President of China drives the most expensive Chinese vehicle ever produced, it's very different to The Beast
Published on Aug 18, 2025 at 7:30 PM (UTC+4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on Aug 19, 2025 at 7:59 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
The President of China uses a car you may have never heard of, and it’s nothing like The Beast, which is the presidential limo that the US President uses.
It’s called the Hongqi Guoli, or L5, and it’s an absolute monster.
The engine is gigantic, and the car is very heavy.
And you’ll never guess the price.
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The President of China is chauffeured everywhere aboard the Hongqi Guoli, also known as L5.
Hongqi is Mandarin for ‘Red Flag’, a symbol of the Chinese Communist Party.
The car is a tribute to capitalism, though.
There’s no doubt about that.
The door handles are adorned with actual jade, and the hub caps and steering wheel feature gold flowers.
The newer version has a 4.0-liter V8, but the older model, which is still used as an official state car and parade car, is also available with a 6.0-liter V12, which produces 381 horsepower.
It isn’t very fast, though.
Mainly because it weighs 3,150 kilograms – nearly 7,000 pounds.
It’s not cheap, either.
Depending on the model, you need $1 million to buy one.
How does it compare to ‘The Beast’?
While the President of China uses a modified Hongqi based on the production model, the US President uses a bulletproof Cadillac built from scratch, known as The Beast.
For security reasons, this bulletproof Cadillac is destroyed after being decommissioned.
The car once appeared in an episode of Jay Leno’s Garage, and US Secret Service agents explained a few more interesting things about it.
Among other things, the Secret Service agents explained the name is probably just a fan-coined nickname that stuck because the vehicle is simply known internally as a ‘parade limousine’.
Alessandro is an automotive journalist with 10 years of experience covering supercars, automotive history, emerging vehicle technology, and luxury transportation. He wrote the first article published on SupercarBlondie.com when the website launched in 2022 and has since built a reputation for insightful reporting across the automotive and transportation industries. His expertise is grounded in hands-on experience. Alessandro has driven every Tesla model ever produced, from the original Roadster to the Cybertruck, and regularly covers the latest developments in electric vehicles and automotive innovation. His passion for transportation extends beyond cars, he has even flown a Boeing 787 Dreamliner simulator in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His reporting spans everything from classic American muscle cars and rare automotive discoveries to luxury yachts, private aircraft, high-end watches, and cutting-edge vehicle technology. Known for his deep knowledge of automotive history and ability to uncover the stories behind iconic vehicles, Alessandro brings readers a blend of historical context, technical expertise, and first-hand experience.
