In 2015, the launch of Lingdu opened the door for SAIC Volkswagen in the sports car segment, and the title of "wide-body coupe" also allowed Lingdu at that time to get a lot of talk in the automotive circle. Seven years after the advent of the first generation of Lingdu, SAIC Volkswagen finally launched its successor. On January 17, 2022, the new Lingdu L was officially unveiled, and E-Car also filmed it in advance as the first batch of invited media.
Fusion id series styling elements
To say a digression, when shooting the new Lingdu L, the guy on the side asked me: "Is this a new energy vehicle or a fuel vehicle?" "Compared with traditional fuel vehicles, new energy vehicles are more advanced and modern in shape, which will indeed make consumers prefer." Therefore, more and more OEMs have begun to integrate many new energy elements into them when developing new fuel models, which also explains why the previous problem occurs.
The new Lingdu L filmed this time has two models, of which the red Lingdu L with the color name of "Tianjiao Red" is the secondary top model, and the paint texture is very moist, while the other covered with "cigar gray" paint is the top model, and the paint surface is matte texture. According to the manufacturer, Lingdu L's "cigar gray" matte car paint can be obtained through optional packaging, which requires an additional payment of about 3-5 thousand yuan, which is cheaper than the later separate color change film.
Compared with the current model, the new Lingdu L has changed a lot in appearance. The new shape of the front of the car has changed Volkswagen's previous nesting doll operation, but adopted a new "Tiger Shark" design, which makes people feel novel and a little familiar, and this familiarity comes from SAIC Volkswagen's ID. series electric vehicles.
There are two special places in the front part of the car, the first is that it adopts the design of the current SAIC Volkswagen mainstream front-through LED light strip + luminous Logo, and the contour shape of the headlights is also similar to the models of the ID. series. Among them, the top model also adopts IQ.LIGHT headlight technology. The second is that the position of the intake grille of the central net is lower than that of most current fuel vehicles, located at the front bumper, and it uses a starry embellishment, which looks more delicate.
The new Lingdu L is based on volkswagen group's MQB EVO platform and is positioned as a compact sedan, in line with the current model. Its length, width and height are 4784/1831/1469mm, the length of the car is 15mm longer than the current model, and the wheelbase is 2731mm, which is 7mm longer than the current model. Due to the new Lingdu L's design similar to a clamshell bonnet, this also reduces the area of its front fenders. And this design we can also see on the current Volkswagen CC and Porsche Macan.
The new Lingdu L released this time has a sneaky side line design and frameless doors, which also makes it more inclined to a coupe in terms of styling attributes. It is worth mentioning that the door handle is pulled up for a small stroke to trigger the reaction of the door and window glass, which is more sensitive than most frameless windows. According to the manufacturer, the frameless door of the new Lingdu L has been tested and verified many times, and it is almost the same level as the framed door in terms of durability and tranquility.
Compared with the front design, the design of the rear part of the car is more angular, which is very Volkswagen's family style. The taillights adopt the currently popular through-channel design, with the same brand logo that can also emit light, which echoes the front of the car very well. The interior of the taillights adopts a more three-dimensional design structure on both sides, so the lighting of the taillights can be seen from both the rear and the side. The tailgate adopts a hatchback opening method, and the loading capacity is greatly improved compared to the traditional trunk. The top and sub-top models filmed have the function of electric opening of the tailgate, while this configuration of other models is yet to be announced by the manufacturer.
The top and sub-top models of the new Lingdu L are equipped with an 18-inch set of aluminum alloy wheels, and both use silver/black color blocks, but there are slight differences in shape. Both models are powered by Dunlop-brand SP SPORT MAXX 050 tires with the same specifications as the 225/45 R18.
Brand new family interior
The interior of the new Lingdu L is somewhat similar to the eighth generation of golf, which is also based on the MQB EVO platform. However, in the local area, the new Lingdu L still has some unique designs. Its air conditioner outlet with horizontal integrated shape and the design of the suspension double screen also make the interior more technological. The interior of the new Lingdu L has two color styles of red/black and gray/black of this shooting, with different interior materials, the overall display effect is still very good.
The steering wheel adopts SAIC Volkswagen's latest 3-spoke styling design, and the "Volkswagen" logo in the center is flattened. The steering wheel of the top-of-the-line model is wrapped in leather and has a heating function. The multi-function buttons on both sides have a touch vibration feedback effect, which is also the more mainstream design style of SAIC Volkswagen.
