The Chinese luxury car manufacturer Hongqi, historically linked to China’s political past (also known as Mao Zedong’s preferred brand), is reportedly in talks with Stellantis for the production of vehicles in a Spanish plant of the group, one that covers multiple brands such as Fiat and Jeep. According to five sources familiar with the matter cited by Reuters, the hypothesis is part of Hongqi’s European expansion and could become a strategic accelerator for rapidly entering new markets.
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Hongqi in talks with Stellantis?
The negotiations would be conducted by Hongqi’s owner, the state-owned company FAW, and would be carried out through the Chinese industrial partner Leapmotor, as indicated by two of the sources. Based on what has emerged, both FAW and Stellantis would be investors in Leapmotor, an element that would make a “networked” production path possible, leveraging existing industrial capacities and, potentially, avoiding investments comparable to the creation of a new large plant. Translated: costs that could amount to hundreds of millions of dollars would be avoided.
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Possible production in Europe
So far, however, it is not clear whether an agreement will be reached. The talks are ongoing and could fail. Hongqi, FAW, and Leapmotor reportedly did not provide immediate comments: Stellantis, when asked, reiterated that it holds ordinary discussions with various global operators, without going into details. An operation that, if materialized, could support Hongqi’s plans to launch over a dozen electric and hybrid models in Europe by 2028, and would represent its first real production foothold in Western Europe. During the same period, the company is also reportedly evaluating the Hong Kong option as a possible location, while contacts with the production ecosystem in Zaragoza (where Stellantis will produce Leapmotor-related vehicles) would remain central to the strategies for a kind of industrial transfer.
