Lynk & Co 02

FIRST DRIVE Cool new SUV could change the way we buy cars

- Jonathan Burn

THERE is a chance you may not have heard of Lynk & Co. The brand only appeared at the end of 2016, but in that short space of time it has come a relatively long way. Two models are already on sale in China, with a third in the pipeline. Think of the company as Volvo’s more adventurous younger brother, and you’ll be on the right lines.

It will be a few years until Lynk & Co appears in the UK with right-hand-drive models, but the brand is coming, and the 02 – which we’ve driven here for the first time – has been designed with the European market in mind.

The company’s rapid growth has been made possible by the power of its parent company, Geely, one of China’s largest car makers. When Lynk & Co arrives it will be positioned as a more affordable alternative to Volvo, just as Skoda is to Volkswagen. But being cheaper doesn’t mean a sacrifice when it comes to design or tech, because the 02 is essentially a Volvo XC40 in a new designer suit. Visually, it’s a welcome antidote to the current tidal wave of mundane and conservative SUVs; the 02’s more daring shape and design cues should give it real kerb appeal.