Brian Jeffrey
This year, Vietnam’s renowned supercar collectors, including Hoang Kim Khanh, Minh Nhua, Cuong Do La, and Dang Le Nguyen Vu, notably skipped the Gumball 3000 rally, much to the dismay of local automotive enthusiasts.
Car fans were particularly let down by the absence of these prominent figures, celebrated for their commitment to acquiring exclusive luxury vehicles. The only notable participant was Dang Le Nguyen Vu, Chairman of Trung Nguyen Coffee Corporation, who showcased his collection but didn’t take part in the rally’s extensive 3,000 km drive.
Vietnam has gained a reputation for its wealthy car enthusiasts who own some of the planet’s priciest supercars, often valued in the hundreds of billions of Vietnamese dong. These exceptional hypercars serve as indicators of wealth and prestige among car collectors.
Despite their high profile as collectors, these tycoons opted not to join the Gumball 3000 this year, leaving a significant gap for local fans.
A notable moment for Vietnamese attendees was the display of Dang Le Nguyen Vu’s supercars, particularly the distinguished Bugatti Veyron, the only one currently in Vietnam.
This particular Bugatti Veyron was once owned by businessman Pham Tran Nhat Minh, affectionately known as Minh “Plastic,” before it was sold to Dang Le Nguyen Vu in 2012.
Pham Tran Nhat Minh is a trailblazer in Vietnam’s hypercar scene, making waves with the introduction of the country’s first Bugatti Veyron.
After his sale of the Veyron to Dang Le Nguyen Vu, Minh continued to dominate the news cycle by acquiring a Pagani Huayra in 2016 for about 80 billion dong.
Known for his attention to detail, Minh additionally invested significant resources into obtaining a white license plate for the Huayra, waiting two years in the process.
In 2023, Minh made headlines again by purchasing a McLaren Elva for an astounding 143 billion dong, making it the first hypercar to officially enter Vietnam through a dealership, with only 149 units produced globally.
On the other hand, Hoang Kim Khanh, another recognized collector, did not attend the event despite having some of Vietnam’s most coveted supercars.
In 2020, Khanh bought a limited-edition McLaren Senna, one of 500 worldwide, as a special gift for his wife, costing around 50 billion dong.
Two years later, he amazed the car community again by securing a Koenigsegg Regera, valued at roughly 200 billion dong, marking it as the first of its kind in Southeast Asia.
However, Khanh’s hypercars are registered with Cambodian plates, a common practice among business owners to avoid hefty registration taxes in Vietnam.
This year at Gumball 3000, Team 67, featuring E. Zavala and C. Hultberg, brought along a Koenigsegg Regera similar to Khanh’s, successfully completing the 3,000 km trek across Southeast Asia.
The enthusiasm for cars among Vietnam’s wealthy elite is evident, with collections that compete globally. Yet, their absence from the Gumball 3000 rally left many fans longing to witness the juxtaposition of local supercars with international participants.
