[SINGAPORE] The first cars from China luxury brand Hongqi will be launched in Singapore in the first half of 2026, with Eurokars Group having been appointed as its agent.
Eurokars subsidiary Eurokars Elite became the brand’s official dealer and distributor in an agreement signed in June.
Three models have been confirmed for Singapore, with two of them fully electric vehicles (EVs). The brand will also offer other drive trains, such as petrol-electric hybrids and plug-in hybrid EVs, in the future.
Hongqi is part of the FAW Group, one of China’s “Big Four” state-owned automotive manufacturers alongside Changan Automobile, Dongfeng Motor Corp and SAIC Motor.
Most of Hongqi’s cars target the mainstream luxury segment, where its competitors include the likes of Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Tesla.
However, Hongqi is the only China marque that also has a full line-up of ultra-luxury models – though these are not widely exported yet. In this area, it competes with the likes of Bentley and Rolls-Royce in its home market.
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Like other China car brands, Hongqi is targeting export markets, including South-east Asia, to boost its overall sales figures.
The brand’s showroom in Singapore will be at 19 Leng Kee Road, and is expected to open in 2026.
The premises are currently occupied by SAIC-owned British brand MG. MG will move to a new location at 11 Leng Kee Road that will house it and sister brand IM Motors. Both brands are represented by Eurokars in Singapore.
Flying the luxury flag
The Hongqi Guoya ultra-luxury limousine, part of the Golden Sunflower series, costs 1.4 million yuan in its home market. PHOTO: HONGQI
Three Hongqi models will be introduced: the E-HS9 large sport utility vehicle (SUV), a yet-unnamed model code-named G117, and the production version of the E-007 concept car.
At 5.2 m long and priced around 590,000 yuan (S$105,680) in China, the fully electric E-HS9 is a competitor to the BMW X5 and Mercedes-Benz GLE. It will debut in Singapore in 2026.
The G117 and E-007 are still under development, and so their launch dates are not confirmed.
The full-electric E-007 is a mid-sized SUV that was displayed as a concept car at the Auto China motor show in Beijing last year. As the car is smaller and less expensive than the E-HS9, media reports say that it will also compete against German luxury models such as the BMW X3 and Mercedes-Benz GLC.
The G117 will be a smaller SUV than the E-007, but there are few details known as it is in an even earlier stage of development.
“China’s Rolls-Royce”
Hongqi’s full range includes EVs, petrol-electric hybrids, plug-in hybrid EVs and cars with internal combustion engines.
Often dubbed “China’s Rolls-Royce”, it started in 1958 as a provider of cars to Chinese dignitaries, heads of state and VIPs.
Its ultra-luxury models are offered under the Golden Sunflower series. This includes the Hongqi Guoli, a 6 m-long luxury limousine that costs 7.2 million yuan and is the most expensive China-made car. In comparison, its Rolls-Royce competitor, the Phantom, starts at 8.5 million yuan.
Hongqi still provides vehicles to China’s dignitaries, including the N701 armoured limousine used by President Xi Jinping. Last year, China gave a Guoli to Malaysia’s Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar as a gift, making him the first in the world to privately own the Hongqi luxury sedan.
Malaysia’s king, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, is the first in the world to privately own a Hongqi Guoli luxury sedan. PHOTO: JOHOR ROYAL PRESS OFFICE
In 2024, Hongqi’s sales increased 17.4 per cent year on year to about 412,000 cars, with around 44 per cent being EVs and hybrids.
At the Auto Shanghai motor show in April this year, the brand announced plans to expand production capacity and establish a major presence in South-east Asia, Europe and Latin America.
It aims to sell 500,000 vehicles in 2025 and produce 200,000 units overseas annually by 2030.
In 2024, FAW Group exports increased 36.2 per cent to around 125,000 units, though specific figures for Hongqi were not provided.
In June, Hongqi said that it will launch 20 new models globally in the next five years, including its Golden Sunflower models, with the ambition of becoming a global brand.
In Singapore, automotive dealership Eurokars Group sells cars from BMW, Mazda, McLaren, Mini, Pagani and Rolls-Royce. It also has a presence in Australia, China and Indonesia.
