VinFast: Vietnam's first car company has big ambitions

Vietnam's economy is expected to grow as much as 7% annually in the near-term, and with a population of around 90 million, its automotive market is expected to surge rapidly from the current 300,000 annual pace. And where sales are dominated by brands like Toyota and Hyundai, Pham Nhat Vuong is determined to grab a share for his new company, VinFast, which aims to become Vietnam's first major carmaker.

Barely a year ago, 40% of the company's 827-acre manufacturing site was still underwater. There's still plenty of mud and debris, workers racing to pull things together. They don't have time to waste, considering the plan is to have the manufacturing complex up and running before mid-2019.