Chinese luxury brand Hongqi to launch as HQ in Australia 

Key highlights

• The first HQ model will be the three-row E-HS9 electric SUV, with Australian deliveries expected from January 2027.
• HQ plans 15 Australian dealerships, including five factory-owned flagship locations in major capital cities.
• The brand is targeting 1000 monthly sales by June 2027 and 30,000 annual sales longer term.

Chinese luxury brand Hongqi will enter Australia under the shortened HQ name, with its local boss saying the company plans to take market share from established brands including Range Rover, Mercedes-Benz and BMW. HQ is expected to launch in Australia late in 2026, with the first customer deliveries scheduled for mid-January 2027. The three-row E-HS9 large electric SUV will be the first model to arrive, with a local unveiling expected in Melbourne in October 2026.

Australia will be the first market where Hongqi vehicles are sold under the HQ name. The brand will initially sell only battery-electric vehicles in Australia, despite offering hybrid models in China. A total of three models have been confirmed for the Australian market. Australian pricing and final equipment specifications have not yet been announced.

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HQ is targeting established luxury brands

HQ Australia CEO and managing director Jim Wu said the brand wants to occupy a similar position in the market to established European luxury manufacturers. “We will take market share from Range Rover, that kind of level,” Wu said.

He also expects HQ to take some market share from Mercedes-Benz, although he indicated the impact would be smaller. The company’s ambitions extend beyond its initial launch. HQ is targeting around 1000 vehicles per month by June 2027, once all three confirmed models are available in Australian showrooms.

Its longer-term target is 30,000 annual sales in Australia. For context, Lexus sold 14,561 vehicles in Australia during 2025, while Audi recorded 16,014 sales and Mercedes-Benz Cars recorded 22,850. BMW sold 26,842 vehicles during the same period.

Three electric SUVs are planned

The E-HS9 will lead the Australian range, while the smaller EHS4 and EHS5 SUVs are also confirmed for local introduction. The EHS4 will use Leapmotor’s LEAP 3.5 modular architecture, which also underpins the Leapmotor B10 sold in Australia. Hongqi and Leapmotor have a technology-sharing arrangement, while Wu was previously a co-founder of Leapmotor.

The EHS5 is expected to follow the EHS4, with both models forming part of HQ’s planned expansion beyond its large flagship SUV. The E-HS9 itself is a large three-row electric SUV measuring more than 5.2 metres long. Overseas versions are available with all-wheel drive, dual electric motors and a battery of up to 120kWh, although Australian specifications have not yet been confirmed.

HQ plans 15 Australian dealerships

HQ plans to establish 15 dealerships across Australia, including five locations that will be owned and operated by the brand itself. The five planned flagship locations are in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.

The network will be important for HQ as it attempts to establish itself against luxury brands with decades of recognition among Australian buyers. HQ is part of FAW Group, formerly known as First Auto Works, one of China’s oldest vehicle manufacturers. Hongqi has traditionally been associated with high-end Chinese government limousines, but the brand has increasingly expanded into luxury passenger vehicles for private buyers.

Its international design credentials have also been strengthened by Giles Taylor, Hongqi’s design chief and a former Rolls-Royce designer involved with the Cullinan and latest Phantom. Wu said the brand will retain visible Chinese design influences rather than trying to disguise its origins.

HQ’s Australian launch therefore represents another step in the expansion of Chinese luxury brands into the local market, but its positioning, pricing and ownership experience will become clearer once the first Australian models and specifications are revealed.