Hongqi S9: China Is Making a 1,400 Horsepower Supercar
Everyone is familiar with the heavy hitter brands when it comes to supercars. Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren, and Porsche are all household names. However, everyone once in a while, a new brand comes along with a car that can hang with the best of them. This Chinese manufacturer, Hongqi, is apparently out to compete with the likes of Bugatti.
What is the Hongqi S9?
According to Hot Cars, the S9 is a supercar in development by Chinese manufacturer Hongqi. Though this brand is not familiar to anyone outside of China, it has a massive presence in its homeland. The marque manufacturers rivals of the likes of BMW and Mercedes. Now, they’re taking aim at supercar and hypercar royalty.
The stylish Hongqi S9 has body lines reminiscent of a Koenigsegg with a touch of Ferrari thrown into the mix. It’s very real, too. The concept car debuted at the Frankfurt Auto Show in 2019, and Hongqi intends to make 70 of these super limited vehicles.
It uses a mid-engine layout, as one might expect from a supercar or hypercar of this caliber. Like the Porsche 918 and Ferrar SF90, it uses hybrid technology to benefit from the best of both electric and gasoline-powered worlds. The Hongqi S9 uses a twin-turbocharged V8 engine. Hongqi says that the S9 produces 1,400 horsepower combined with the electric output.
The S9 is also rear-wheel drive. According to Hongqi, it is capable of 0-60 in just 1.9-seconds and will go on to a top speed of over 250 miles per hour. These performance figures seem a bit outlandish. However, stranger things have certainly happened. If this car is capable of a sub-two-second zero to 60 sprint, it would technically be faster to 60 miles per hour than the Tesla Model S Plaid. That is certainly no easy task.
The Hongqi S9 has legendary automotive royalty backing it
The S9 certainly isn’t a Hongqi pulled from nowhere. The overall design comes from Walter De Silva’s legendary hand, who is also responsible for the design of the Audi R8. De Silva has also penned a handful of other Volkswagen Auto Group vehicles.
Additionally, an Italian company called “Silk” helped Hongqi engineers develop the car to be as slippery and aerodynamic as possible. Additionally, the Hongqi S9 will be assembled at a standalone facility in Italy. Not far from the Maranello plant where Ferrari vehicles come to life, in fact.
Hot Cars reports that Honqi is set to debut the car by the end of this year. Supposedly, the Chinese manufacturer is aiming for the production-spec reveal on the opening day of Milan Design Week. Additionally, they report that Hongqi is shooting to start delivery of the S9 customer cars in early 2023. Don’t get too excited, though. The estimated price is $1.4 million.
Undoubtedly, the S9 is a significant forward step in vehicles that come out of China. While, in the past, Chinese manufacturers have been known to create cheaply made copies of vehicles from other countries of origin, Hongqi seems to be branching out. Their lineup of luxury sedans looks to be quite nice. Sure, they borrow some design cues from other cars on the market, but that phenomenon is certainly not exclusive to this company. Adding the S9 to the lineup surely puts Hongqi on the map as a legitimate automotive manufacturer.
