Say hello to LYNK & CO

Sister brand to Volvo launches with hi-tech new SUV

CHINESE giant Geely has shown its radical vision of the future of motoring by unveiling its new global car brand LYNK & CO. And spearheading the assault is the brand’s first model, a bold SUV called the 01 claimed to be the most connected car yet.

The model has been designed in Sweden by Brit Peter Horbury and his team, and is based on the Compact Model Architecture (CMA) that will be used by fellow Geely brand Volvo to underpin future models including the V40 hatch, S40 saloon and XC40 SUV.

With dimensions of 1,654mm (height), 4,530mm (length) and 1,855mm (width), and a wheelbase of 1,730mm, the 01 is a little taller, longer and wider than the Nissan Qashqai. The front of the car is dominated by a dark, full-width grille incorporating the main headlamps, while the side is marked out by two striking parallel lines and a ‘shark’s fin’ D-pillar. At the rear, revolver light signatures add a touch of drama.

Inside, there’s a 10.1-inch central touchscreen and telematics systems that are constantly connected to the Internet. A shareable ‘digital key’ allows owners to provide access to others, while the car can be controlled by smartphone via an app.

Under the skin, the brand’s models will be made available with a range of efficient powertrains, and all will offer electrification. In the SUV, a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission will be offered alongside a manual gearbox. Engines will be licensed from Volvo – a 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol that was showcased at the Swedish firm’s launch of CMA earlier this year, plus a 2.0 four-cylinder petrol. Traditional trim levels will be dispensed with and replaced by ‘fixed price collections’ and model names will be redundant, with the 01 being followed by the 02, 03 and so on.

The brand’s cars will be sold online or in retail outlets like shopping centres, cutting distribution costs and allowing LYNK & CO to equip its models to premium levels while, it claims, undercutting the likes of VW and Ford. Shared ownership and leasing will be promoted heavily, and personalisation will be unprecedented, with open-platform tech allowing third-party developers to tailor the car to specific requirements.

The 01 will go on sale in China next year, before arriving in the UK late in 2018.

Sister brand to Volvo born New car to hit UK in 2018 “The 01 is based on the Compact Model Architecture used by Volvo to underpin future models such as the XC40”

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