Hongqi L-Concept Debuts As Three-Seat Limo With No Steering Wheel

Originally launched in 1958, Hongqi is China’s oldest automotive manufacturer. During its first stage of existence, the brand was limited only to high-ranked government officials, before it was announced defunct in 1981. FAW Group resurrected the marque in the mid-1990s and it is currently selling six different models to Chinese customers, including four sedans and two crossovers. 

During the Auto Shanghai 2021, Hongqi has taken a look into the future with the L-Concept. We don’t have a lot of official information, though different sources from the People’s Republic report the modernistic sedan concept will go into production in 2023. Whether the production model will feature the prototype’s flashy front end, it’s not known at the moment.

The L-Concept takes the shape of a large sedan/liftback with a sloped roofline and a side profile that looks somewhat like a coupe. The body is finished in two colors with a white roof, transforming into an interesting diamond-pattern cover at the back in place of the traditional rear window.

The situation is much more interesting inside the cabin, where there’s a three-seat layout with a single seat at the front and two seats at the back. From what we are able to see, there’s no passenger seat at the front so that the rear seat can be deployed into a more relaxed position for additional comfort.

Another interior feature worth talking about is the chandelier hanging between the rear seats, which joins the cabin's shiny trim and countless LED lights to create a glitzy overall atmosphere. The two-tone leather upholstery looks spot on, though. Last but not least, the concept lacks a steering wheel, which probably suggests it features some sort of an autonomous driving system.