserve of the Political Elite, but China is a different place these days and a ‘Civilian’ version is being planned.

The Hong Qi Limo – made by FAW, one of Audi’s partners in China – is 21′ long, 6′ 6″ wide and 5′ 8″ high. It features a V12 delivering 405bhp and 405lb/ft of torque. It’s not going to fly but it can get around. It has a pair of ECUs (which is claimed to be a first?) with so much soundproofing that the interior is apparently silent. And how much is the Hong Qi Limo going to cost in civilian guise? A rather un-Chinese 8 Million Yuan – around £720k.

But it’s not just the home market manufacturers looking to take a slice of the cake from China’s new wealthy. Rolls Royce has been unveiling the RR Ghost in China this week. And it seems to have been well received. Rolls Royce already has  50 orders for the car in China even with the price set at 3.99 million Yuan – around £360k.

To put the cost of these cars in to perspective you need to consider China’s average income. There is no point looking at the national average as many rural Chinese still survive on unbelievably small incomes. But China does supply income statistics for ‘Urban’ workers. The average ‘Urban’income in China is £2,620 pa (2008 – up 17% on 2007). So it would take the average Chinese worker 137 years to buy the Rolls Royce Ghost. Or 274 years for the Hong Qi Limo.

And you think an RR Ghost is out if reach for you?