2020 Lynk & Co 03: Sino-Swedish Sedan Spied!
2020 Lynk & Co 03: Sino-Swedish Sedan Spied
A Chinese sedan from a different kind of car company.
Clifford Atiyeh Published: Mar 21, 2018
What It Is: A near-production version of the Lynk & Co 03 concept, first previewed last April by the newly created Geely subsidiary with the Lincoln-baiting name. Some of the concept's exterior elements have been modified for production, such as the larger side-view mirrors and the rear bumper with its low-mounted reflectors. Dual exhaust tips poke out below the bumper, which now incorporates a wide strip that appears to house the reverse lamps. The 03's front is positively amphibian, the side profile is stubby and ungainly, and the back is as bland as envelope adhesive. Clearly, Lynk & Co is not going to impinge on fellow Geely brand Volvo's position as a design leader. Still, we're not brushing it off, as this ordinary compact sedan has an extraordinary business plan backed by billions of dollars.
Why It Matters: Zhejiang Geely Holding Group is a private Chinese conglomerate that owns Volvo, the U.S.-based flying-car company Terrafugia, the formerly British company that built London black cabs, and most of Lotus, as well as a ride-sharing service in its home market. Lynk & Co could fail miserably, and Geely wouldn't even wobble. Still, the company is betting big with the Lynk & Co brand, which plans to field this sedan alongside two crossovers labeled 01 and 02. The idea is to tempt young urban Americans with a subscription-style lease plan, no dealerships, an unlimited warranty, app-based services, and a cut-rate price. You could consider Lynk & Co a Chinese Saturn for the modern age.
Platform: Volvo's Compact Modular Architecture (CMA), which underpins the 2019 XC40 crossover, is the reason Geely bought the Swedish automaker in the first place. It's a solid platform guaranteed to meet the most stringent crash-test requirements in any market. The Lynk & Co 03 wouldn't have any credibility if it were riding on a dated Geely chassis.
Powertrain: Three- and four-cylinder turbocharged engines, along with hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and battery-electric options, are possible with the CMA platform. Expect the 03 to debut with hybrid motivation, with other Volvo-engineered powertrains to follow.
Competition: Chevrolet Cruze, Ford Focus, Honda Civic, Nissan Sentra.
Estimated Arrival and Price: Expect the 03 in the United States in 2020 and beyond. It'll be on sale in China and Europe sooner. Geely wants to launch the 01 crossover in San Francisco, with the 02 crossover and the 03 sedan next in line. For now, details on leasing or subscription pricing, and how Lynk & Co's factory-owned-stores strategy will play out, are anyone's guess. Or, as with so many other Chinese automakers eyeing the U.S. market, it might never happen.