Xi Jinping's Hongqi N701 in Delhi: All you need to know about his armoured limousine

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.

Jinping's delegation includes Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

While all eyes are on the meeting's outcome, Jinping's car has also been making headlines.

Hongqi N701: Jinping’s fortress on wheels

The security motorcades of world leaders double as a show of strength during their foreign visits. For decades, the armoured Cadillac One of the American president, colloquially known as The Beast, commanded the global spotlight.

Today, it seems to have met its match in the Hongqi N701, the heavily guarded, ultra-exclusive state limousine designed exclusively for the Chinese president.

Reports and the images of the car indicate that the car has been built under profound secrecy by China’s oldest passenger car marque, FAW Group’s Hongqi. It is reportedly engineered to withstand gunfire, chemical attacks, and explosive threats.

What is the Hongqi N701?

Spotted during Jinping's state visits from Bali and San Francisco to New Delhi and Moscow, the N701 is an apex machine and seems to have been introduced around 2022. Reports indicate that FAW plans to manufacture only around 50 units over a ten-year cycle, dedicated solely to high-level state functions and official leadership.

Moving Bunker: Built-in armour and security tech

While the Chinese government does not publish formal schematics of the presidential vehicle, several reports have pointed to comprehensive defence systems:

• Reinforced ballistic plating: The exterior shell utilises military-grade composite armour and heavy steel panels capable of resisting sustained assault rifle rounds and shrapnel from improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
• Multi-layer bullet-resistant glass: Thick polycarbonate and toughened glass windows protect the cabin from high-calibre small-arms fire.
• Chemical & biological defence: Mirroring US presidential convoy specifications, the N701 features an airtight, sealed cabin fitted with an autonomous oxygen-compression filtration system to protect occupants against toxic gas infiltration.
• Run-flat tyres: Mounted on massive 21-inch reinforced wheels, the specialised run-flat tyres allow the vehicle to speed out of hostile ambush zones even if entirely deflated or punctured.
• Secure communications: The interior acts as a rolling command post, loaded with encrypted satellite links to keep top leadership connected to domestic central command centres in real time.

Under the hood: What powers the heavyweight machine

Heavily armoured limousines routinely weigh well over 3 to 5 metric tonnes due to ballistic reinforcement. To keep such weight moving with authority, the N701 reportedly relies on high-displacement propulsion.

According to domestic Chinese patent filings and automotive intelligence, the N701 platform is powered by either an upgraded 6.0-litre V12 petrol engine producing approximately 408 hp, or a modern 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 paired with a hybrid electric powertrain, developed in-house by FAW.

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 travel. Jinping made a deliberate directive early in his tenure, urging Chinese state institutions to abandon foreign brands in favour of domestic engineering.

The Hongqi N701 showcases that China is using domestic muscle to safeguard its head of state. Just like the US Beast or Russia’s Aurus Senat, the Hongqi N701 can be seen as an automotive diplomacy at its peak: a fusion of national pride, luxury, and defensive engineering.