Lynk & Co Previews Sedan '03' Concept

Volvo was expected to be the focus of parent company Geely’s announcements at the Shanghai Auto Show this week, however the tease ahead of schedule was actually Volvo’s sister company, Lynk & Co. Previously, the sister release a concept for a compact SUV which they are calling the 01. The company also released a concept for its 02 earlier this month and was rumored to be preparing another model for show.

Similar in design to the 01 concept, the 03 took a pseudo-reverse-Fiat-500L approach and shrunk the concept into a much more compact sedan. This is partly due to Volvo’s Compact Modular Architecture (CMA), which allows for easier and more affordable vehicle manufacturing changes across their product line. It is believed that Volvo is set to release the S40 on the which is based on the same chassis as the 03 thanks to CMA.

As of yet, it is not known what power plant will be placed in the 03 concept. It is possible that it may share the same 1.5 liter 3 cylinder hybrid or 2.0 liter 4 cylinder (there are exhaust tips, so we’re assuming they’re not for show), though it is also expected to have a Volvo-based “full electric” announcement later this week as well. The possibilities are endless until more details are made available on Wednesday at the Shanghai Auto Show.

Along with the announcement of the 03, comes hints at how one may actually drive a 03. Lynk & Co is planning to integrate a direct-sale system similar to Tesla's, where buyers can purchase their own vehicle online and have it delivered straight to their driveway. Another option being explored is a vehicle sharing system. In this scenario, owners can pay a subscription price and swap into a new Lynk vehicle at their leisure (similar to Cadillac’s “BOOK” system).

Volvo sister company Lynk & Co was designed to be integrated into technology. It is rumored that Lynk & Co will focus on technology synonymously to how Volvo prides itself on safety being its priority—“a Volvo for millennials.” The manufacturer plans to launch an App store, integrate sharing services, and even an open API so that developers can build new products across technology platforms.