Along with the luxury L-Concept sedan at the Auto Shanghai, Hongqi also showcased near production-ready S9 hypercar to stun the audience. The company first unveiled it at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show. The Hongqi S9 is the automaker’s ultimate sports car conceived and designed by ex-Volkswagen Group design chief Walter de Silva. Yes, you guessed it right; he also originally designed the Audi R8 and is now performing duties at Silk-FAW.
Seeing the images, we can say the S9 looks very European. The design is actually very thought-provoking; for instance, the integrated air intakes in the headlights send clean air to the hybrid powertrain. We can also find smart electrochromic windows that differ in tone intensity to increase energy consumption.
Motivating the hypercar is a plug-in hybrid powertrain including a V8 combustion engine, creating 1,400 horsepower (1,044 kilowatts). While we don’t know much, the hypercar can reportedly accelerate to 62 miles per hour (100 kilometers per hour) from zero to 62 mph in only 1.9 seconds. The top will be around 250 mph (402 kph), and the all-electric range is rated at 25 miles (40 km).
“The Hongqi S9 brings to life the dreams of those who design and drive it,” states Walter de Silva. “With people who seek exclusivity in mind, my team and I designed this forward-thinking hypercar, linking functionality and aesthetics that looks toward the future.”
The Hongqi S9 is near production-ready, with development starting anytime next year. Only 99 examples will be built in Modena, Italy.
Source and Images: Motor1