Author | GentlemanZ
Editor | Zhang Yan
Standing in 2018, if you are asked to design a new car launch, apart from the dancers, new cars and leaders who will appear one after another, how can you make the launch more interesting?
On March 26, Lynk & Co held the Lynk & Co 02 press conference in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and gave a perfect answer to the above question. The ever-changing lighting, the DJ's constantly switching music styles, and the open Party conference, the novelty and avant-garde of a conference even surpassed the 02 product itself.
Focusing on the brand itself, what opportunities and challenges will Lynk & Co face in the future to enter the European and even global markets?
Lynk & Co 02, younger than Lynk & Co 01
The youth here is not only in the literal sense, but also includes a series of "young" operations of styling design, business model and Lynk & Co.
Straight to the topic, let's take a look at the 02 product itself:
Similar headlight modules, similar air intake grilles, similar body design lines... If it weren't for the striking "02" on the license plate, I would have thought that Lynk & Co would first drive a 01 to warm up the press conference. But when it comes to you, it will be a little different, and the intuitive feeling 02 will be more sporty and younger. Follow-up official data supports this judgment: the length, width and height of 02 are 4448/1890/1528mm respectively, while the corresponding data of 01 are 4512/1857/1673mm respectively, that is, to widen and flatten 01, the posture is more sporty and shapely. A more youthful coupe SUV.
Compared with the compact SUV positioned in 01, the coupe SUV is a narrower segment. An Conghui, President and CEO of Geely Automobile Group, admitted that there were internal disputes during the initial development: "The product positioning of Lynk & Co 01 and 02 is aimed at different market segments... Lynk & Co 01 is a standard SUV, we call it a high-seat platform, compared with the chassis. High, this model will be used for off-road more in the future... Lynk & Co 02 is satisfied with another part of the consumer group, they don't want to sit too high, they want to have a more sporty control experience, and at the same time they like to have better passability and For off-roading and high performance, the Lynk & Co 02 came into being for this part of the consumer group.”
An Conghui has high expectations for 02: "Look at the data carefully. In fact, this segment (coupe SUV) continues to expand, and the growth rate is very fast." In addition to the differences in market segments, Lynk & Co's "group army combat" is also 02 One of the important factors in the launch. It is reported that in addition to 01, 02 and 03, which was listed in China in the second half of the year, the development of Lynk & Co 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, and 09 is in progress simultaneously.
In terms of parameters, the Lynk & Co 02 is also built on the basis of the CMA basic module architecture. It will be equipped with 1.5T three-cylinder and 2.0T four-cylinder engines. The 1.5T engine is divided into two types of power, 179 horsepower and 156 horsepower, and the transmission is matched with 6-speed manual and 7-speed dual-clutch transmission. The 2.0T engine is 190 horsepower, and the transmission is matched with a 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox, and it is equipped with the BorgWarner fifth-generation intelligent four-wheel drive system.
In terms of interior, this conference failed to disclose the details of the actual car interior, but from the official map, the 02 is still equipped with the same 12.3-inch full LCD instrument panel and 10.2-inch central control screen as the 01. These are the basic hardware configurations for an intelligent experience.
The product itself is finished. For the Lynk & Co brand, what is more important is the meaning conveyed by the conference itself.
The first step into the European market
Chinese self-owned car brands are becoming more and more active, but for them, going overseas is not an easy task. An executive of a Chinese independent brand once said: "New (automobile) brands have absolutely no chance in the European market. In the United States, they have to enter from the high-end, and it is possible to attract everyone's attention before they can run." The first step is to enter the European market.
In fact, Lynk & Co made a series of comprehensive operational plans around the 02 conference.
Lynk & Co chose the 02 launch ceremony in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, which is also Lynk & Co's first sales market in Europe. Relatively speaking, this is a more open and tolerant city, in Amsterdam you can see cars of various brands, and consumers in this city are more tolerant of new brands. Assuming that the 2002 conference is held in Munich, Ingolstadt or Stuttgart, the difficulty can be imagined.
