Under specific lines and interior, the Lynk & Co 01 recovers the underside of the Volvo XC40 plug-in hybrid of 261 hp cumulative. But the Chinese SUV does not come to France to duplicate: it is rented and shared, like a Netflix subscription applied to the automobile.
Test car: Lynk & Co 01 1.5 PHEV
|
From€ 41,500
€ 1,000 bonus
|
Impasse du Mont-Louis, 11e district of Paris. On a heavy black door more reminiscent of a discreet nightclub than a car dealership, a simple Lynk & Co sticker is affixed. ” Welcome to our CSP, for Customer Service Point. This space will only serve as a delivery point or vehicle depot. But another, about 300 square meters and planned for spring 2022, will constitute one of our three clubs in France ”, explains a spokesperson. Expected in Paris, Lyon and Marseille, these clubs will have nothing to do with classic car showrooms. You can buy clothes in recycled fabric, find fashionable accessories, have a coffee, admire the decor and possibly discover the SUV Lynk & Co soberly named 01.
4.54 m long, the Chinese SUV cousin of the Volvo XC40 will not be particularly highlighted. For Lynk & Co, promoting a model is irrelevant when it can be enjoyed on a simple monthly subscription, which can be canceled at any time without the slightest financial penalty or explanation to be provided. A flexibility even unknown to a simple phone plan. Moreover, the mobile application that accompanies the SUV allows many other services. Discovery.
A new SUV for € 500 per month
Five hundred euros. This is the price of the Lynk & Co 01 monthly subscription, renewable as desired. For this price, everything is included: the car, assistance, maintenance and even insurance. The only constraint? Do not travel more than 1,250 km each month (the additional kilometer is billed at 15 euro cents), or 15,000 km per year if the subscription is extended for a full year. A realistic mileage, even higher than that of most LOA formulas, which generally impose an increased first rent, then a minimum of 36 months of commitment.
Car-sharing to reduce the bill
This is the other particularity of the concept. Each “member” (term preferred to that of customer in the Lynk & Co universe) will be able to offer their SUV in car-sharing. via the home application. Going on vacation by plane and leave your 01 parked in front of your house? All you have to do is press the “share” button in the app, offer a free rental price (as on rental sites between individuals, an algorithm recommends a price sticking to that of the market) and let the interested parties come. .
When they arrive at the vehicle, they will have to take five photos to certify its condition, then use their smartphone to unlock the car and start it. Easy as pie ! On the app, each “lessee” will be given an assessment by the “lessor” (and vice versa), in order to avoid disrespectful people.
The interview? At Volvo!
Founded in 2016, the Lynk & Co brand is the result of a partnership between Volvo and the Chinese giant Geely, its owner since 2010. When maintenance is required, an operator contacts the member to find out about the availability of the car, before pick it up at home or welcome it in the famous CSP, our starting point (the customer will never see the Volvo workshop directly). A win-win solution: no network of workshops to build for Lynk & Co and more economic benefits in after-sales for Volvo distributors.
Can we still buy 01?
If cash purchases are rare (less than 5% among the 28,000 members of the seven other European countries concerned), they are still possible… and not uninteresting. The Lynk & Co 01 is displayed at the single price of € 41,500 (before the € 1,000 bonus allocated to plug-in hybrids), when its cousin Volvo XC40 T5 starts up € 10,000 more expensive. However, the Chinese endowment does not lack anything (see detailed list on next page) and besides, no option is available. Only the metallic paint offers the choice between two shades: it’s black or it’s blue! One way to reduce the manufacturing costs of this model assembled in the Volvo factory in Ghent, Belgium, on the XC40 lines.
And to drive?
As explained in the introduction, the Lynk & Co 01 takes over the platform and the plug-in hybrid powertrain of the Volvo XC40 T5. The 180 hp three-cylinder petrol is supported by an 82 hp electric machine, but the cube battery here at 14.1 kWh useful for an electric range of 69 km in WLTP cycle (10.7 kWh and 52 km maximum for the XC40). Three driving modes are possible: 100% electric called Pure, vigorous at start-up then lazier after 100 km / h; Hybrid, which wakes up the gasoline engine without jerks or vibrations during a need for power or at high speed; Power finally, which combines the resources of the two engines to ship the relaunches of this heavy family SUV (very efficient despite the 1,879 kg empty).
Clumsy front end and difficult to control braking, however, do not encourage increasing the pace and, in this context, a softer comfort would be welcome. At low speed, the large 20-inch wheels bring up the bumps a little sharply in the vertebrae and eardrums. Everything is better beyond 70-80 km / h and in particular on the motorway, where the Lynk & Co ensures a nice silence of operation, a good hold on course and a restful driving thanks to the effective adaptive cruise control. On the other hand, the active centering in the lane linked to the semi-autonomous driving system can be improved, struggling to keep the vehicle in its queue as soon as the motorway winds a little.
Long journeys will also reveal the reduced range that plug-in hybrid SUVs often suffer from. Consumption bordering on 9 l per 100 km at 130 km / h and city car tank (42 l) will require frequent refueling for heavy drivers. On a daily basis, regular recharging from the mains is therefore essential to reduce consumption on a lasting basis, even if the low power of the on-board charger (3.3 kW) will prevent that of the fast terminals from being used. Announced at 5 hours minimum on Wallbox, a full charge should exceed 8 hours on a standard domestic socket.
And to live?
Very close to the XC40 in terms of driving sensations, the Lynk & Co 01 stands out even more on board. The leather upholstery is replaced by recycled nylon. A 12.7-inch horizontal central screen is preferred to the vertical of the Volvo, bringing good… and less good. On the battery side, we appreciate the fairly intuitive interface, the ventilation controls remained physical and the voice assistant sometimes relevant, sometimes humorous. When asked about the weather, for example, the voice replies: ” Put your hand out. If it is wet, there is a 90% chance that it is already raining ”. Elementary.
On the front side, a shortcut is missing to activate the air recirculation, the interface suffers from slowness at start-up and, on the GPS map, the additional information is lacking in readability. A small defect shared with the digital instrumentation, whose on-board computer is controlled from the steering wheel but remains a little too supplied with menus and submenus for automobile use. Finally, at the front, the storage space is lacking and contrasts with the generous welcome reserved for rear passengers.
Thanks to its 11 cm longer than the XC40 (including 3 cm on the wheelbase), the 01 gives off much better legroom on the bench, while the standard glass roof contributes to the approval. As often, the firm central square is less hospitable and the trunk volume is stagnant at 466 l (452 l at Volvo). But the folding rear seatbacks ensure a level cargo area, the motorized tailgate comes standard, and a space under the floor exists to accommodate the two charging cables.
Find the results of the test, the price, the standard equipment and the Lynk & Co 01 technical sheet on the next page.
