FAW Hongqi CA770 History

The CA770 succeeded the CA72 from 1966 as China's official state car, built on a platform derived from the Chrysler Imperial and powered by a locally made 5.7-litre V8. FAW built it in strictly limited numbers exclusively for government and diplomatic use, and the design remained essentially unchanged across its fifteen-year run.

Variants included a long-wheelbase three-row car (1965), an armoured CA772 (1969), and a small number of other utility body styles. Total production figures vary by source but the most-cited figure is approximately 847 sedans. The CA770 appeared at every major state ceremony of the Maoist era and became the defining image of Chinese prestige motoring.

Production halted in 1981 with the shift toward foreign technology. The car's silhouette directly inspired the neo-retro Hongqi L5 revealed five decades later.