Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, following an invitation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. While the visit itself carries considerable diplomatic weight, another detail has drawn attention, the vehicle Xi is expected to travel in, the Hongqi N701, a heavily protected limousine built exclusively for China’s top leadership. The car has the same symbolic value in China as the Hindustan Motors Ambassador once had in India.The N701 isn’t a regular showroom model and has been derived from the firm’s L5 Limousine. It’s a bespoke state limousine from Hongqi, the luxury marque whose name translates to “Red Banner (flag),” and has previously accompanied Xi on overseas trips including Egypt, the United States, Russia and Hong Kong. Reports suggest only around 50 units may be built over the coming decade, reserved strictly for official state duties. Hongqi has not disclosed full technical specifications, standard practice for any head-of-state vehicle, but the car is believed to stretch roughly 5.5 metres in length, sharing some underlying design lineage with Hongqi’s L5 limousine, the same model used during PM Modi’s 2025 visit to China.The N701 is reportedly fitted with 21-inch bulletproof wheels, bulletproof glass and reinforced external armour plating, with some reports suggesting it can withstand small explosive devices and includes an air-compression system to guard against chemical attacks. Power reportedly comes from a 6.0-litre V12 engine producing around 408 hp.Founded in 1958, Hongqi has long been tied to Chinese state occasions rather than everyday consumer use, though the brand has since expanded into sedans, SUVs and EVs. The N701, however, remains its clearest link to that original state role.Comparisons have inevitably been drawn to “The Beast,” the armoured limousine that carries the US President, which reportedly offers similar protection levels. The Beast is known to carry stores of blood matching the president’s type for medical emergencies, alongside a hermetically sealed cabin against chemical attacks, run-flat tyres, night-vision equipment, smoke screens and oil slick deployment as anti-ambush measures. According to NBC, its armour combines aluminium, ceramic and steel, with walls roughly eight inches thick and windows five inches thick. The vehicle also functions as a mobile command centre, fitted with encrypted satellite communications linking directly to the White House, the Pentagon and US Strategic Command, and reportedly supports access to classified systems including nuclear command authorisation codes.Whether the Hongqi N701 matches this level of integration remains unconfirmed, but its expected presence at the BRICS summit puts a distinctly Chinese-built limousine, and China’s own approach to leadership security.
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