Longtime limousine maker is ready to splash into international vehicle sector

Hongqi launched two concept vehicles at the Frankfurt motor show on Sept 10 as part of an effort by the premium brand under the FAW Group to promote upscale vehicles internationally.

Established in 1958, Hongqi, which means "Red Flag", once made limousines for top Chinese leaders.

FAW is starting to reinvent Hongqi as a more international brand, with this year's Frankfurt motor show being one of the first global auto events it has participated in.

The carmaker said the S9 and the E115 models integrate traditional Chinese elements with a modern design philosophy and state-of-the-art craftsmanship to offer global car fans outstanding experiences.

The S9 is Hongqi's first super sports model, which boasts a maximum speed of 400 kilometers per hour and accelerates from zero-to-100 km/h in just 1.9 seconds.

Powered by a newly developed V8T engine, the model has a maximum output of 1,400 horsepower. Hongqi said it will begin delivering the carbon-fiber model in 2021.

The E115 is Hongqi's first electric full-sized SUV and is scheduled to launch in 2020.

The smart four-wheel drive off-roader can stay powered for up to 600 km on one charge.

It has seven driving modes and is designed to have Level 4 autonomous driving functions. It can also sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in less than four seconds.

The two models represent the carmaker's latest achievement since a new Hongqi strategy was unveiled in early 2018.

According to the strategy, the company will strive to become the No 1 automotive brand in China and a renowned brand worldwide.

FAW has vowed to "mobilize the best resources, select the best suppliers and build top-class manufacturing facilities for Hongqi".

It has developed partnerships with tech firms including Huawei, Baidu, Intel and iFlytek, as well as colleges including Jilin University to work on latest technological developments in the automotive industry.

FAW Chairman Xu Liuping said Hongqi will launch 17 brand new models by 2025 including sedans and SUVs.

The growing lineup will help turn Hongqi from a brand known for limousines for heads of state to a popular brand with a larger following, the carmaker said.

"Hongqi will strive to have annual sales of 100,000 units by 2020,300,000 units by 2025 and 500,000 units by 2035," Xu said.

Currently, it has six models in the market including the L5 and the H7 sedans and the HS5 and the HS7 SUVs.

The products are gaining popularity in China. In August the company sold more than 10,000 vehicles.

Hongqi sales in the first eight months of this year totaled 52,000 vehicles, up 231 percent from a year earlier.

Analysts say the rapid growth is expected to further fuel Hongqi's efforts to reshape its brand, deliver innovation in styling, and accelerate research and development of products and technologies.

To provide better services for its customers, Hongqi has built more than 100 experience centers across the country.

The brand is is becoming popular among young people thanks to a series of programs including partnerships with the Palace Museum and the Changchun Marathon.

Its roll-out at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas earlier this year and the World Internet Conference in Wuxi, Jiangsu province in 2018 have made it one of the Chinese carmakers with the most futuristic outlooks.

"We are marching toward our strategic goal of being young people-oriented, market-oriented and global-oriented," said the carmaker.