Hongqi

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.

Thinking about how Chinese cars looked one decade ago, the Hongqui S9 seems to have arrived from another planet. The S9 was revealed on Monday at the Shanghai Auto Show and believe it or not, it was penned down by the same designer responsible for the Audi R8.