Daily LIFT #1832

Chairman Mao checking out a Dongfeng CA71 Car, 1958 -- Daily LIFT #1832

The Dongfeng CA71, produced in 1958 by First Automotive Works (FAW), was the first passenger car to be manufactured entirely in China, marking a key milestone in Chinese automotive history.

The Dongfeng CA71 was developed by FAW in Changchun during the Great Leap Forward, with its first prototype completed on May 12, 1958.

FAW was founded in 1953 with support from the Soviet Union and initially focused on commercial vehicles and trucks. The development of the CA71 represented China's first effort to produce a domestic passenger car independently, transitioning from truck production to sedans.