Lynk & Co is a new car brand created by Volvo owners Geely, and the Lynk & Co 03 sedan is the first production model. In order to promote the car and attract attention, Lynk & Co has enlisted the help of Cyan Racing to create this purposeful-looking touring car that will actually take part in the 2019 TCR racing series.

Cyan Racing has worked with Volvo to prepare their race cars since 1996, but now it’s working on the Lynk & Co sedan to have it ready for next year. The vehicle you see in the photos is a concept that looks like the racer, but it isn’t really ready yet - it is a study.

It is based on the same underpinnings as a Volvo XC40, but looks nothing like a Volvo either outside, or inside (although the latter won’t matter as much because this racer has a completely stripped out interior).

Lynk & Co 03 TCR car is also being worked on by the newly formed Geely Group Motorsport, which as its name suggests is the motorsport arm of the Chinese automotive giant. Development work on the racing car actually started in early 2018, and Lync & Co is expected to take delivery of the first cars in 2019, before the start of the FIA WTCR championship.

Price for one is €130.000 or $149,090.

Exterior

While it may be heavily modified, the sedan is still easily recognizable as the Lynk & Co 03. It has increased front and rear tracks, it sits very low, and it has a different front bumper with a massive splitter. At the back, there’s a big wing mounted to the trunk lid as well as a different bumper with a big diffuser - the look is completed by a twin exhaust poking out of the middle, right above the diffuser.

The widebody kit applied to it is the most noticeable modification, though - it completely transforms the look of the car and with rumors that Lynk & Co is mulling a street-legal version of this racer - you could buy and drive something similar to it on the road in the not too distant future.

Interior

No shots of the interior have been published, but it’s probably completely stripped out, it has a driving position that’s been shifted towards the center of the car, as well as a big roll cage and other pieces of safety equipment. It probably retains very little of the production car’s interior.

Drivetrain

All that oomph is sent the the front wheels only, as per TCR regulations, through a six-speed sequential gearbox.

The car weighs 1,265 kilograms or 2,788 pounds, and it should be able to sprint to 100 km/h or 62 mph from a standstill in around 5 seconds.

Conclusion

Geely has big plans for Lynk & Co, which is why it is investing in this costly racing program. Even participating in the touring car championship will add sporting credibility to the brand and, if the vehicle also happens to be successful, it will further boost its image - although nobody is expecting them to top the podium in their debut year.

But the car is built to spec, and Cyan Racing does have over 20 years of experience with making touring cars, so maybe they could impress us on the first go.

Further reading

Read our full review on the 2019 Lynk & Co 03.

Read our full review on the 2018 Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR.