Vietnam’s first domestic car manufacturer, Vinfast, said on Wednesday it had bought GM Holden’s Lang Lang Testing Centre in Australia, as part of its efforts to expand internationally.

Holden, now Vinfast's Proving Ground

Vietnam’s first domestic car manufacturer, Vinfast, said on Wednesday it had bought GM Holden’s Lang Lang Testing Centre in Australia, as part of its efforts to expand internationally. Established in 1958 on an 872-hectare site on Westernport Bay, 90 minutes’ drive south-east of Melbourne, Lang Lang’s 44km of test roads includes a 4.7km high-speed oval and a 5.5km ride and handling course. The site also includes an emissions laboratory. It was most recently upgraded in 2018.

The purchase of the testing centre in Victoria followed the company’s move to open a research and development centre in Melbourne in June. The sale means that the Lang Lang Proving Ground will continue to shape the global automotive industry with its world class facilities at the site. Vinfast are committed to the ongoing protection of the local bushland and environment and it intends to continue to allow access to community landcare activities.

“Currently, VinFast’s product research and development is making a rapid progress. Therefore, owning a modern testing centre like Lang Lang helps a lot for our activities,” said Kevin Yardley, the director of VinFast’s Melbourne development centre, in a press release issued by the company. VinFast has also agreed to host Holden car club days and former Holden employees “to honour Holden’s legacy and contributions to the automotive industry”.

 

Emission Testing Lab