CarExpert: China's Hongqi to launch in Australia as luxury brand HQ

China’s Hongqi will be sold in Australia as luxury brand ‘HQ’, with its first model due here in January 2027 and the brand fostering ambitions for 30,000 annual sales across a national dealer network.

Set to challenge brands including Polestar and Cadillac, as well as Zeekr, Denza and Tesla, Sydney-based distributor Greentech has confirmed Hongqi’s local launch under the abbreviated HQ name.

It will be the first time Hongqi parent company FAW, one of China’s largest vehicle manufacturers, will sell passenger cars in Australia, having only offered commercial vehicles here.

China's oldest car brand, Hongqi started in the 1950s as a limousine maker for high-ranking officials. It still makes sumptuous large sedans such as the V8-powered Hongqi Golden Sunflower Guoli, priced from ¥7.18 million (A$1.51 million).

FAW has manufacturing partnerships in China with Volkswagen Group and Toyota, as well as a more recent collaboration with Leapmotor, which has Dutch-based Stellantis as a stakeholder.

Hongqi plans to launch 15 new electric and hybrid models in Europe by 2028, according to a report by Automotive News late last year.

Speaking to CarExpert, Greentech CEO Jim Wu said the HQ brand will combine smart technology and luxury to position itself “above Tesla” in Australia, with plans for a dealer in each capital city across the country.

With an initial aim of 500 sales per month, the brand has a longer-term goal of 30,000 annual sales, which would have placed it around 14th overall based on 2025 new-car sales figures, behind Chery but ahead of Volkswagen. In terms of luxury brands, Mercedes-Benz placed 16th with 27,581 sales, with BMW just behind in 17th with 26,842 sales.

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