China’s New Lynk & Co. Brand Delays Foreign Rollout

Geely Automobile Holding Co.’s new Lynk & Co. sub-brand, which hoped to introduce in Europe and the U.S. in 2018, says it needs another year to establish retail operations in both markets.

The company showed images of its first model, the Lynk 01 small hybrid-powered SUV, last October and is still on track to introduce that model in China late this year.

The brand also says it will add an unspecified second model, the 02, in mid-2018 and the 03 small sedan in late 2018. All three vehicles are being co-developed by Geely and Volvo and share the “compact modular architecture” chassis developed by the companies.

Lynk plans to conduct sales via the internet and emphasize an “ownership” model in which buyers may share their cars with others. Alain Visser, who heads market and sales for the fledgling brand, says the first overseas tests will be in Berlin and San Francisco, because both already have high levels of shared-ride service options.