Vietnamese automaker VinFast has enlisted Pininfarina to create a new sedan and SUV.
According to the Italian styling house, 20 designs were submitted to VinFast for the upcoming models. The company then held a contest which asked consumers to select the designs that fit “Vietnamese tastes” and are “in line with world trends.” More than 62,000 people voted in the contest and the two Pininfarina entries came out on top.
Little is known about the models but the sedan rendering shows the car will feature a stylish front fascia with slender LED headlights that blend into the grille. The car also has a bulging hood and gently curved surfaces which are broken up by strong character lines.
The SUV has a similar front fascia but it is notably taller and more aggressive looking. That’s why the styling similarities end as the model adopts plastic body cladding, prominent wheel arches and roof rails. We can also see a large greenhouse and a gently sloping roof.
VinFast is expected to become Vietnam’s first automotive brand and the company is scheduled to launch its first vehicle in September of 2019. If everything goes according to plan, VinFast will produce 500,000 units by 2025.
In a statement, Vingroup vice president Quang Viet Nguyen said “The direct involvement of Pininfarina, one of the world’s biggest design brand, is expected to bring modern beauty while retaining Vietnamese identity to the first two VinFast car models.”
