Car Talk
Hongqi Rewards China’s Olympic Gold Medalists With Free H9 Limousines
Just as the popular saying that success attracts lots of fortunes. The same can be said for China’s Olympic team as they get a brand new set of cars from Hongqi.
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics finished last weekend, with the US (39) and China (38) bringing home the most gold medals of any other country. As a reward to the gold medalists from China, Hongqi gave each of them free H9 mid-size luxury sedans according to kuruma-news.
The 38 gold medals for China translated to 52 athletes due to some being awarded on team sports and six of them taking part in multiple events. This means that 52 brand new Hongqi H9 2.0T models found new homes, which in the highest available trim level costs ¥369,800 ($57,061) in China, bringing the total cost of the gifts to an impressive ¥19,229,600 ($2,967,164).
Adding to that, all silver (32) and bronze (18) medalists from China will get a right to use a Hongqi H9 free of charge – which probably has to do with rental or test-drive vehicles.
The cars were awarded as “a sign of gratitude for having fluttered the red flag as many times as the number of gold medals”, according to the carmaker. Hongqi is a luxury brand that belongs to the state-owned FAW Group, so giving free luxury sedans to athletes makes sense.
The Hongqi H9 mid-size luxury sedan was launched in 2020 to rival the likes of established models like the Audi A6, the BMW 5 Series, and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class. The exterior design has hints of Rolls-Royce at the front, Maybach on the profile, and Cadillac at the back, with a length of 5,080 mm (200 inches) and a luxurious interior.
Under the bonnet of the cars that were awarded to Olympic medalists, there is a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 252 hp (188 kW / 255 PS) and 380 Nm (280 lb-ft) of torque. The H9 is also available with a 3.0-liter V6 and a new turbocharged 2.5-liter V6. All engines are mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, sending power to the rear axle.
Sales of the Hongqi brand were increased by 95% in 2021 compared to 2020, with 170,600 units sold between January and July. The FAW Group has high hopes for the luxury brand that was established in 1958, aiming at 400,000 yearly sales thanks to a plethora of new models.
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