Former Rolls-Royce designer praised the Russian car industry

The style in which the cars of the Chinese luxury brand Hongqi are made is similar to the Russian Volga cars. This was stated by Giles Taylor, Vice president of Global design at Hongqi, who previously worked at Rolls-Royce, the Izvestia correspondent reports.

"I know the Volga brand. The design is close to Hongqi. And Rolls-Royce. She has a powerful presence, a large radiator grille, a clean internal combustion engine, everything is traditional, with status. But it is strange that the Russian automotive industry has not been commercially successful. If you think about Russian cars, it's more about the legacy, about the past," Taylor said.

According to the expert, electric vehicles in Russia are still irrelevant due to the peculiarities of climatic conditions and the necessary infrastructure. The designer also shared his thoughts on the Russian luxury brand Aurus, whose cars are used in a Special Purpose Garage.

"I've heard about Aurus. This is the brand that the President of the Russian Federation [Vladimir] drives. Putin. Similar to Hongqi, with the same status. From [the Chinese President] Xi Jinping is the same. Luxury in the interior, a sense of power, comfort. These cars are not for private owners, but for passengers in the back. Like the aristocracy," Taylor noted.

Red flag and pink fur: what new items were shown in Shanghai

Luxury for young Chinese, SUVs for Russia and other novelties

On April 23, the Chinese company Hongqi presented a number of new products at the Shanghai Auto Show, including a large SUV and a flying car. The latter consists of two modules — the ground landing gear and the cockpit with vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL). According to the developers, the air module is capable of reaching speeds of up to 150 km/h and traveling up to 200 km.