Many of Vietnam's wealthiest individuals, known for their iconic supercar collections - such as Hoang Kim Khanh, Minh Nhua, Cuong Do La, and Dang Le Nguyen Vu - did not participate in the Gumball 3000 rally this year, creating a sense of disappointment among Vietnam’s car enthusiast community.

However, the biggest regret for local fans is the absence of Vietnam’s high-profile supercar collectors, who are well known for their passion and willingness to invest in the most exclusive vehicles. The exception was Dang Le Nguyen Vu, Chairman of the Trung Nguyen Coffee Corporation, who displayed his collection at the event but did not participate in the rally’s 3,000 km journey.

Vietnam has become known for its car-loving tycoons, who own some of the world’s most expensive supercars, many valued in the tens or hundreds of billions of Vietnamese dong. These rare hypercars are not only symbols of luxury but also affirm their owners' status in the automotive world.

Despite their global standing as collectors, these Vietnamese tycoons chose not to join this year’s Gumball 3000, leaving local car lovers feeling the void.

The highlight of the event for Vietnamese fans was the presence of a fleet of supercars owned by Dang Le Nguyen Vu, including the iconic Bugatti Veyron, which remains the only one in Vietnam.

This Bugatti Veyron was previously owned by businessman Pham Tran Nhat Minh (Minh "Plastic") before it was sold to Dang Le Nguyen Vu in 2012.

Other well-known car collectors, such as Pham Tran Nhat Minh and Hoang Kim Khanh, who are often seen with unique hypercars, were notably absent from the event.

This was a disappointment for fans, as both collectors own models valued as highly as those of international supercar owners.

Pham Tran Nhat Minh is considered a pioneer in the hypercar scene in Vietnam, making headlines when he brought the first Bugatti Veyron to the country.

After selling the Veyron to Dang Le Nguyen Vu, Minh continued to capture attention by acquiring a Pagani Huayra in 2016 for approximately 80 billion dong.

This businessman is also known for his meticulous style, having spent billions to secure a white license plate for the Huayra after waiting two years.

Most recently, in 2023, Minh reaffirmed his extravagant tastes by spending 143 billion dong to acquire a McLaren Elva - a hyper-rare model with only 149 units produced worldwide. This is the first hypercar in Vietnam purchased through an official dealership rather than private importers.

Meanwhile, Hoang Kim Khanh, another famous collector, also skipped this year’s event, despite owning some of the most prized supercars in the country.

In 2020, Khanh purchased a limited-edition McLaren Senna, one of only 500 units globally, for approximately 50 billion dong as a gift for his wife.

Two years later, he stunned car enthusiasts again by acquiring a Koenigsegg Regera, valued at around 200 billion dong, making it the first of its kind in Southeast Asia.

However, both hypercars owned by Khanh are registered with Cambodian plates, a common strategy among businessmen to avoid the high taxes associated with registering supercars in Vietnam.

In this year’s Gumball 3000, Team 67, led by E. Zavala and C. Hultberg, drove a Koenigsegg Regera similar to the one owned by Hoang Kim Khanh, completing the 3,000 km journey through Southeast Asia.

The passion for cars among Vietnamese tycoons is undeniable, with their collections rivaling those of the world’s top car enthusiasts. However, their absence from the Gumball 3000 rally left fans disappointed, as many had hoped to see these domestic supercars compete alongside their international counterparts.

Vo Tam