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Volvo CMA-based Lynk & Co 01 Concept Is the Most Connected Car In the World

Since Geely bought Volvo Cars from Ford in 2010 for $1.8 billion, the then-obscure Chinese outfit didn’t have any ambitions as to conquer the world with its own car. Now, though, Geely wants to.
Lynk & Co 01 SUV Concept 21 photos
Photo: Lynk & Co
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The first all-new product to come out of Gothenburg since Volvo's takeover comes in the form of the second-generation XC90. Other than seating 7 and the availability of plug-in hybrid technology, the mid-size model put Volvo back on the map thanks to something called SPA. The Scalable Product Architecture is, in essence, a modular unibody platform for mid-size cars.

After the SPA-based XC90 and S90, Volvo’s next big thing is the CMA platform. Short for Compact Modular Architecture, the all-new platform was previewed by the Volvo 40.1 Concept and Volvo 40.2 Concept. From 2017 onward, the CMA is going to underpin the next-generation 40 Series, i.e. the XC40, V40, and S40. Be that as it may, Geely also wants a piece of the action.

Introducing the Lynk & Co 01, a tech-heavy concept vehicle underpinned by the Volvo CMA platform and dubbed as being the most connected car in the world. Built around the lifestyle, habits, and needs of millennials, the Lynk & Co 01 is that little bit longer, wider, and taller than a Nissan Qashqai. Designed by Peter Horbury and engineered in Sweden, the unconventional styling cues of Lynk & Co’s crossover make it an unforgettable presence on the roads.

Speaking of which, production is slated to start in 2017. China will be the first to get the production-ready model, then North America and Europe. Beyond the usual tech-savvy goodies such as MirrorLink, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto, the Lynk & Co 01 benefits from telematics that are connected permanently to the company’s cloud. While we wait for Lynk & Co to finish development on its connected car ecosystem, it should be noted that the concept vehicle pictured here is animated by a plug-in hybrid powertrain.

Helped by a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine, the said powertrain is extremely similar in nature and specifications to what Volvo previewed with the 40.1 Concept and 40.2 Concept. In the near future, Lynk & Co promised to unveil two more car concepts. On that note, it’ll be a while until we find out whether the Chinese automaker will live up to the fanfare promised today.

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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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