Lynk & Co saloon
Volvo sister brand reveals its sporty new four-door 03
LYNK & Co has revealed the final exterior design of the new 03, giving us our first proper look at the Geely-owned brand’s rival for the Audi A3 and Mercedes A-class saloons.
The production car sticks closely to the styling of the 03 concept revealed at last year’s Shanghai Motor Show, mixing front and rear design cues from the firm’s SUVS into a sportier four-door shape. At the front is the distinctive Lynk & Co face, but the design is more aggressive than what we’ve seen from the marque so far.
There’s a sharp crease along the 03’s waistline. Intricate LED lights can be seen at the rear, plus twin-exit exhausts and a pronounced lip spoiler. At the front we’re given an even better look at the nose, including the split-level headlamps with separate daytime running lights.
It will sit on the Compact Modular Architecture platform co-developed with Volvo, which means the 03 will share its underpinnings with the XC40 SUV.
Volvo will also supply engines, with the Swedish firm’s new 1.5-litre threecylinder petrol linked to a plug-in hybrid set-up, and a 2.0-litre motor that’s related to the unit used by the XC60 T8. Lynk & Co has claimed that in testing, the hybrid 03 regularly achieves a pureelectric range of 40 miles. A full EV will be possible, because the platform is being developed to support that tech.
We’ve not seen inside the 03 yet, but the concept gave us an idea of how the production car’s interior might look, with a similar layout to that used in the 01 and 02, plus digital instruments.
Lynk & Co says its range of models will be permanently connected online, so you can hook up to the vehicle via a Wifi hotspot. In-car data will be free, for permanent connectivity.
In fact, the purchase process will also be entirely online, as part of a business model where all the car’s features are standard and it’s sold at a fixed price and delivered to your door. The firm will also offer motorists subscription models to drive its cars.
“Lynk & Co has claimed that in testing, the hybrid 03 regularly achieves a pure-electric range of 40 miles”