Lynk & Co intends to start shipping its ‘01’ mini-SUV to Europe in late 2020 – but it will not be for sale.
The domestic lineup already includes two SUVs (01 and 02) and a sedan/salon (03). The 04 hatchback and the 05 crossover/coupe have already been announced, and a seven-seat SUV is expected to join them later (its name remains a mystery to us, though that might be an overstatement). Only the 01, which is based on the same chassis and tech as the Volvo XC40, will be available in Europe.
The car is 4,512 mm (14.8 feet) long, 1,857 mm (6.09 ft.) wide and 1,689 mm (5.54 ft.) tall with 2,734 mm (8.97 ft.) separating the axles. The ground clearance amounts to 213 mm (8.32 inches), and wheels are available in sizes ranging between 17 and 19 inches.
The Chinese SUV comes powered by a two-liter, four-cylinder turbo engine rated at 190 hp (142 kW) and 300 Nm (224 lb-ft) of torque. The transmission is six-speed automatic for the FWD version and seven-speed DCT for the AWD version. In contrast, the European variant will ship with a hybrid powertrain rated at 260 hp (195 kW) based on a 1.5-liter, three-cylinder turbo mill (180 hp / 134 kW) and an electric motor (82 kW / 61 kW). The 7G DCT will be the only choice.
There will be six trim levels to choose from, with the 12.25-inch digital dash and 10.2-inch center display in base.
As mentioned above, the model will be subscription-only. It will debut in Amsterdam, Netherlands, followed by Berlin, Germany, and Gothenburg, Sweden. Most of the remaining European countries will get it by the end of 2022. The minimum subscription term will be one month, and the Chinese carmaker says it tries to follow Volkswagen’s example in terms of price and quality.
Around 120,000 Lynk & Co vehicles were sold in China in 2018, and this year’s sales are expected to be even more impressive at between 140,000 and 150,000 copies.