Vietnamese carmaker VinFast has announced
a new model called the President, which is sure to stand out from its other
offerings. The limited-edition SUV was first previewed by the LUX V8 at the
Magna Steyr booth during last year’s Geneva Motor Show and is based on the
existing LUX SA2.0.
Unlike that SUV, the President gains a
number of distinct visual cues, including a vented bonnet, a mesh front grille,
large 22-inch wheels and quad tailpipes. There’s also plenty of gold accents,
as seen on the wheels, roof rails, window trim, side rocker panels, bumper trim
and badges.
However, the main party piece is what’s
going on under the sporty bonnet, as the President packs a V8 engine instead of
a lesser 2.0 litre turbocharged four-cylinder found in a regular LUX SA2.0. The
company did not provide any details about the eight-cylinder mill, although it
is reported to be sourced from General Motors.
The LUX V8 featured a 6.2 litre LS V8
rated at 455 hp and 624 Nm of torque, and this is likely what is powering the
new President, the show car was also claimed to hit a top speed of 300 km/h.
As the LUX SA2.0 shares the same underpinnings as the F15 BMW X5, the chassis
should be more than capable to cope with ll that added grunt and forces acting
on it.
For interior, VinFast has said it will
carry quite a bit of suede and carbon-fibre items to suit the SUV’s sporty
nature. The company also stated that production of the vehicle will be for a
limited time, although it didn’t reveal for how long. Reports claim the
President will only be sold within 2020, but no pricing has been revealed so far.
