The Vietnamese car manufacturer VinFast is bringing the VF 8 to Germany at the end of the year. The electric crossover offers a lot of standard equipment, lots of space, but still has weaknesses in driving dynamics.
The recipe is simple and has already been used several times, especially in China. Put money in your hands (the more, the better), buy know-how, set up your own factory or take over one of an unsuccessful car manufacturer, create a sales model that is as up-to-date as possible and the new star in the automotive sky is ready. Sounds easy, isn’t it. The list of failed manufacturers is long: just ask Qoros or Borgward. The ambitions were big and so was the case.
The Vietnamese carmaker VinFast wants to do better. Money is there. The multi-billionaire and owner of the umbrella company VinGroup Phạm Nhật Vượng has enough financial resources to turn the automotive start-up into a success story. So, among other things, Magna was brought on board as a development partner, Pininfarina for the design and ZF for the driver assistance systems. The result is the VF 8, a 4.75 meter long electric SUV that is set to cause a sensation in the D segment.
We are sitting in the Plus variant with 300 kW / 408 hp and a maximum torque of 620 Newton meters. All essential settings are initiated via the huge 15.6-inch touchscreen. Starting with the position of the steering wheel, the exterior mirrors and the driving modes Eco, Normal and Sport. In conjunction with the steering wheel buttons, we adjust the valance and quickly find an acceptable seating position. However, we quickly notice that the lateral support could be more pronounced.
On the road, the VF 8 does well at first. The all-wheel drive, consisting of one motor each on the front and rear axles, provides enough traction. This changes as soon as it comes to corners, then the front end behaves stubbornly and the ESP has to intervene noticeably to compensate for this tendency to understeer. However, we are sitting in a pre-production vehicle, so the developers still have time to improve. The same applies to the steel chassis, which is almost constantly in motion on bumps and changes of direction. There’s a reason for that. Even if the Vietnamese stubbornly remain silent on the subject of weight, we assume around 2.5 tons. This mass must be kept in check and comfort must not be neglected. Adaptive dampers could help here to resolve the conflict between necessary firmness and comfort. But that doesn’t exist with the VF 8.
When it comes to space, the VinFast crossover offers a split picture. While the legroom in the rear is truly princely, it is narrower in the front. This is due to the powerful center console and the cardan tunnel, which is due to the fact that the VF 8 is also available with a combustion engine. The infotainment system is based on Android Auto, but will be able to handle Apple CarPlay in the production model – both wirelessly and via USB connection. That is why the user interface is similar to that of a smartphone and does not pose any puzzles when it is operated. You have to find your way around the submenus. Further software updates will be made over the air.
The driving modes and the recuperation strength (easy or standard, which is not enough for one-pedal driving) are set on the large screen. Shift paddles and a small rotary wheel on the steering wheel would be better here. But that doesn’t change the fact that the driving programs differ noticeably. With Sport, the full power is available, the VF 8 Plus reaches the 100 km/h mark from a standing start in 5.5 seconds and has a top speed of 200 km/h. With Normal, the torque is reduced by ten percent and the top speed is 180 km/h. With Eco, the drive train reacts much more cautiously, the torque falls by a further ten percent and the maximum speed to 160 km/h.
VinFast offers the VF 8 in two battery sizes: with a net capacity of 82 or 87.7 kilowatt hours. Depending on the size of the battery, the VF 8 plus can travel either up to 400 kilometers or up to 447 kilometers. With us, the on-board computer calculated 333 kilometers. The maximum DC charging speed is 200 kW, so the large batteries should be fully charged again in less than an hour. AC charging is possible up to 11 kW, then the energy storage is filled from 10 to 70 percent in about 31 minutes.
The VF 8 will be available in Germany at the end of the year. Depending on the battery size, the plus version costs 50,800 or 50,300 euros. With this small difference, the smaller batteries should not play a major role. If 260 kW / 353 hp is enough, you can go for the VinFast VF 8 Eco for 43,900 or 43,600 euros. The maximum range increases to 471 kilometers. Even the basic version is really well equipped with eleven airbags, a heated steering wheel, a heat pump, LED headlights and a whole range of helpers such as the traffic jam assistant or the emergency brake assistant, a 360-degree camera and a head-up display. However, VinFast requires a monthly leasing rate of 120 euros for the batteries. For comparison: the Aiways U5 costs at least 35,403 euros.
Unlike most Asian car manufacturers, who first do their homework in their home market in order to then be successful worldwide, the VF 8 will come to Europe together with its bigger brother, the VF 9, at the end of the year. It starts in Germany, France and the Netherlands with a total of 50 bases, 25 of which are in Germany alone. Starting with branches in Frankfurt, Berlin, Cologne, Oberhausen and Hamburg. “We want to use the concept of Vietnamese hospitality to differentiate ourselves from other automobile manufacturers,” says VinFast boss Le Thi Thu Thuy. That means worry-free customer service and more. It will be exciting to see how and if this concept succeeds.
Source: Stern
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