With his massive car collection, Jay Leno isn't quite a member of the proletariat, but he's still not the kind of person who would demand to be driven in a limo, especially not a Chinese limo like the Honqi CA770.
Don't know what the CA770 is? Neither did Jay, and that is really saying something. The quintessential automotive personality recently had the chance to drive in a car that would have been accessible only to the communist party elite, or guests of the state, in China in the late 1970s.
Honqi itself means "red flag" in Chinese, an obvious reminder of just where and when this menacing four-door was developed.
Reports indicate that state-owned Hongqi built about 1,600 CA770s between 1963 and 1980, making this 1978 model one of the last. The cars were powered by V-8 engines and some were even bulletproof in order to protect their powerful occupants.
Its owner, Capa Ma, makes in appearance in the video, initially by pushing the broken down car with Jay in the driver's seat. Needless to say, it may not be the highest quality car Jay has featured on his show.
Jay learns a lot about this oddball car in the video. Watch it and you will, too.
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