May wish to release more pictures of the conference site, everyone can feel it for themselves.
"Everyone attended the Lynk & Co 02 press conference. I don't know if you have observed it carefully. It may not be suitable for the Chinese media present here or the Chinese consumers watching the live broadcast. To be honest, I will be a little uncomfortable with this event. It is too accustomed to it, but I have to accept it. Because this kind of event is what European consumers and the media agree with and like, and it is a press conference that everyone can fully accept and have a good experience with.” An Smart said.
In addition to the press conference, Lynk & Co’s offline dealer resources in Europe will leverage Volvo, and the Lynk & Co 01 PHEV (plug-in hybrid model), the first model to enter the European market, will also be launched in Volvo Ghent, Belgium in 2019. The factory is put into production and will be officially launched in the European market in the first half of 2020. According to the plan, Lynk & Co will also open more offline physical stores in Barcelona, Berlin, Brussels, London and other capitals, and gradually promote it to other major cities in Europe.
The challenge of entering Europe is clear. Lynk & Co’s youngest competitor in Europe also has a brand history of nearly 100 years, and European consumers have higher brand loyalty. But Lynk & Co's opportunity is that it shares R&D resources, manufacturing resources and dealer network support with Volvo to better understand European laws and regulations, the European market and consumer needs. But Lynk & Co’s advantages don’t stop there.
Lynk & Co's brand keynote is "born global, open and interconnected", which sounds very pragmatic, but in practice, Lynk & Co will differentiate itself for different countries and different markets. An Conghui said that Lynk & Co has some changes in terms of marketing, services, including some business models. The core is to meet the needs of consumers in the new era.
You may think that "meeting the needs of consumers in the new era" is still a little unclear. So, for example, in terms of sales, Lynk & Co has adopted three modes of promotion: Lynk & Co Mall, Lynk & Co Center, and Lynk & Co Space. Lynk & Co Center is well understood. Offline stores, mainly dealers, can guarantee users’ car buying experience and after-sales service. Lynk & Co Mall is a Tesla-style online ordering and offline car pickup model. Lynk & Co spaces are similar. The concept of pop-up stores will be launched for European cities that have no plans to open physical stores. They are located in prosperous business districts of major cities and focus on scene-based brand experience, allowing consumers to understand the Lynk & Co brand immersive. Lynk & Co claims that this promotion plan will reach 95% of the population of the European continent.
Lynk & Co to Geely
It is worth noting that both Lynk & Co 01 and 02 will launch PHEV models in the second half of the year. From 2003, pure electric models and fuel/hybrid models will be launched simultaneously. In addition, 02 has also made deployments in areas such as car sharing (Sharing) and even monthly subscription models (Subscription).
In addition to these common smart interconnections, Lynk & Co announced that it has reached a strategic agreement with Tictail, a global social shopping platform and European designer platform, and the two parties will jointly create Lynk & Co.
Here are the details of the collaboration:
Lynk & Co and Tictail will jointly select a group of outstanding product designers, interpret Lynk & Co's brand connotation and vision through unique designs, and create distinctive products. The first batch of ingenious works jointly created by the two parties, "The City Dweller Series", will be exclusively launched by Tictail in the summer of 2018. This series of products will be sold globally through Lynk & Co and Tictail's online store.
Therefore, in addition to entering the European market as a rapid march of Geely Auto Group, the Lynk & Co brand will also act as a test field for all future strategies of the auto industry including intelligent interconnection. Even think and explore how to create a "tide brand" in the automotive industry.
Although there are many challenges to go to sea, you should still have expectations for Lynk & Co. As An Conghui said: "We catch up with a very good time and a very good opportunity. Lynk & Co is a blank sheet of paper with no burden, and all innovations are easier to implement."
I am Zheng Xiaokang, a reporter from 36Kr Auto Group. I am concerned about Tesla, driverless vehicles, new energy vehicles, Internet of Vehicles, travel and the aftermarket. Welcome to contact me directly, WeChat: 15735104947