Hongqi CA72 History

The CA72 was the first Hongqi, unveiled on 1 August 1958 during the Great Leap Forward as a symbol of China's industrial ambition. Designed with a V8 engine producing around 200 PS and a long, formal body, it was produced exclusively for senior Communist Party officials and heads of state — private purchase was never permitted.

Production ran from 1958 to 1965 in extremely limited numbers, with the car doubling as a diplomatic showpiece on the international stage. It was succeeded by the longer and heavier CA770, which carried Chinese leaders through the Cultural Revolution era.