Back we go to our license-plate obsession mode. We are talking May 2015, driving on the mighty Fifth Ring Road in the Chinese capital Beijing. Sitting on the front-passenger seat, I suddenly see an old Range Rover with Inner Mongolia license plates, with an even older Jinbei van in front. License plates: 京·7886 and 蒙D·A8888
The license plate is 蒙D·A8888. The number eight is a lucky number in Chinese culture, generally associated with wealth and success. The L322 Range Rover was produced for a very long time, from 2001 until 2012. Sales in China started in 2005 and lasted until the end in 2012. In China, Range Rover only sold it with one engine option: the 4.4 liter naturally aspirated V8 petrol motor with 301 hp and 440 Nm. The motor was mated to a six-speed automatic gearbox, sending horses to all four wheels.
The Jinbei van was a little bit further away from me so I can’t say for sure which model it is. But I do know it is a pretty old example, likely late 1990’s or early 2000’s. The license plate is a special one too, just like on the Range Rover. ‘8’ is once again for wealth and success. Six ‘6’ is a bit more specific, associated with ‘good business’. Finally, 7 is about good relationships, but it doesn’t have the importance in Chinese culture like 6 or 8.
In general, 8 alone is better. But 7, 8, and 6 cover more bases. So which one do we take as a daily driver car..?