Shanghai show: Lynk & Co reveals sedan concept

LYNK & Co will use the Shanghai motor show to reveal the second model in its portfolio – a sedan concept called the 03 – that will join the 01 crossover, which is being revealed in production-ready form for the first time.

Company CEO Alain Visser has marked the occasion by announcing that all Lynk & Co vehicles will come with a lifetime warranty and free data traffic for connectivity.

The Lynk & Co business model works on consumers being offered the choice of buying, leasing or just borrowing their vehicles, and can select through an app when they are happy for other people to use their vehicle.

Cars will be sold exclusively online, and will be delivered as well as picked up and dropped off for services at no cost to the owner.

Lynk & Co is looking to exploit a niche in the market already seen by companies such as Uber and Airbnb, which use a sharing service as a cornerstone of their respective business models.

Details surrounding the 03 concept are sparse, with the brand only revealing imagery of the sedan which shares many front and rear styling cues with the 01 SUV.

The 03 retains the 01’s bulbous front headlights and split front grille, while at the rear it shares much of its tail-light styling with the crossover.

The 03’s tailpipes are integrated into the rear bumper, which also contains a prominent diffuser.

Inside the cabin, the 03 concept remains faithful to the 01 with the prominent 10.0-inch touchscreen display, digital instrument cluster and identical gearshift knob.

The 03 is likely to be built on Volvo’s Compact Modular Architecture (CMA) platform which is shared by the 01 and Volvo’s upcoming 40 Series vehicles, while powertrains are expected to include a pure battery electric set-up and a Twin Engine plug-in hybrid system.

Like Volvo, Lynk & Co is owned by Chinese automotive giant Geely, with its products designed and engineered in Sweden.

The Shanghai show will also be used to show off a production-ready version of the 01, the company’s first model which was revealed in October.

As with the 03 concept, mechanical details are still hard to come by, but it is likely that the 01 will also use the hybrid and electric vehicle (EV) powertrains being slated for use in the 40 Series models.

Chinese customers can expect to see the first 01s on the road later this year, with right-hand-drive production set to begin in 2018.

Pricing is yet to be confirmed, but reports suggest the 01 will go for the same price in each market it is sold.

Mr Visser said Lynk & Co’s business model was unlike any other automotive manufacturer in the world.

“We believe LYNK & CO will offer the most connected cars in the world, with the world’s first in-car digital share function,” he said.

“We also offer a completely new business model, with a simplified product offer, transparent fixed pricing and an attractive purchase and ownership experience starting here in China this year.

“We will bring a unique offer of connected mobility, with the option to share your car, where everything is included. The key to everything we do is simplicity.”