The automotive industry in Vietnam began in the 1930s. Then local manufacturers created their versions of passenger, specialized, and freight transport on the chassis of cars from France. Why from there? Because an independent Vietnam appeared on the part of the territories of French Indochina. During the Second World War, the auto industry declined: local craftsmen only converted old cars so that they did not run on scarce oil but wood gas.
The First Indochina War was another factor that negatively affected the industry. Own passenger transport of domestic production – the small car Chiến Thầng – appeared in Vietnam only at the end of 1958. Further development of the auto industry was very slow due to ongoing hostilities and underdeveloped infrastructure. In recent years, the situation has changed for the better, but the country still has very few car brands of its own. Let’s take a look at them.
Vinaxuki
Vinaxuki, also known as Xuan Kien Auto JSC, entered the market in 2004 and operated for 11 years before closing. It produced various types of transport, including mini-trucks and cars. Her logo consisted of two parts: a geometric composition and a wordmark. The emblem looked like an oval ring with the letter “V” in the middle, which was crossed by a downward arc. The strips were connected to form a single structure. The word “VINAXUKI” used a bold sans-serif typeface similar to Avalon Demi Condensed by FontSite Inc and on Tool Medium by Suomi Type Foundry. All elements, including the letters, were blue and on a white background.
TMT
TMT Motors Corporation is part of the Indian company Tata Motors. The abbreviation of the name stands for “Trading and Manufacturing Equiment Materials for Transportation,” which hints at the main field of activity. The corporate logo contains the blue inscription “TMT MOTORS.” The designers used a geometric grotesque for her, which is something between Galano Grotesque Bold Demo by Rene Bieder and Soin Sans Neue Black by Stawix. Above is an oval ring of the same blue hue. The sides of this figure have an uneven thickness: they are slightly wider on the right and left and thinner on the top and bottom. Inside the frame is an abbreviation of the brand name.
VinFast
VinFast is a representative of the modern automotive industry. This company was established in 2017 and became, in fact, the first independent car manufacturer in Vietnam. And in 2022, she moved to Singapore but kept the memory of her homeland in her name because the letter “V” means “Vietnam.” The same symbol is played in her emblem, which looks like a V-shaped metal badge. The element appears voluminous and multi-layered due to alternating dark and light shades. The black word “VINFAST” is written at the bottom. The designers developed a custom set of glyphs for him with jagged strokes and single serifs.
La Dalat (Sud Du Vietnam)
La Dalat is a Vietnamese car brand that was based on the Citroën Méhari utility SUV and produced at the factories of the Saigon Automobile Company. The production of these vehicles, similar to jeeps, lasted only five years: from 1970 to 1975. They are considered antiques, and their logo is well known to collectors. The iconic graphic sign consists of two triangular arrows pointing upwards. They are painted dark gold and obviously symbolize speed.
Mekong
Mekong Auto Corporation was officially registered in Vietnam in 1991 and began production the following year. It does not develop its cars: its range is limited only to imported models. Mekong emblems often hide South Korean DFM trucks, SsangYong SUVs, North Korean Pyeonghwa small cars, and Italian IVECO trucks. The latter are manufactured under license from Fiat.
The company’s logo expresses the idea of an “infinite universe.” An expanding black strip with three gray stars gradually increasing creates the illusion of flight, of moving forward. On the other hand, it may be a reference to shooting stars that grant any wish. The drawing is placed in a white circle and encircled by a light ring with double-sided dark contours.
