New Pininfarina designs to become first Vietnamese cars

Two striking Pininfarina car designs are set to make production in Vietnam after a unique voting process that featured almost 62,000 people. The designs – an SUV and a sedan – share similar looks and were chosen over 20 other examples from rival design houses. They're due to become primary models for Vinfast – a new Vietnamese car brand. Vinfast plans to launch its first car in September 2019 and has ambitions of building 500,000 units by 2025.

Italian design house Pininfarina said that while the designs are set for further development, they are on course to become the first cars made by a Vietnamese manufacturer. “The direct involvement of Pininfarina, one of the world’s biggest design brands, is expected to bring modern beauty while retaining Vietnamese identity to the first two Vinfast car models,” said Quang Viet Nguyen, boss of Vinfast's parent company, Vingroup.

Pininfarina's latest project is the second in recent times to feature an Asian carmaker. Last week, the brand announced that it has been working with Hong Kong's Hybrid Kinetic Group to produce an HK GT performance electric car. A single image of that car was released; it will feature a range-extending turbine generator.