"Mr. Lei, stop it, Geely is everywhere outside!"
When Xiaomi's SU7 was launched in March, a line paying homage to the movie "New Police Story" quickly became the most famous jest. This is because within the Geely system, models like the Galaxy E8, Jihuo 007, and Jihuo 001 have already come close to or directly challenged the SU7 in terms of positioning and powertrain.
Even the new Jihuo 001 was unveiled before Xiaomi's SU7. Lin Jinwen, the vice president of Jihuo, even mocked Xiaomi during the launch event.
Last Friday, Geely Auto Group's "New Force" Lynk & Co brand unveiled its first mid-size sedan, the Lynk & Co 07 EM-P. This plug-in hybrid sedan, larger than the Lynk & Co 03 but still sporty in appearance, is seen by many as another projectile aimed at Xiaomi's SU7.
However, according to Hu Xiu Cars, rather than joining the battle with Xiaomi's SU7, this car seems more like tearing off another piece of meat from the battle-scarred fuel benchmark B-segment cars like the Passat and Camry.
At the same time, the Lynk & Co 07 EM-P may also have rivals like the BYD Dolphin and Song L in its sights, which are focused on young consumers.
It looks small, but feels spacious when you sit in it.
The Lynk 07 EM-P has overall dimensions of 4827 x 1900 x 1480mm. Compared to well-known B-segment "ride-hailing cars" like the Camry and Passat, the Lynk 07 EM-P is shorter by over ten centimeters in length. Rather than being classified as a mid-size car, it's more like an "A+" segment in reality.
However, being a new car built on the vast SEA architecture, the Lynk 07 EM-P boasts a high "space utilization rate," with a wheelbase of 2843mm, only 28mm shorter than the Magotan, and even 18mm longer than the Camry.
In response to previous criticisms that the Lynk & Co ride experience was "too European," meaning "too firm," the Lynk & Co 07 EM-P addresses this by providing the front seats with 13 layers of various materials. In my own experience, this car indeed feels quite solid, with improved comfort compared to many of Lynk & Co's previous SUV products. However, due to constraints of the vehicle's size, height, and sedan structure, at 182 cm tall, I felt that the rear seats were still not "reclined" enough.
The appearance has always been a strong point for Lynk & Co, and it is the biggest point of differentiation compared to other Chinese brands. As the first new energy sedan embodying the design language of the brand's "The Next Day" concept car, the Lynk & Co 07 EM-P has a highly recognizable exterior design.
On the front, the daytime running lights of this model maintain the familial design language of the Lynk brand, with the split headlights embedded in a black decorative strip that runs through. The air intake required for the vehicle's engine is integrated below the license plate. Compared to past fuel-powered Lynk models, the new energy attributes of the 07 EM-P give a stronger impression.
On the side, in the author's view, the biggest highlight of the Lynk 07 EM-P is its design. This car features hidden and integrated door handles with a sleek contour, giving it a very cohesive look. With the distinct waistline of the car, the user's visual center of gravity is lowered, making the car appear less bulky.
In the rear C and D-pillar areas, the 07 model features a design without triangular windows, giving the entire vehicle a more compact appearance. Paired with the small built-in rear spoiler, it looks very sporty.
Starting from the previous SUV 08 model, the intelligent cockpit has become a major selling point for Lynk & Co. In the latest 07 model, the Flyme Auto intelligent cockpit system, developed in collaboration with Meizu, has been enhanced. The central control screen in the vehicle renders vehicle status with great precision and clarity, offering high fluidity. Additionally, this screen can rotate in both left and right directions, similar to the central control screen of the Tesla Model S, and automatically adjusts its orientation when the driver gets in.
In terms of highlights, the Lynk & Co 07's 92-inch AR-HUD not only provides navigation information but can also interact with the central control screen, mirroring video playback.
Of course, using HUD to watch videos is not very practical at the moment, as its brightness is limited and cannot provide a satisfactory viewing experience. However, the existence of this feature is enough to demonstrate the capability of the Flyme Auto system to access different hardware throughout the cabin.
Moreover, Meizu has also created a rear screen called Co Pad for the Lynk & Co 07. This screen, derived from Meizu tablets, not only controls functions such as seats, air conditioning, and ambient lighting but also enables multi-screen interaction and provides various commonly used applications.
What's even more interesting is that the central control screen in the front can access the camera function of the rear screen, allowing the driver to conveniently check the status of rear passengers without turning around. This is very useful for parents driving with children.
In addition, Lynk & Co also introduced the Harman Kardon 23-speaker WANOS panoramic sound system in the 07 model, allowing users to play optimized and certified audio in the vehicle's panoramic sound zone, offering a quality of experience comparable to, or even surpassing, Netease Cloud Vinyl. According to @CarFans statistics, in-store customers are often attracted by this feature.
