This article is reproduced from the Autocarweekly WeChat account
Author: Mr. Wang
Many young boys have a dream of becoming a racing driver from childhood, just like me. When I was a child, I was addicted to playing with Audi Quattro four-wheel drive cars. I saved a little bit of pocket money given by my parents secretly every week to buy a motor with a higher rpm or a lighter set of front and rear bumpers, just to make my car run faster than others in every weekend race.
At that time, I planted a small seed in my heart. When I grow up, I will definitely buy a performance car, modify it well, and then go racing to win the championship, just like when I was a child.
This was the childhood of my generation. As adults, many young people who love cars choose to study automotive professions and become automotive engineers after graduation. More of them save money to buy a performance car they have been dreaming of after working, just like me when I was young. Little by little, they modify the car with an upgraded exhaust, new wheels, or an engine tune-up, and then find the joy of childhood on the weekend track days.
However, the current market environment for the automotive industry is not very friendly to these car enthusiasts. Due to the fact that the market for sports cars is too niche, many manufacturers have cut back on the development of such models and turned to the more affordable “grocery shopping car” market.
Fortunately, there is a brand like Lynk & Co. Many car fans can easily list the various star models of this brand, such as the Lynk & Co 03+ hailed as “the first performance car for young people”, which achieves a sprint of 0-100km/h in just 5.9 seconds in the price range of 200,000 RMB, making all the drivers who have driven this car fascinated by its excellent power performance; and the Lynk & Co 02 Hatchback, known as “the first small steel cannon for young people”, not only uses the same powertrain as the Lynk & Co 03+, but also has a lighter weight and more agile handling, making it the Dream Car in the hearts of many young people waiting to purchase.
However, ordinary users find it difficult to fully unleash the dynamic performance of these performance models on public roads, and they can easily cause traffic accidents due to improper operation, from minor scratches to severe accidents that could result in both the vehicle and the driver being destroyed.
In the brand concept of Lynk & Co, they not only develop pure sports cars on the research and development side, but also, by creating the concept of Lynk & Co’s sports car system on the market side, they make the entire brand’s sports genes more perfect and three-dimensional.# Lynk & Co Motorsports Department
Lynk & Co Motorsports Department was founded in 2020, aiming to promote the development of Chinese racing culture and build a complete Lynk & Co motorsports system, catering to different audiences including professional drivers, motorsports enthusiasts, and the general public.
The business mainly covers two areas. For professional LPCC members, even if they have not participated in top-level hardcore competitions such as WTCR, TCR Asia/China, they can obtain certification points recognized by the China Automobile Federation by participating in various upgrading races such as the Lynk & Co Car Challenge, China Automobile Hill Climb Championship, China Automobile Endurance Championship, and so on, to advance to a higher level of certification.
For ordinary motorsport enthusiasts, in addition to the Lynk & Co Summit Plan, brand carnivals, and karting competitions, in order to guide Lynk & Co users and fans to have a correct “racing” outlook, to promote the healthy and vigorous development of Chinese motorsport culture, and to realize the dream of becoming a “racing driver”, on June 1, 2021, the Lynk & Co Motorsports Experience Center, covering an area of 6,191 square meters, officially opened in the famous Ningbo International Speedway.
As a professional motorsports experience center, what is the most important thing?
The answer is of course the racetrack!
Ningbo International Speedway, certified by FIA and FIM, is the only second-level racetrack with international certification in China. It is designed by world-renowned racetrack designers and builders such as Alan Wilson, and has the most bends in China, with a height difference of up to 24 meters.
Prior to this, only the Porsche Experience Center in Shanghai had such a standard in professionalism, but the threshold for Porsche is relatively high for the average person. The Lynk & Co Experience Center is more accessible to the public, and integrates Lynk & Co’s own brand concept, with its unique experience in entertainment, culture, and trend.
So, which car is best suited for this type of racetrack with many bends?
Of course, a lightweight and agile sports car like the Lynk & Co 03+!
Hardware is in place, what about software?
