Hongqi HQ3

The Hongqi HQ3 was an executive sedan of the Hongqi brand of FAW, built from 2006 to 2010. China Car History explains that it was based on the fourth-generation Toyota Crown Majesta (S180), a car manufactured in China by the FAW-Toyota joint venture. It came in two versions: the HQ300 with a 3.0 litre V6 of 231 horsepower and the HQ430 with a 4.3 litre V8 of 280 horsepower, both with a six-speed automated manual transmission and rear-wheel drive. The launch prices of 399,800 to 688,800 yuan were very high for the time, and the car sold only in small numbers, even to the government that was normally a large Hongqi customer. In 2008 Hongqi renamed the car Shengshi, meaning prosperity, keeping the type names and engines while cutting the prices of the HQ300 models. Hongqi also built three concept variants, a bulletproof stretched limousine and two others, but none reached production. Production ended in 2010 and the Hongqi H7 succeeded the Shengshi in 2013.