The first (North) Vietnamese car, the Chien Thang.

Chien Thang, made in North Vietnam, 1958. (source: several Vietnamese websites)

At the Paris Auto Show which is going on these days a Vietnamese manufacturer shows two new models named Vinfast.
Time to remind us that already in 1958 in Hanoi Vietnams first car saw its light.

1958 was the year that many Chinese companies started the development of cars. We remember you that they were allowed to be inspired by Western examples, but not allowed to copy these cars directly. We wrote earlier about the Volga as base for the Dongfanghong BJ760, the Mercedes Benz as base for the Shanghai SH760, the Chrysler as base for the first Hongqi, the Simca/Ford France as base for the Dongfeng CA71.

Ho Chi Minh (to the right) meets the hugh tail fins of the Chien Thang. The other man mentioned here is Nguyen Manh Khanh, a Vietnamese designer, inventor and engineer who was known as Quasar Kanh. In 1964 he developed another car named Quasar which was produced by the English Unipower company. (source: several Vietnamese websites)

North Vietnam, like North Korea, was strongly influenced by this development. On December 21, 1958, Vietnams first car was shown to Ho Chi Minh, the leader of the country. The name of the car was Chien Thang (Victory or Triumph), which is no surprise when you are at war with the USA.

Ho Chi Minh (left) and the Chien Thang. The emblem on the bonnet is a soldier. (source: several Vietnamese websites)

Over the years we had only one Chinese picture and the conclusion from this picture was that the car was based on the Volga M21. You could say a Volga with impressive tail fins.

The Chien Thang described in a contemporary Chinese car magazine. The only picture we had. (source: Qiche Jishu 1959)

But we were wrong… Recently more photos and some info showed up. The car was developed by a mr. Vu Van Don. The registration was QS0001. And the car was based on a ….French Renault Frégate!

Production was planned at the Victory Factory, division Z157 Motorcycle Factory under the directorship of mr. Ho Manh Khang.

Another bad quality picture of the Chien Thang. (source: Za Rulem (USSR) 1959)

After the prototype we never heard anything anymore..

p.s. after writing this article Robert Jablonksi gave us information from contemporarily Russian press articles confirming that the car is based on a Volga chassis and had Volga 2.4-litre engine. Robert also sent a picture of another car, made by students of the Polytechnical School of Hanoi in July 1959: