About China's Coolest Cars
This is the HiPhi X, probably one of the coolest Chinese electric cars ever produced. I saw it in the rain in Beijing in the summer of 2024, and I couldn’t stop looking at it. What a machine! The bright orange color is called ‘Carnelian Orange’.
Continue reading “The Hiphi X Is One Of The Coolest Chinese EVs Ever Made”
A Jaguar F-Type convertible, as seen in the great Chinese city of Shenzhen in 2014. The British sports car was brand new and looked brilliant in this fiery red color, which Jaguar called ‘Salsa Red’.
Continue reading “Jaguar F-Type 3.0 Convertible Is Salsa Red In China”
A cool Mercedes-Benz SLK 230, seen in central Beijing in 2012, not far from where I lived at the time. The good Mercedes was in fine shape. It was painted banana yellow, a great color for the SLK.
Continue reading “Mercedes-Benz R170 SLK 230 Kompressor Is A Pretty German Sports Car In China”
A Changan Shenqi F30 pickup truck, as seen in Beijing in 2018. The truck was in good shape, painted white, and fitted with the optional five-spoke alloy wheels. Pickup trucks are relatively rare in Beijing, so whenever I see one I immediately pic it.
Continue reading “Changan Shenqi F30 Is A Compact Pickup Truck In China”
This is an ORA R1, a cool small electric hatchback from China. The R1 is quite a cute looker, everything is rounded, without any sharp edge in sight. It has a white-colored front with a charging port in the middle.
Continue reading “ORA R1 Is A Cool Electric Hatchback In China”
This is a Nissan Sylphy ZE, seen in Beijing in 2018, fitted with the green-white New Energy Vehicle (NEV) license plates. The Nissan was brand new, painted in light brown with darkened windows and sporty five-spoke wheels.
Continue reading “Nissan Sylphy ZE Was A China-only Compact Electric Sedan”
The Hongqi CA770 is China’s most iconic classic car. I met this beautiful unrestored example at a local car show in Beijing in 2010. The enormous Chinese state limousine was in perfect shape. Painted in black, of course, with all the chrome bits in place, two flag poles, and the original white wall tires and shiny wheel covers.
A Maserati Spyder Cambiocorsa, seen at a second-hand car market in Beijing in the cold winter of 2018. The Maserati made me feel hot again. It was in absolutely perfect shape, painted in a racy shade of yellow called Giallo Granturismo. It had a black top, slightly tinted windows, shiny gray multispoke alloy wheels, and red brake calipers.
Continue reading “Maserati Spyder Cambiocorsa Is A Pretty Italian Sports Car In China”
Back in 2012, I visited a police equipment show in Beijing, my favorite kind of event, with lots of police cars on show.
Chinese automaker SAIC had a big booth, showing some of their best cars in police livery. First up a Roewe 750, looking very nice as a cop car. The Roewe 750 was based on the Rover 75. In 2005, SAIC bought the rights to the Rover 75 + engines from bankrupt MG Rover. However, they didn’t get the Rover name so they came up with Roewe. The brand still exists today. In 2012 you could still get a brand-new 750 with a 1.8 turbo or a 2.5 liter V6. Price started at 162.800 yuan. Production ended in 2016.
Continue reading “SAIC Police Cars On The Police Equipment Show In Beijing In 2012”
A Hongqi H7 sedan, seen on a police equipment exhibition in Beijing in 2012. The H7 was still brand new then, so it was displayed on a stage with large screens. The H7 was painted black, like they always were, emphasizing the size and shine of the grille and the red hood ornament.
Continue reading “Hongqi H7 Is A Pretty Chinese Sedan With Some Japanese Roots”