However, based on the author's actual experience, while the WANOS feature itself performs well, there is still an issue of insufficient music resources. Whether it's Jay Chou or JJ Lin and other Chinese classic singers, there are basically cases of incomplete or missing resources. This issue is not unique to Lynk & Co's 07 WANOS, but is also present in Nio's immersive sound, Ideal's Dolby Zone, and even Huawei's spatial audio, all facing similar situations. Although car manufacturers have equipped platforms and hardware, the integration of resources still needs time to mature.
Lastly, in terms of power and driving control, Lynk & Co has not made the 07 EM-P's performance particularly aggressive. The maximum power of all three SKUs with engine plus single motor is 280kW, with an acceleration time from 0 to 100 kilometers per hour of 6.5 seconds. While it may not match pure electric sedans like Xiaomi SU7 or Galaxy E8, it still holds a significant advantage compared to fuel-powered sports sedans like the BMW 3 Series 325i.
More importantly, the Lynk & Co 07 adopts a 1.5T four-cylinder hybrid system with a 3-speed DHT gearbox, providing stronger power for high-speed driving. Therefore, compared to pure electric range extenders, this car is more suitable for high-speed driving conditions, making it convenient for Lynk & Co to introduce this model in overseas markets such as Europe.
In conclusion, based on actual experience, the author believes that this car is quite enjoyable for individual driving, but also sufficiently reliable for trips with three people.
Can Lynk & Co break through the sports sedan market?
After various discounts, the initial price of the Lynk & Co 07 EM-P at launch is between 163,800 to 183,800 yuan, showing that the brand has made considerable efforts to respond to the current price war.
However, in the author's opinion, the 150,000 to 200,000 yuan market that the Lynk & Co 07 faces is not very friendly for a sporty A+ level sedan. On one hand, this car does not have the relatively ample rear space and market recognition like the Camry or Passat; on the other hand, even direct competitors like the BYD Dolphin Dm-i, with monthly sales of around 5,000 units, are not dominating the market.
Volvo's Lynk & Co targets users of BMW 3 Series, Mercedes C-Class, and Audi A4L (referred to as "34C") at their launch event. These users are unlikely to switch brands based on product performance comparisons, opting instead for Lynk & Co 07, priced 50,000 to 100,000 RMB lower.
So, why did Lynk & Co choose this niche market? How do they plan to break through here?
Lin Jie, Senior Vice President of Geely Auto Group and General Manager of Lynk & Co Sales Company, responded that firstly, they can indeed make a longer car in terms of wheelbase and length. In June this year, they will launch a larger sedan product. According to Hu Xue Auto, this "larger" model will be unveiled in Gothenburg, Sweden, and will be Lynk & Co's first pure electric sedan - codenamed E371.
Therefore, the 07 needs to show some "restraint" in size to make way for future family members.
Secondly, Lin Jie and the team believe that for electric sports sedans to break through, "on one hand, we need to match the experience of the '34C', but more importantly, we need to meet the replacement needs of mainstream joint venture car users for these three models, with the core target being young people and young families." Lin Jie said. Therefore, while maintaining Lynk & Co's own "avant-garde, handling, performance" characteristics, the shift to new energy Lynk & Co, in the past 08 and now 07, will focus on improving interior comfort. For example, optimized seats, Flyme Auto intelligent cockpit.
And these are the strengths that 07 will use to compete head-on with Accord, Passat, and Camry.
Currently, the Lynk & Co 07 has begun deliveries. According to the company, it has received over 7,000 pre-orders within the first 48 hours of its launch. This achievement is impressive for a new car, but whether it can maintain monthly deliveries of over 5,000 units in the long term and achieve consecutive months of tens of thousands of deliveries like the Lynk & Co 08 remains a significant challenge.
After all, in the price range of 150,000 to 200,000 RMB, there has rarely been a sports sedan that became a bestseller.
It may not be realistic for the Lynk & Co 07 to join forces with other siblings from Geely to compete with the Xiaomi SU7, as the expectations from the public suggest. When it comes to style and sophistication, the Lynk & Co 07 may find it challenging to rival the Porsche's design.
Not to mention the traffic and brand advantage that Lei Jun and Xiaomi bring to the SU7.
Therefore, for the Lynk & Co 07, a more realistic goal would be to complement the Lynk & Co 08 released last year and target a round of sniping at mainstream joint venture brands. Additionally, considering that BYD's Song L and Haishi 07EV tend to have a more moderate design style, the Lynk & Co 07 may also exert some competitive pressure on the former two with its excellent performance.
