First Car in Hong Kong

The first automobiles in Hong Kong had petrol-driven internal combustion engines and arrived between 1903-05. Initially they were not well received by the public. Only around 1910 did the cars begin to gain appeal. Most of the owners were British.

1910 photo of one of the first cars driven in Hong Kong

Some of these cars probably found their ways to Hong Kong in the turn of the 20th Century, ...

From top to bottom
1904 Vauxhall, 1903 Vauxhall
1905 Vauxhall, 1909 Vauxhall
1911 Vauxhall, 1909 Austro Daimler
1909 Napier Laudaulette
1903 CGV Coupe Trois Quarts, 1904 De Dion Bouton Tonneau

From Police Chief to Governor

July 4, 1912, Francis Henry May (梅含理), In Office as Captain Superintendent of Police1893-1901

F. H. May (right) with wife and guests on the opening day of the Hong Kong section of the KCR - 1910. May was the Acting Governor at that time

Taxi Serivce

Regulated: 1947, 329 cars licensed


The world's most popular taxi cab --- Mercedes Benz Ponton taxi, type W121 190Db

Taxi Boss

Taxi service, pioneer: 1941, taxi boss Wu Zung (胡忠); 40 cars

Gordon Wu, Chairman of Hopewell Group, son of Wu Zung --- taxi king from the 1940s.

In 1941, Wu Zung is believed to have owned 40 taxis including 10 white cars, which he leased to the government. When the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong began in December of the same year, he suspended his transport operation. He resumed his business after the war with 100 cars.

The First Ferrari Imported to Hong Kong

1960s.

1960s – the First Ferrari imported to Hong Kong, no specific information on the exact year and who the owner was...

But here is the first order Ferrari received from Hong Kong in October 1959 – a Series II250GT Pinin Farina (3-liter, V-12) – and the buyer was a captain in the US armed force. By the time the car is ready to ship in May 1960, the captain has been reassigned to Japan, and so the car was shipped to Japan and became the first Ferrari to have been imported in the country.

Rolls Royce

Rolls Royce, running in Hong Kong: year unknown, model unknown, owned by Li Po Chun (李寶椿)

Rolls Royce

Rolls Royce fleet of owned by the Peninsula Hotel: 1970, seven Silver Shadow

Rickshaw

1870, imported by American businessman from Japan


They were a popular form of transport for many years, peaking at more than 7,000 in the early part of the 20th century. These two modes vied for customers depending on their budget, haste, or terrain to be negotiated.