Hongqi is not a brand that typically surprises people. But the Hongqi Tiangong 07 represents a bold strategic gamble, especially as a successor to the Hongqi EH7, a car that moved only around 2,500 units in the first half of 2026. For decades, Hongqi built parade cars and executive sedans for China’s political elite – vehicles defined by chrome, upright grilles, and a red flag ornament that signalled authority, not disruption. The Tiangong 07, set to open pre-sales on September 21, 2026, is the clearest signal yet that Hongqi wants to change that story.
Hongqi Tiangong 07 is staking everything on the global debut of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8397 cockpit chip. According to Chinese tech media, this processor delivers roughly 14 times the AI compute power of the Snapdragon 8295 found in rivals like the Xiaomi SU7 and Zeekr 007. That is a genuinely unusual move: a legacy state owned manufacturer hard launching into the tech race. But does the hardware ambition translate into a car worth buying?
Design & First Impressions
The Tiangong 07 measures 5,000 mm in length, 1,915 mm wide, and 1,490 mm tall, sitting on a 3,000 mm wheelbase – dimensions that place it within millimetres of a BMW i5, though lower and sleeker. It abandons the EH7’s conventional three box shape for a fully sealed front fascia, flush door handles, and a fast descending roofline. The vertical red flag logo remains on the hood, a detail critics argue should disappear if the Tiangong sub brand wants to appeal to younger, tech forward buyers.
The interior unwraps a cockpit centred around a floating screen and a separate full LCD instrument cluster. Hidden air vents and a two tone colour scheme in dark leather over light trim are the documented choices. A mechanical rotary knob for multimedia controls survives on the centre console – a tactile remnant in a segment racing toward touch only interfaces.
Powertrain & Performance
Two powertrain variants appear in the regulatory filing: a single motor rear wheel drive at 340 kW and a dual motor all wheel drive pairing a 190 kW front motor with a 340 kW rear unit (530 kW combined). Both use lithium iron phosphate batteries from China Automotive New Energy. This marks a considerable power upgrade from the EH7, which produced 253 kW in single motor form and 455 kW in dual motor configuration.
The trade off is range. The EH7 offered up to 820 km CLTC range with a 111 kWh battery. The Hongqi Tiangong 07 tops out at 730 km with a smaller 85.3 kWh pack. Hongqi has clearly prioritised power and production cost over ultimate range.
Technology & Infotainment
The Snapdragon 8397 with 64 GB RAM and 512 GB storage is the genuinely novel element here. It powers the Lingxi 6.0 cockpit with an embedded in-car AI agent. Screen size, resolution, Apple CarPlay availability, and OTA update policy remain unpublished at this time.
Value & The Competition
Hongqi has not yet announced pricing for the Tiangong 07, making direct cost comparison impossible at this stage. Nevertheless, Tiangong 07’s appeal doesn’t rest on potentially being a cheaper option. It holds two main advantages.
First is the generational leap in processing power: the Snapdragon 8397 vastly outpaces the 8295 common to rivals in its class, with the potential of creating a noticeably smoother system performance and deeper functionality when combined with Hongqi’s Lingxi Cabin 6.0 software. Second is size strategy. At 5 metres long with a 3 metre wheelbase, it straddles the executive segment boundary while competitors like Xiaomi SU7 and Zeekr 007, despite similar expected pricing, lean toward sport coupe proportions. The Tiangong 07’s rear legroom and visual presence are physical advantages money cannot easily replicate with options.
Furthermore, the completeness of its advanced autonomous driving features offerings: lidar paired with capabilities including sophisticated parking memory, urban navigation, and precision manoeuvres are added advantages. The Tiangong 07’s competitive logic is not “we’re cheaper,” but rather “we’re offering a bigger car, a more advanced chip, and uncompromised autonomous features that you cannot find bundled at this price point elsewhere.” Success hinges on one condition: Hongqi must prove the systems actually work in production.
Editor’s Take
Hongqi’s track record with the EH7 and broader Tiangong series sales struggles show the brand has not yet earned buyer trust on software delivery. Betting the farm on the Snapdragon 8397 is a genuine strategic gamble. If executed and received well, it could represent a real silicon advantage and a meaningful headstart. If Hongqi delivers on its autonomous driving promises, it proves legacy brands can compete with startups on technology substance, not just price. But if it stumbles, the Tiangong 07 becomes another cautionary tale of impressive hardware arriving with unfinished software underneath.
Sources: AutoHome, ITHome, MIIT Regulatory Filing, Hongqi Official Newsroom
Dollars loves following the latest innovations in automobile technology and sharing insights.
When she’s not writing, you can find her playing badminton or diving into a new opera piece.
