Hongqi import

At every major state parade in Beijing, it leads the way: a long black limousine with a red flag on the bonnet. That is a Hongqi, which literally means "red flag". The brand was founded by FAW in 1958 and built China's first passenger car. For decades, only senior officials and state guests rode in one. Today Hongqi sells in a growing number of European countries, but only its electric models. The big petrol luxury saloons and SUVs, and the exclusive Guoya, are not on offer. If those are the cars you want, Hongqi import is the way to get one. In the United Arab Emirates the full range is sold officially, which makes it the shortest route into Europe. SCL Rotterdam brings your Hongqi through the port of Rotterdam and handles everything from sourcing to registration.

Why import a Hongqi into Europe?

Hongqi is Chinese luxury at its most outspoken. A vertical grille, chrome details and a cabin full of wood, leather and screens. The brand's chief creative officer is Giles Taylor, formerly of Rolls Royce and Jaguar, and it shows in the proportions and the attention paid to the rear seats. With its exclusive Golden Sunflower line, Hongqi sells almost twice as many cars as Rolls Royce.

In Europe, a petrol Hongqi is something almost nobody else has. Whether it is the H9 saloon or the hand finished Guoya, it turns heads anywhere from Paris to Prague.

Popular Hongqi models to import

Hongqi H9

The brand's large luxury saloon and the best way into the Hongqi world. Available with a 2.0 turbo or a 3.0 V6, with rear or all wheel drive. Built for people who prefer to sit in the back. In the Emirates it costs between 214,900 and 325,900 dirham.

Hongqi HS7

A large petrol SUV, comfortable and spacious. In the Emirates from 169,900 dirham.

Hongqi Guoya

The Golden Sunflower limousine with a V8. The Hongqi that comes closest to a Rolls Royce Phantom or Maybach, with a hand finished interior. It arrived in the Emirates in June 2026 at 1.07 million dirham.

Hongqi H5, H6 and HS5

The smaller petrol saloons and SUVs. Same style, less exclusive. At this price level, import costs weigh more heavily.

What to know before you import a Hongqi

Where the car comes from

China only allows vehicles to be exported under licence, through the manufacturer or authorised exporters. In the Emirates, Hongqi sells its petrol range officially, which makes Dubai the logical route.

Duties and VAT

Hongqi models from the Emirates run on petrol, so the extra EU countervailing duty on Chinese EVs does not apply. They pay the standard 10 percent import duty plus import VAT.

Registration and taxes differ per country

Once cleared through customs in Rotterdam, the car can move freely within the EU, but registration and road tax are national matters. A V6 or V8 can be very expensive to register in countries that tax CO2 heavily, such as the Netherlands with its BPM, while other countries, Germany for example, have no registration tax at all. SCL arranges Dutch and German registration in house and can advise on other European countries.

Service and parts

European Hongqi dealers focus on the electric models. Petrol cars from the Emirates are not automatically covered by that network, so talk to us about servicing and parts up front.

How your Hongqi import works

1. Advice first. We discuss the model, its origin, your destination country and a realistic cost estimate.
2. Purchase and inspection. We help you find a reliable car and have it inspected before you pay. Our payment service keeps the transaction safe.
3. Shipping. Your Hongqi travels to Rotterdam in a secured container. For a car of this value, transport insurance is a must.
4. Customs clearance. We file the declaration and settle all duties and taxes correctly.
5. Conversion and inspection. In our workshop we prepare the car for European rules, ready for the inspection in your country.
6. Registration and delivery. We arrange registration where possible and deliver your Hongqi in an enclosed transporter to your door, wherever you are in Europe.

You can follow every step in real time through our customer portal.

What does it cost to import a Hongqi?

The final price is made up of the purchase price, shipping, import duty, import VAT, conversion work, inspection and registration. With Hongqi, the engine you choose and the country you register in make the biggest difference to the final bill. Want to know where you will end up? Calculate your costs or ask us for a tailored quote.

Why SCL Rotterdam?

For more than 15 years we have been bringing vehicles into Europe from all over the world, with Dubai and China as regular routes. Exclusive and rare cars are part of our daily work, and we know how to get a car of this value safely from port to front door. Rotterdam is Europe's largest port and a natural gateway to the rest of the continent. Customs, storage, workshop and registration are all under one roof. Our customers rate us 9.2 out of 10 on average. And if an electric Hongqi from a European dealer suits you better, we will tell you straight.

Bring your Hongqi to Europe

Want to drive the car once reserved for heads of state? Call us on +31 10 427 77 20 or request a free quote. Within 24 hours you will know where you stand and whether a Hongqi import is the right move for you.