Welcome to Black License Plate Mania In Beijing Part 4 (Part 1 Part 2 Part 3), where we look at cars with black license plates in the Chinese capital. Also see this tag for more detailed reviews of other black-plated vehicles. On the first picture a Beijing-Hyundai Elantra with 京A·35420, and with a pretty lady in a wine red jacket.
A Volvo XC90 (import) with 京A·35420.
Black license plates were issued to foreign owned companies from the 1980’s to the mid 00’s. These companies could buy a car locally, or import one. There were no limits on the number of cars, or on price, or engine type.
The numbering started at 京A·00001, and then up. So the lower the number the older the car. Any black plate beginning with 京A·0 or 京A·1 is considered ultra rare. I know, I had one too! It is very interesting to see these two Honda Accords with plates that are relatively near to each other in time; 京A·03383 and 京A·07472. That’s just a 4089 car difference. Perhaps they were bought by the same company.
In the old days black-plated cars had some privileges comparable to diplomatic cars; no police officer would dare to stop them and they could basically park wherever they wanted without fear of a fine.
Nowadays, a black-plated car is counted just like all the others. The government does not issue new black plates anymore but those who have one can keep it until eternity.
Great Wall Hover with 京A·34788.
Changan-Suzuki Swift with 京A·39475.
Great Wall Hover with 京A·29378.
Dongfeng-Nissan Teana 京A·35885.
FAW-Volkswagen Jetta 京A·18850.
FAW-Volkswagen Jetta 京A·18850.
FAW-Volkswagen Jetta 京A·28079.
Beijing-Hyundai Elantra with 京A·27792.
Dongfeng-Nissan Geniss with with 京A·37018. Very rare car actually, only made for a few years. I’ll post a separate post on it later.
FAW-Mazda 3 with with 京A·36526.
Great Wall Hover with 京A·34788. The Hover was a popular car among laowai in Beijing. In a way, it was the replacement of the Beijing-Jeep Cherokee XJ, which used to be the most popular laowai car until the Hover came around.
Shanghai-Volkswagen Polo with 京A·38832. Nice factory color!
Cadillac SRX with 京A·23842.
And we end today’s post with this gray Dongfeng-Peugeot 307 sedan with 京A·25302.
Many more black plate cars in the next post in this series!