Nanjing International Tourism Resort & RV Exhibition – Get a First Look at the Vintage Cars on Display

    Vintage cars, as the name suggests, are historic vehicles from bygone eras. Since the birth of the first automobile in 1896, major global car brands have competed fiercely, creating countless perfect blends of art and power, showcasing the progress of science and craftsmanship. Through the vicissitudes of time, their once-popular silhouettes have gradually faded from public view, but their spirit of the era marks the soul of human craftsmanship.

    At the 2014 Nanjing International Tourism Resort & RV Exhibition, we have specially selected several historically significant vintage car brands for on-site display. These cars once served as leaders’ official vehicles, serving as specimens of automotive history and witnesses to social development. Their unique charm and magical allure will allow you to experience the charm of history and the spirit of the times.

    This ZIS-115 bulletproof car was Mao Zedong’s vehicle during his time. It was produced in the 1950s at the Stalin Automobile Factory in the former Soviet Union. This car was one of five bulletproof vehicles gifted to China by Stalin. The ZIS-115 weighs 7.72 tons, has an inline eight-cylinder engine, and the entire body is covered with armor approximately 8 cm thick. The windows are fitted with 8 cm thick bulletproof glass, providing effective protection against anti-aircraft machine guns, armor-piercing bullets, and landmines, thus offering all-around safety — essentially a veritable tank. The car has no rearview mirrors, mainly because during the 1950s and 60s, ideological requirements dictated that “socialism cannot go backward,” and also because the vehicle was used by individuals of such high status that they were usually accompanied by a security motorcade, eliminating the need to reverse. The car is equipped with bulletproof glass, and there is also a retractable partition glass inside the cabin that separates it from the front driving compartment, offering both bullet resistance and confidentiality. Due to the excessive weight of these glass panels, a hydraulic system is required to raise and lower them. Stalin himself also used this type of car during his lifetime.

    A 280S model sedan produced by German Mercedes-Benz in 1968. It features a 108 chassis, inline six-cylinder, gasoline engine. Dimensions: 4800×1900×1450 mm, wheelbase 2750 mm, track 1500 mm, unladen weight 1937 kg, manual four-speed, right-hand drive, hydraulic brakes, upright headlights. It is the ancestor of the modern S-Class.

It holds a fairly high status within the Mercedes-Benz lineup. In the early years of the People’s Republic, it served as Zhu De’s car.

    The “Haiyan” that never took flight — a little-known chapter in Shanghai’s automotive industry development history. This car is the only experimental vehicle ever produced by the Shanghai Automobile Manufacturing Plant, making it extremely rare and precious.

    This car is nearly 3 meters long, making it one of the smallest cars in the world. Its exquisite craftsmanship gives it great value for viewing and collecting.

    This Haiyan model is the SW710 type, with overall dimensions of 2940×1430×1360 mm. It is a true microcar, featuring sleek and lively exterior lines that differ from the traditional car design styles of the time. It includes some decorative parts, and the side air intakes are accented with chrome trim — absolutely a symbol of fashion at the time. The body structure is a two-door, three-box design, with the engine in the rear, the front compartment housing the spare tire and fuel tank, and large door areas allowing easy access for rear passengers. The body structure uses a then cutting-edge monocoque design. The original engine was a four-stroke air-cooled type, with a displacement of 0.298 liters and a maximum power of 13 horsepower. Surprisingly, the crankcase was made of aluminum alloy. Its drivetrain is also unique — to simplify the structure, it used single-wheel drive on the left rear wheel, eliminating the need for a complex and heavy differential. The transmission is a simple three-speed manual, the front suspension is a four-link independent setup, and the rear suspension uses leaf springs in a non-independent configuration.

    Judging from the parameters of the Haiyan SW710, its design is quite simple and lags behind many foreign microcars of the same class. However, it still fulfilled a role as a taxi for a period. Its brief existence shows that China’s auto manufacturers at the time began to focus on microcar R&D, and there was some market demand — but ultimately, it failed due to low technological content. Today, domestic microcar production and technology have reached very high levels, but it is undeniable that this Haiyan is the earliest witness of Chinese automakers venturing into microcars.

   

        A product of German Mercedes-Benz in the 1950s, it was one of the few high-end sedans introduced in China during the early years of the People’s Republic. At the time, it was mainly used to serve a small number of foreign experts at the Sanmenxia Reservoir.

        In 1955, when China began constructing the first major dam on the Yellow River — the Sanmenxia Water Control Project — the State Council specially allocated funding to the Sanmenxia Water Control Project Management Bureau to meet construction needs.

        This car witnessed the glorious construction process of China’s first Yellow River dam and carried many national leaders, including Liu Shaoqi, Zhou Enlai, Zhu De, Li Xiannian, Peng Dehuai, Li Fuchun, Luo Ronghuan, Nie Rongzhen, Si Zhongxun, and Deng Yingchao, who all inspected the Sanmenxia Dam aboard this vehicle.

 

        Produced by the Shanghai Automobile Manufacturing Plant in 1970. A convertible review car with a long body and streamlined design, it was used exclusively for major events and military parades.

        Only two of this model were produced by the Shanghai Automobile Manufacturing Plant, making it extremely rare. It has been a witness to and carrier of many historical events.

    Premier Zhou Enlai once used this car to accompany King Norodom Sihanouk in reviewing the three services honor guard in Shanghai.

  

        The Victory M20, produced in 1954 at the Gorky Automobile Plant in the former Soviet Union, was modeled after a Ford design. It features a four-cylinder inline layout, pneumatic-hydraulic braking, and appeared in over 20 films and TV dramas including “Jiao Yulu” and “The Queen of Zhuizi.”