Vehicle model
Hongqi CA72
The CA72 is the very first state limousine built in China, unveiled on August 1, 1958, and the founding model of the Hongqi brand. Its development, personally approved by Mao Zedong, was based on an imported and reconstructed 1955 Chrysler Imperial, giving it an imposing silhouette, an ornate grille evoking a Chinese fan, and generous chrome trim. Reserved for state institutions and Communist Party leaders, it was never sold to the general public. Mass-produced by FAW from 1959 until the mid-1960s, it gave rise to the famous CA770 line. A collector's piece and heritage symbol, the CA72 has no commercial presence in North America; any return to the road falls under specialized restoration, with a supply of period tires and wheels (large diameter with tall sidewalls) to be handled case by case through classic-vehicle specialists.
History
History of the Hongqi CA72
The CA72 is the very first state limousine built in China, unveiled on August 1, 1958, and the founding model of the Hongqi brand. Its development, personally approved by Mao Zedong, was based on an imported and reconstructed 1955 Chrysler Imperial, giving it an imposing silhouette, an ornate grille evoking a Chinese fan, and generous chrome trim. Reserved for state institutions and Communist Party leaders, it was never sold to the general public. Mass-produced by FAW from 1959 until the mid-1960s, it gave rise to the famous CA770 line. A collector's piece and heritage symbol, the CA72 has no commercial presence in North America; any return to the road falls under specialized restoration, with a supply of period tires and wheels (large diameter with tall sidewalls) to be handled case by case through classic-vehicle specialists.
Technology
Technologies, engines and platforms
A classic state limousine of the 1950s-1960s: chassis and body derived from a Chrysler Imperial, propulsion by a large gasoline V8 (on the order of 5.6L, about 200 hp) and an automatic transmission, for a claimed top speed close to 185 km/h.
Tires and wheels
Tire and wheel compatibility
Marque non distribuée au Québec, Hongqi reste un cas d'importation : l'approvisionnement en pneus et en jantes passe donc par les dimensions, plutôt que par un catalogue dédié. Les berlines de prestige (H9) et surtout les grands VUS électriques (E-HS9) sont de gros gabarits qui chaussent généralement des roues de grand diamètre, souvent autour de 19 à 22 pouces, en montes à profil bas. Mieux vaut relever le marquage exact inscrit sur le flanc du pneu (par ex. largeur/hauteur/diamètre) et l'entraxe (bolt pattern) réel du moyeu avant tout achat. Au Québec, des pneus d'hiver homologués (pictogramme montagne/flocon) sont obligatoires l'hiver; pour ces véhicules lourds et puissants, un second train de roues en plus petit diamètre simplifie souvent le montage hivernal.
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