At the ongoing G20 Summit in Indonesia, the most powerful men converged from around the world. While Indian prime minister Narendra Modi is using Indonesia-provided Genesis G80 Electrified, many heads of states are carrying their own motorcade. Chinese President Xi Jinping was spotted in a Hongqi N701, which is regarded as the Rolls Royce of China.
The N701 is very similar to the Hongqi H9, which is the Civilian version of the armoured N701 used by the head of the state. The exact specifications of the Hongqi N701 remains unknown as it is not a civillian vehicle. It is over 5 metres long and we can see the strecthed B-Pillars of the limousine that make up the spacious seat in the second row. The headlamps are larger than the H9 but there is a similarity in the shape and size of the front grille.
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The front of the car also features Hongqi’s famed red flag motif that stretches across the hood of the vehicle. There are two small flag holders on the fenders that hold the Chinese flag. The limousine gets chrome-dipped wheels. The rear of the vehicle is relatively understated and simple-looking.
The vehicle gets rectangular-shaped tail lamps and a pair of large tailpipes are also visible. The vehicle is fully armoured. However, the level of preotection remains unknown. We are also unsure about the engine that this Hongqi N701 uses. Highly likely, it uses engine from the H9, which gets two engine options.
The Hongqi H9 is offered with two engine options, both of which are paired to a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The smaller 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine makes 255.5 PS of power and 380 Nm of torque, while the larger 3.0-litre supercharged V6 petrol engine churns out 284 PS of power and 400 Nm of torque.
Cabin of Hongqi H9 looks luxurious
Often regarded as the Chinese Rolls Royce, we are not sure about the cabin of the Hongqi N701. However, it is likely to be same as the Hongqi H9.
The Hongqi H9 feels like a proper luxury sedan, with most of the cabin draped in exquisite leather. Apart from satin chrome and piano black inserts, the H9 also gets a unique trim which is a combination of wood, marble and peppermint stick. The cabin looks properly modern too, with separate full-TFT screens for the instrument console and the touchscreen infotainment system in the middle. The overall cabin layout, with the waterfall-like centre console and rounded theme for AC vents and dials for various functions, reminds you of the cabin of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class.
Apart from the features mentioned above, the Hongqi H9 also gets elusive features usually seen in top-of-the-line luxury saloons, such as a refrigerator, massaging seats and rear entertainment screens. The rear seats come with a centre armrest, which is integrated with controls for both front and rear seat adjustments. The panel between the front seats facing the rear passengers have rear AC vents and a separate touch-sensitive panel for climate control.
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