Here, the software refers to top-level and professional driver training systems. Many novices unfortunately hit the wall because they do not have good control of the deceleration timing of the vehicle before the bend. Remember, collision insurance is not guaranteed on the track. Therefore, it is better to take several professional driving training courses than to pay for repairs out of your own pocket.The champion coaching team led by the famous Lynk & Co world champion driver Ma Qinghua, together with several champion drivers, will provide professional and top-notch driving guidance to every student from a close range throughout the entire training. The coaching team will customize a training and improvement plan based on each student’s actual driving level on the international level-two Ningbo circuit, ensuring the highest safety standards.
In fact, in addition to their driving ability, familiarity with the track is also crucial for racers. The more familiar they are with the track, the better they can grasp the brake and throttle timing at each corner, eventually reflected in the improvement of lap times. Therefore, it’s easy to see the difference between those who have received professional training and those who have not.
Of course, besides the powerful hardware and software, the Lynk & Co Performance Center also provides personalized modification services, equipped with the most advanced modification equipment and staffed by the most thoughtful modification technicians to provide exclusive customization services. We offer a multitude of modification services, such as exterior styling, optimized handling and suspension tuning, in a comprehensive and multidimensional approach to help customers build their own unique “dream car”.
When it comes to modification, the biggest fear is that you will spend money and go the wrong way, and then end up with worse results. This time we have professional masters to guide you, so you can rest assured as an experienced driver on unfamiliar roads.
After discussing the hardware facilities and services of the Lynk & Co Performance Center, I would like to explore the true meaning behind Lynk & Co’s approach.
Lynk & Co doesn’t aim to create a monotonous brand propaganda base with their performance center, but rather to create an urban amusement park with motorsport as the theme from the perspective of the users. This is also a brand-new IP for Lynk & Co.
Here, no matter who you are or what your background is, as long as you are a performance enthusiast, you can find your spot:
If you bring your whole family here, you will fall in love with racing with a more inclusive and diverse racetrack experience and lifestyle.
If you are a professional driver, you can achieve a more professional advancement through a structured promotion path and a complete training system for drivers.
If you’re a Lynk & Co fan, this is the ultimate place of pilgrimage for you to worship the brand. The explosive experience here will definitely not let you down.
If you are a seasoned car enthusiast, the various Lynk & Co models available here are bound to fuel your driving desire, and the unparalleled track conditions here will allow you to fully experience the ultimate performance of the products.As the first pan-automotive cultural trend experience center in China that integrates brand display, racing experience, driving training, and leisure entertainment, and also the offline base of the Lynk & Co Performance Car Club, here can provide a personalized and open offline gathering place for LPCC club members and performance car enthusiasts. Eventually, it will definitely become the hot spot of China’s auto sports.
The ultimate goal of the Lynk & Co brand is to create the first domestic “automotive culture” landmark IP that can verify its “personality, openness, and interconnection” brand value.
We often say that the sports gene of the Lynk & Co brand is deep in the bone marrow. Which car can best reflect its brand essence?
Of course, it is the Lynk & Co 03 TCR racing car, which is based on the CMA architecture of the 03 model. Its powertrain is based on the Drive-E series engine jointly developed by Volvo and Geely, with a maximum output of 350 horsepower/420 Nm. It adopts a 6-speed sequential gearbox, front McPherson/rear multi-link adjustable shock absorbers, and is equipped with rollover protection and extinguishing systems according to the requirements of FIA. It also has a powerful braking system with front six-piston/rear two-piston.
The data and vehicle attitude calibration of this car in each station of the WTCR can provide references for vehicle development and user modification, which is also the original intention of Lynk & Co’s participation in the WTCR. Drawing experience from racing and ultimately empowering the civilian market, this positive development concept is what many domestic automakers lack at present.
Which model can verify Lynk & Co’s experience results in WTCR?
Of course, it is the Lynk & Co 02 Hatchback, whose price was announced on June 1st.
When it comes to two-door sports cars, we cannot fail to mention the once “steel gun myth”- the Golf GTI, which was once the Dream Car of many young graduates. The Lynk & Co 02 Hatchback not only competes head-to-head with the Golf GTI in powertrain and acceleration performance, but also has a more friendly price range of 176,800 yuan to 181,800 yuan compared to Golf GTI’s 234,200 yuan.As China gradually shifts from believing in brands to recognizing product strength, any good car will generate a large number of supporters, regardless of its brand. It can be seen that the steel cannon car market has been held up for too long, as evidenced by the fact that the 202 units of the Halo model were sold out in just three seconds after launch.
