Chinese giant Geely has launched a new automotive brand – dubbed Lynk & Co – with a boldly styled mid-size SUV that pilfers the underpinnings of Volvo’s upcoming 40-Series models.
This SUV is named the Lynk & Co 01, and it employs the Compact Modular Architecture that Geely has developed with Swedish subsidiary Volvo.
The 01 was styled at Geely’s Swedish design centre, with former Volvo design chief Peter Horbury sitting at the helm. It is set to be built in China for that market, with plans for “high volume” sales in Europe and the United States.
Although powertrain details are still scarce, Autocar reports that the Lynk & Co 01 – which measures 4 530 mm in length – will borrow a number of engines from Volvo’s range.
The new automaker claims that the 01 is the world’s most connected car. It says the SUV will always be connected to the internet and Lynk & Co’s cloud, and will even feature an open programming interface to allow developers to add their own updates to the vehicle.
The Lynk & Co 01 is scheduled to go on sale in 2018, with two more models – yes, called the 02 and 03 – set to follow.
