China’s FAW Group has formed a joint venture with a Modena-based startup called Silk EV, and has roped in Walter de Silva to create the Hongqi S9, which the company classifies as an “ultra-luxury hypercar”. Walter de Silva is, of course, the Italian designer who worked on the icons such as the second-gen Audi TT, first-gen Audi R8 and the third-gen VW Scirocco. The Lamborghini Egoista concept was also his creation.
The Hongqi S9 we’re seeing now can be considered as an improved or a near-production version, because the original Hongqi S9 made its debut at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show as a concept, and it looked like a Chinese Audi R8 knock-off. The new version looks fairly unique from certain angles and incorporates some of Hongqi’s existing design elements, such as the vertical red line in the middle that continues towards the back of the car. I do like the NACA duct-shaped headlights. That said, the S9 gives me Maserati MC12 and MC20 vibes from many angles; the design of the logo just adds to that.
Notice the placement of the logo on the rear pillar, which is also à la Maserati. Mr. Silva has given the S9 generous gaps and gapes to enable the car to slip through the air as smoothly as possible. The rear wing appears to be active; Hongqi calls it a “variable geometry spoiler”. Overall, I personally think that the S9 looks just the way a love child of an Italian-Chinese couple should look.
The cockpit too incorporates Hongqi’s signature red vertical line. Notice the rectangular-ish steering with what appears to be an integrated display. There’s also another small, transparent display on the dashboard that reads out essential information such as speed and rpm.
As for the technical bits, the original S9 (concept) boasted a hybrid powertrain with 1,400 bhp. The information on the new one is unclear at the moment, but Hongqi claims a 0-100 km/h (62 mph) sprint time of 1.9 seconds and a top speed of over 400 km/h (248+ mph).
“I am excited to be designing the Hongqi ‘S’ series of new energy vehicles. We are in the final styling phase for the Hongqi S9. The S9 has core elements of beauty and elegance, ultimately embracing the Essence of Beauty“. – Walter De Silva
The Silk-FAW joint venture is planning its first showroom in Emilia-Romagna, Italy, and a production facility and innovation center in Changchun, China.
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