As the Golf GTI based on the MQB EVO platform has not yet been launched in China, the segment for this two-door performance car has always lacked a model that can allow performance car enthusiasts to fully release their driving passion. In this age where horsepower is king, the Mini JCW delivers adequate performance but is too expensive. The French beauty, Megane RS, has long been a legend in the hearts of car enthusiasts, but it is difficult to find.
The arrival of the Lynk & Co 02 Hatchback has effectively filled this market gap. Moreover, this is the first two-door steel cannon car model from a Chinese brand. From now on, buying a Lynk & Co brand and driving a steel cannon car is a trend even when cruising on the Ningbo International Circuit.
I remember my Geely friend telling me that when they opened up employee purchases of the Lynk & Co 01 in the past, they had to scramble to get one. Good car model configurations were sold out within minutes. In fact, the first thing to consider when evaluating the quality of a car is the level of recognition from internal employees. In the past, it was jokingly said that the best way to evaluate a car is not based on various automotive reviews, but by watching how many employees drove it out of the main factory gate after work.
Returning to the Lynk & Co 02 Hatchback, it is probably to save customers the cost of expensive modifications at a later stage, as well as to provide lighter spring quality and lateral support in mountain and daily driving. The Halo version can be equipped with a driving control package at the time of sale to meet customer needs. I can almost guarantee that the main factory did not make any profit from this optional package.
The optional package includes a set of 19-inch forged wheels and an aluminum alloy stabilizer bar in the front compartment, which only costs 5,000 yuan. It can only be said that this is a goodwill gift from the main factory.
If you, like me, pursue driving pleasure but do not want to sacrifice too much space and comfort, the 02 Hatchback is the best choice in this price range.Almost as low as the original short spring configuration, with four exhausts, racing bucket seats, Michelin PS4 tires, and a series of top-notch configurations that make keyboard warriors drool, it’s hard not to expect great performance from the Lynk & Co 02 Hatchback on mountain roads.
As we often say, people are shaped by their environment, and cars are no exception.
In France, the mountains are numerous, so French cars are highly sought after for their handling performance, allowing domestic users to travel freely in the Alps. Over time, French car chassis have become a popular topic of discussion.
The same holds true for the Lynk & Co brand based in Zhejiang Province, where mountain roads have always been a public test drive paradise for the Geely Group. The most famous of these is the Siming Mountain, where I once drove from Shanghai for a mountain road test drive. The winding roads and beautiful scenery make it possible to enjoy an exceptional driving experience regardless of one’s mood. So we have reason to believe that with its unique geographical advantages, the Lynk & Co 02 Hatchback will not disappoint in mountain driving performance.
Oh, and to prove that the 02 Hatchback is a “real man’s” model, I have some statistics. Nearly all buyers of the 02 Hatchback are located in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai, with a male-to-female ratio of 100:0. Indeed, every man’s heart is home to a small steel cannon.
Are you, the lucky 202 owners, ready to come to the Lynk & Co Sports Experience Center in Ningbo after picking up your vehicle? At that time, you can also take a tour of Geely’s factory.
Finally, I want to share my thoughts on the Lynk & Co brand with you.
After the pure electric model 001 was spun off into its own brand, I thought that the Lynk & Co brand would gradually decline in the trend of electric cars. However, I overlooked one thing: there are still many petrol performance car enthusiasts in the world who value purity, love modification, and enjoy driving. For them, there is nothing more meaningful than pushing themselves to the limit on the track, striving for every minute and every second.
So, Lynk & Co has made a serious effort to serve this group of users by carefully running the WTCR races and incorporating the accumulated experience into the development of their vehicles, resulting in excellent handling. Users have also actively participated with tangible results: if you make good cars, I won’t let you down.
In fact, the true greatness of Lynk & Co is in realizing the dreams of those children who played with 4-wheel drive cars when they were young, grew up, bought their own performance cars, which aren’t very expensive, and modified them on their own to run the track with friends on the weekends, which is very satisfying.
This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.