VinFast has certainly had its struggles so far. The Vietnamese brand is the brainchild of Pham Nhat Vuong, Vietnam’s richest man and owner of VinGroup, the country’s largest private conglomerate. VinGroup dominates much of Vietnam’s economy, from retail stores and shopping malls to real estate — and even a slew of private schools and universities.
This dominance should also be transferred to the domestic car market and, consequently, to the global market. But this has not happened so far. The brand's automotive division is repeatedly criticized and has also had difficulty selling its electric models in significant quantities outside of Vietnam. In Germany, for example, only 284 new registrations were registered in 2025.
The company has now announced that it will refocus and sharpen its goals. The activities will be officially divided into three areas. The first is the VinFast-VF series, aimed at the mass market and private customers, known for models such as the VF6 and VF8. The second is the “green” models such as the Herio Green and Minio Green, which are aimed at fleet customers. The biggest news in the true sense of the word is the new luxury line: Lac Hong.
VinFast says the Lac Hong is inspired by Vietnamese cultural heritage and embodies the “courage, intellect, and greatness of the nation.” It will be launched in two models, the 800 S and 900 S, which will join the VF9-based 900 LX, which was quietly unveiled in mid-2025.
Personally, we think the 900 S and 800 S look great. The flat, elongated silhouette of the 900 S is reminiscent of the Mercedes-Maybach in terms of proportions; the pseudo-monobloc wheels and generally rather restrained chrome elements look very elegant. The 800 S is a bit less interesting in my opinion, as its shape and proportions are reminiscent of the BMW iX – which is not exactly a design icon.
Both vehicles feature large cooling vents with vertical bars that are said to symbolize bamboo. At the rear, the taillights converge roughly in the middle of the rear doors – this is said to evoke associations with the mythological Vietnamese Lac bird. VinFast also talks about a number of design references that allude to central elements of Vietnamese culture, such as the Dong Son bronze drum or rice fields.
Inside, both models feature Nappa leather, real wood trim, and gold-plated accents. The 900 S sedan can be ordered with a bulkhead, including a large TV. VinFast has so far been silent about these two electric cars, except that they have three motors with 617 hp (about 454 kW). It is not clear which battery will be used, nor is it known how long it will take to charge and what the range will be.
On paper, VinFast appears to be deliberately trying to compete with imported, non-Vietnamese luxury brands – especially those from China. Due to geopolitical tensions and high tariffs, Chinese brands have so far had little presence in Vietnam, but they are very visible in much of Southeast Asia. Cars like the Maextro S800 or the Denza Z9 are intended to show that China can produce technologically advanced and well-made luxury cars.
We bet that's Lac Hong's intention. For now, we assume that these sedans are aimed primarily at wealthy Vietnamese buyers looking for a homegrown luxury car. Both the 800 S and 900 S are expected to go on sale in Vietnam by 2027. Whether they'll be available elsewhere remains to be seen.
