If you had any doubts that Chinese carmakers are being serious, this will definitely put them to rest. We have known about the Hongqi S9 Chinese supercar, which will be made in Italy, for a while now, but the plot is thickening. Now we've learned that the hybrid supercar is styled by the same man responsible for the Audi R8 – Walter da Silva - who is now Silk-FAW’s vice president of styling and design. But that’s not all. Silk-FAW – the joint venture responsible for the S9 – appoints Amedeo Felisa, who is a former Ferrari CEO and Board Member.
Felisa and his 26 years of experience at the Prancing Horse will be invaluable for the Chinese carmaker. Moreover, Silk-FAW disclosed that Amedeo Felisa “will be involved in setting global strategy for the company and will provide oversight on all elements of the execution of the company’s business plan.”
The Hongqi S9 will be the first car of the brand’s “S” lineup. Its plug-in hybrid powertrain will include a V-8 engine and a total output of 1,400 horsepower – enough for a 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) time of 1.9 seconds and a top speed of 250 mph (402 km/h). It will also be capable of traveling up to 25 miles (40 km), purely on electricity.