Lynk & Co has officially released its flagship model 09 in Shanghai. The new car is positioned as a mid-size SUV. Following models 01 – 07, Lynk & Co 09 is the automaker’s biggest car. It is based on Volvo’s SPA platform – the same that underpins the Volvo XC90 II, several other Volvo cars, and Polestar 1. Chinese automaker Geely owns all these brands.

Lynk & Co will manufacture the new flagship model in the Meishu plan in Ningbo. The design is typical of Lynk & Co signature. The front has the same frog-eye lights as other Lynk & Co’s but below that sits a very impressive grille with large vertical bars. This part of the design is unlike any other Lynk & Co. The rear features a horizontal setup of taillights and four exhausts for a sporty look. The size is 5042/1977/1780 mm, and the wheelbase is 2984 mm. From the release event pictures, we can confirm it will be a 7 seater. About the interior, it looks similar to Lynk & Co 5. It has 6 LCD screens, including a 12″ + 6″ control panel screen and a 12.8″ infotainment screen, and a 12.3″ panel screen.

 

During the official release, we learned there would be three versions:

  • Mild hybrid (2.0T+8AT 48V) : It’s actually not a hybrid. It’s more a fancy name for a classic petrol car, which can switch the engine on/off anytime. Yes, it has some recuperation, and the 48V battery can sometimes help the ICE with some power. Maybe. It is the most common solution with new cars.
  • Hybrid : An electric motor can help petrol engine. A battery can be charged only by regeneration when breaking and by ICE (Internal Combustion Engine).
  • PHEV (plug-in hybrid) : The electric engine helps ICE. The owner can charge the battery by plugging it into electricity.

Same with all other cars based on the SPA platform, the engine is 2.0T. It should have 252 – 431 hp based on configuration, and all variants are four-wheel driven. Lynk & Co American partner BorgWarner supplies this AWD. All versions will also have eight-speed Aisin 8AT automatic transmission.

Lynk & Co 01 cost in China 180,000–202,000 yuan (US$ 28,000-31,000). The Volvo XC40 with the same platform is 287,000–386,000 yuan (US4 44,000–60,000). In general, Lynk & Co cars are about 60% price of their Swedish counterpart. That would make Lynk & Co 09 estimated cost starting 300,000 yuan (US$ 46,000).