From chief designer at Jaguar and Rolls-Royce to the Chinese car brand Hongqi, which requires some explanation… “I sometimes see myself as a mountain climber. I reached my first peak in 1997 by moving from Citroën to Jaguar, where I became design director and ultimately stayed for eighteen years. Then I left for Rolls-Royce, where I was allowed to realize the Phantom, the Ghost and the Cullinan. It was almost inevitable that eight years later I would want to conquer another high mountain, this time in China. There you have less heritage and they are resolutely looking ahead with EVs, automation and artificial intelligence. I absolutely wanted to be part of that new design generation so that I could look and think ahead without hindrance.” Why Hongqi of all people and no other Chinese car brand? “I have often said in interviews that for me it was Hongqi or nothing. That may sound strange to people who are not yet familiar with the brand, but it is the oldest car manufacturer in China. It has been around since 1958. In that sense, there is also a whole heritage to fall back on, but we do not want to do that with the New Energy Vehicles. With this strategy, launched in 2018, we are taking a new path, which should mean a real renaissance for the brand. That is precisely the challenge for me, not least because many of these new models also come to Europe. The electric EHS9 has been on the market for a while in the Netherlands and Belgium, among others, while we recently presented the ES7 and ESH7 at the Paris Motor Show.” In addition to those three European models, you have launched other models in China. How can that happen so quickly? “The speed of development is beyond comprehension in China. Don’t forget that we have first drawn up a new strategy, which includes a total of 25 new Hongqi models. Ten of these will be a reality by 2030, half of which we have already launched. Fortunately, I am not alone. In our German studio alone, forty designers are working on the future of the brand, which will offer both hybrids and EVs in Europe. Since 2018, sales volume has increased by a factor of 65, making Hongqi one of the fastest growing car brands in the world. We are currently active in 29 countries with a total of 550 Brand Stores. Our European parts warehouse is located in the Netherlands.” In the meantime, you even dared to go to the Goodwood Festival of Speed with Hongqi… “That’s right, we have already warmed up the audience for our market introduction in England. Before that we had the Guoya alias the Chinese flagship, the H9 as a top of the line passenger cars, the EHS9 as a large electric SUV and the new duo EH7 and EHS7. Two cars successfully participated in the hill climb in the electric class. That was the first time that Hongqi really came to attention in Europe, especially for an octane-loving audience. It was interesting for the British press to see what that ex-Rolls-Royce designer has been up to in China in recent years (laughs).” Can we say that the EH7 and EHS7 paint a good picture of where you as a designer want to go with Hongqi? “Overall, Hongqi is still in a transition phase. In China, the brand currently has eleven models on offer for private individuals. In addition, it builds state limousines and cars for Party dignitaries, which fall outside regular production. Engine-wise, it is still a mix of petrols, hybrids and EVs. This is in contrast to Europe, where Hongqi initially only offers electric vehicles. These already bear my stamp and indeed clearly indicate where we want to go with the brand outside of China. The next models build on those design principles, although we also plan to bring hybrids to Europe.” Do all models intended for Europe wear the red ornament on the hood? “The red line is indeed a style feature that connects all our models, regardless of the drivetrain. It is part of our new identity and adorns both current and future models. The ornament refers to the brand name Hongqi (pronounced Hong-Chí; ed.), which means ‘red flag’ and establishes the link with the country of origin, but that is the only nod to the past. We also look resolutely ahead and work together with European suppliers from the premium sector. Consider the wood inlay or the animal-friendly leather that the interiors of our models are equipped with.” The new Guoya showed during the Paris Motor Show that Hongqi’s ambitions are sky-high… “The Guoya from the Sunflower range is our new hybrid flagship, which makes Hongqi’s expertise in the top segment accessible to private individuals. Previously, the production of state limousines at the state-owned Hongqi company was strictly separated from the commercial part, but this luxury sedan is now changing that. Just like the EH7 and EHS7, this model takes up the challenge against the German Three, albeit in the luxury segment where the Mercedes S-class holds sway. You can count on this limousine coming to Europe sooner or later, which for me is a nice link with my former work at Jaguar and Rolls-Royce.”
Source: www.autoweek.nl
