Somebody Recently Spent $1.5 Million on a Pre-Owned Chinese Sedan | Carscoops

      The Hongqi Golden Sunflower Guoli Lanting Yayun was dispatched to a buyer in the UAE 20 hours ago.

      An instance of China’s interpretation of Rolls Royce has been sold for $1.5 million to a buyer from the Middle East.

      The Hongqi Golden Sunflower Guoli Lanting Yayun is designed to resemble a communist limousine from the 1960s.

      The luxurious interior incorporates traditional Chinese craftsmanship and materials.

      While many people choose Chinese cars abroad due to their low prices, this retro sedan defies that trend. A buyer in the UAE has just paid $1.5 million for it, and he cannot claim to be its first owner. This contradicts the common notion that "Chinese cars are inexpensive."

      Moreover, the vehicle in question is far from a typical Chinese model. It's the Hongqi Golden Sunflower Guoli Lanting Yayun, and if the name appears extravagant, wait until you see the interior. Combining modern technology with traditional Chinese craftsmanship, it is a significant leap from the BYD Seagull and other electric vehicles that often come to mind when considering Chinese cars.

      Fusion of Tradition and Technology

      According to Car News China, the console and door trims of the Hongqi employ a Fuzhou bodiless lacquerware technique, which involves applying 28 layers of natural lacquer by hand onto a surface inlaid with mother of pearl, illustrating excerpts from Lantingji Xu, a piece of Chinese calligraphy dating back over 1,500 years.

      Additionally, text from the poem can be displayed on the dashboard, and scenes from it are embroidered on the seat backrests—a process that takes two embroiderers 600 hours. Other luxurious Chinese details include an armrest lid with a gold foil base that showcases more renowned Chinese artworks.

      The exterior of the expansive 6m (19.6 ft) Guoli limousine, previously known as the L5 before its 2024 rebranding, is more subdued. However, its retro-communist design and a tilting, retractable flagpole pointing towards the North Star certainly help it stand out among the numerous Rolls Royces seen in the UAE, possibly influencing its owner's choice.

      The owner is said to be businessman Stanislav Semenov, who, despite spending ¥11 million ($1.5 million), cannot claim to be the first owner of the car. Although the 382 hp (389 PS) V8 limousine has no miles on it and is unused, it was pre-registered to facilitate export.