The Lynk & Co 03 concept sedan has been unveiled
ahead of its debut at the 2017 Shanghai Motor Show. Although this vehicle bears
the tag ‘concept’, it doesn’t seem a world away from being production-ready.
Wwhile the company has revealed the look of the concept car, it hasn’t
released any details about the vehicle.
It shares a lot in common with the
Lynk & Co 01 crossover. Both cars, as well as other vehicles from Geely and
Volvo, were overseen by the company’s design chief, Peter Horbury.
Based on the Compact Modular Architecture (CMA)
developed by Volvo for its parent Geely, the Lynk & Co 03 will be closely
related to the 01 crossover, as well as the next-generation Volvo 40-Series,
which we expect will include the XC40 crossover, S40 sedan, and V40 hatch or
wagon.
The CMA cars will be powered
by drivetrains featuring either 1.5-litre three-cylinder or 2.0-litre
four-cylinder engines. The latter motors, in both diesel and petrol guises, are
already available in the Volvo S90, V90 and XC90 range. The architecture has
also been designed to handle plug-in hybrid drivetrains down the line.
The interior of the 03 concept seems
to be almost a straight lift from the 01 SUV. Vehicles in the Lynk & Co
range are said to be always connected to the internet, and will feature a Wi-Fi
hotspot, and an infotainment system designed by Microsoft and Alibaba.
Geely is hoping to up-end the traditional method of
selling cars through independently operated dealerships. Like Tesla, it is
planning to launch it own network of wholly owned shopfronts.
The Chinese automaker will also make Lynk & Co’s
cars available via a subscription model, and through new sharing/renting
services.
