Hongqi is set to enter Malaysia, with Quill Group signing a memorandum of understanding with China’s FAW Group to bring in the luxury marque as its exclusive local importer and CKD distributor.
The move also gives Quill the role of strategic partner and master distributor for the brand here.
The agreement covers importation, local completely knocked down assembly and the appointment of authorised dealerships nationwide. Hongqi’s Malaysian debut is currently pencilled in for mid-2026.
That would give the Chinese brand a fresh route into the local premium space, particularly at the upper end where luxury EVs are gaining more attention.
Hongqi, which means Red Flag, is one of China’s best-known car names and has long been associated with official state transport. It is produced by FAW Group, which is state-owned carmaker.
Hongqi vehicles are already exported to more than 87 countries and regions, including parts of Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and Southeast Asia.
Hongqi builds a range of vehicles that includes conventional gasoline models, plug-in hybrids and fully electric cars. A range-extender electric SUV is in the pipeline.
Quill Group group managing director Datuk Dr Jennifer Low said the company sees Malaysia as one of Hongqi’s key right-hand-drive expansion markets.
She also said Quill plans to back the launch with marketing, after-sales support and parts supply as it tries to build confidence around the brand’s arrival.
The Hongqi deal carries some backstory worth knowing.
Quill had held the Rolls-Royce distributorship in Malaysia since 2010, running the franchise out of Petaling Jaya for the better part of 15 years.
That ended abruptly in October 2025, when Rolls-Royce Motor Cars sent Quill Motorcars a termination notice.
The split followed what industry sources described as internal management tensions and a slowdown in momentum — this despite the group having sold more than 20 units in 2024, a respectable tally for a brand operating at that price point.
As of early 2026, no permanent replacement distributor had been named, with BMW Group Malaysia stepping in on a temporary basis to handle aftersales for existing Rolls-Royce owners.
Quill, meanwhile, found itself out of the ultra-luxury game entirely — at least on the European side.
It’s hard to look at the Hongqi deal in isolation, given what just happened. It puts Quill back in the premium segment it knows, swapping a British icon with 120 years of heritage for a Chinese state marque that’s been gaining ground globally.
Where Hongqi sits in the pecking order is debatable. That Quill needed a move, less so.