The floating double screen adopts the design of the left and right screens. Among them, the full LCD dashboard located on the left is 10.25 inches in size and can be switched between different display interfaces. The size of the central touch LCD screen is 12 inches, using the MOS 3.2 intelligent car machine system, including conventional navigation, online music, voice control functions, etc., and the display effect of the UI is also more delicate. In addition, Apple CarPlay/Baidu CarLife mobile phone interconnection is also available on the new Lingdu L.
The central control area, which is slightly inclined to the side of the main driver, still retains some physical buttons, including commonly used functions such as air conditioning adjustment, driving mode switching, and driving assistance. In addition, the automatic dual-zone air conditioner can also be operated via voice control or a central control screen, and several common modes and air purification functions are provided. In the front left of the main driver, the position of the light button is exactly the same as the style of Tuon, and the texture of the piano paint makes it look more refined than the ID. series, and reflects a certain degree of technology.
The front row of the top and sub-top models have a mobile phone wireless charging function, and the front and rear rows are equipped with a set of USB/Type-C power interfaces, which is practical. Based on the slipback shape, the new Lingdu L did not design a panoramic skylight, but in terms of the opening area of its single sunroof, it is larger than most ordinary sunroofs.
Manufacturers call the new Lingdu L seats "shell-type sports wrapping seats". The seats of both models are painted in black/red/gray, and the leather cladding and red stitching make the seats have a good texture. The front seats of the top-tier models have electric adjustment and ventilation/heating functions, while the second-top models only have the main driver's seat electric adjustment function, and the passenger seat is manually adjusted.
The second row of seats uses the same design style and color matching, and is equipped with three headrests, which is more comfortable to experience the length of the seat cushion and the angle of the backrest. However, the floor has a higher bulge in the central passage, which may have an impact on the ride of intermediate passengers.
Ride Space Display:
The experiencer is 172cm tall and can get about 1 punch of head space in the front row. The head space of the experiencer in the second row is still good, and can still get about 1 punch of head space, which shows that the sneakback shape has little impact on the actual riding space in the car, and the legs can get more than 2 punches of space, compared to this level of model, it is still relatively surplus.
Storage space display:
In some regular areas, the new Lingdu L can have a more mainstream storage space. And we also noticed that above the back of the seat like the front seat, the engineer also designed some unconventional storage areas to facilitate the placement of some small objects.
The second row of seats of the new Lingdu L can be reclined in a 4/6 ratio, and when it is receded, it cannot form a plane with the trunk floor, and the ability to load large objects will be somewhat reduced. However, due to the hatchback opening method of the tailgate, the volume of the entire trunk is quite obvious compared to the traditional model.
It is not equipped with a 1.5T engine
The new Lingdu L will still be equipped with a 1.4T engine codenamed EA211, with a maximum power of 110 kW and a maximum torque of 250 N·m, matching the 7-speed dry dual-clutch transmission, and the small and exquisite electronic shift lever shape is also consistent with other MQB EVO platform models. According to the manufacturer, the 1.5T engine that everyone is more concerned about will be introduced and replaced by the 1.4T engine currently installed in the later stage. In terms of chassis, the new Lingdu L uses a suspension structure with front McPherson and rear multi-link.
The top model is not equipped with a 360° panoramic image, but a normal reversing image, but it has a HUD head-up display, automatic parking, Travel Assist intelligent driving assistance and other configurations. Travel Assist includes functions such as adaptive cruise, lane keeping, lane departure warning, active braking, reversing side warning, etc., which can achieve L2 level assisted driving.
Editor's comments: As an early manufacturer to enter the sports car segment, SAIC Volkswagen is bound to have more valuable experience than other manufacturers when developing a new model. At the same time, it also allows it to better integrate the needs of consumers rather than build cars behind closed doors. Based on this background and SAIC Volkswagen's strong R&D capabilities, the comprehensive competitiveness of the new Lingdu L is naturally well guaranteed. According to the news revealed by the manufacturer, the new Lingdu L will be officially listed in March this year, and there will not be much difference between the price and the cash Lingdu, and the personal estimate is between 140,000 and 190,000 yuan. In addition, with the use of the MQB EVO platform in more and more models, it is believed that SAIC Volkswagen will launch more eye-catching models in the future.