VinFast buys testing ground in Australia
Sydney (VNA) - Vietnam’s first automaker,
VinFast, inked an agreement on September 9 to purchase the Lang Lang proving
ground in the Australian state of Victoria; the latest move in its development strategy
to become a global brand.
GM Holden’s Lang Lang proving ground is among the oldest
yet most modern in the world.
The 877-ha site boasts 44 km of sealed and unsealed
test roads, skidpans, and 4.7 km of recently-improved, high-speed banked oval
track. It is surrounded by 18 km of fencing, to ensure confidentiality.
One of the symbols of the Australian auto industry,
the ground has been used to test every new Holden vehicle since 1958. GM Holden
announced the closure of its Australian production this year.
GM Holden Interim Chairman and Managing Director
Kristian Aquilina said that, under the deal, the Lang Lang proving ground will
continue to shape the global automotive industry.
A number of VinFast employees are former Holden people.
In a win for the environmental sensitivity of the site, VinFast has apparently
committed to protecting its flora and fauna.
The
brand cut the ribbon on its second Automotive Technology Institute in Melbourne
earlier this year./.