Xi Jinping Hongqi N701 in Delhi: Everything you need to know about his armored limousine | Today’s news
Chinese President Xi Jinping today began a two-day visit to New Delhi to attend the BRICS summit, his first visit to the country in seven years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will host him for bilateral talks on Saturday evening.
In Jinping’s delegation are Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.
While all eyes are on the outcome of the meeting, Jin Peking’s car has also made headlines.
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Hongqi N701: Jinping’s fortress on wheels
Security convoys of world leaders serve as a show of strength during their foreign visits. The American president’s armored Cadillac One, colloquially known as The Beast, commanded the world’s spotlight for decades.
Today, she appears to have met her match in the Hongqi N701, a heavily guarded, ultra-exclusive state limousine exclusively for the Chinese president.
Reports and pictures of the car suggest that the car was manufactured in strict secrecy by China’s oldest passenger car brand, FAW Group’s Hongqi. It is reportedly designed to withstand gunfire, chemical attacks, and explosive threats.
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What is Hongqi N701?
The N701, which has been spotted during Beijing’s state visits from Bali and San Francisco to New Delhi and Moscow, is a high-end machine and appears to have been introduced around 2022. Reports suggest that FAW plans to produce only about 50 units over a ten-year cycle, dedicated exclusively to high-level state functions and official leadership.
Mobile Bunker: Built-in armor and security technology
While the Chinese government does not release formal schematics of the presidential vehicle, several reports have pointed to complex defense systems:
- Reinforced ballistic plating: The outer skin uses military-grade composite armor and heavy steel panels capable of withstanding assault rifle rounds and improvised explosive device (IED) shrapnel.
- Multi-layer bulletproof glass: Strong polycarbonate and tempered glass windows protect the cabin from high caliber small arms fire.
- Chemical and biological defense: In accordance with US presidential convoy specifications, the N701 features an airtight, sealed cabin equipped with an autonomous oxygen compression system to protect passengers from infiltration of toxic gases.
- Run-flat tires: Special run-flat tires mounted on massive 21-inch reinforced wheels allow the vehicle to exit hostile zones, even when completely deflated or punctured.
- Secure communication: The interior functions as a mobile command post, loaded with encrypted satellite links to keep top management connected to domestic central command centers in real time.
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Under the Hood: What Powers a Heavy Machine
Heavily armored limousines normally weigh well over 3 to 5 metric tons due to ballistic reinforcement. To keep such weight moving with authority, the N701 is said to rely on a high-volume drivetrain.
According to domestic Chinese patent filings and automotive intelligence, the N701 platform is powered by either an upgraded 6.0-liter V12 gasoline engine with around 408 horsepower or a modern FAW-developed 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 engine paired with a hybrid electric powertrain.
Hongqi N701: Why does it matter?
Most world leaders, including the Chinese, have historically relied on modified imported vehicles such as Mercedes-Benz or BMW luxury limousines for diplomatic trips. At the start of his term, Jin issued a thoughtful directive urging Chinese state institutions to abandon foreign brands in favor of domestic engineering.
Hongqi N701 shows that China is using domestic muscle to protect its head of state. Like the US Beast or the Russian Aurus Senat, the Hongqi N701 can be seen as automotive diplomacy at its peak: a fusion of national pride, luxury and defense engineering.
