Driving on the streets of Sanya, full of green cars, will make you quickly understand the transformation of China's auto market.
Standing at the end of the track in the era of pure internal combustion engines, not many people care about the innovation of gasoline cars, let alone those playful small steel cannons.
At this point in time, you can buy the qualified hatchback steel gun models in the Chinese market, and you can count them with two fingers - the eighth generation golf, and the Lynk & Co 02 Hatchback. Although there are still products such as Fox hatchbacks and Civic hatchbacks in the entire market, they all coexist with sedan products.
In fact, car companies such as Volkswagen are somewhat helpless in the face of disappearing young consumers. It's as if despite the "very digital" eighth generation of golf, the heat has long since lost the scenery of the sixth generation, and the legend of GTI has long stayed ten years ago. Now Volkswagen blows, you can spend 150,000 yuan to buy an electric small steel cannon - ID.3, although the output of 125kW can only be regarded as a substitute for golf.
But there are always stubborn car companies that are willing to do something maverick for young people. Lynk & Co is such a company that is still insisting, as a young brand, it is still launching some rare but interesting products as planned, with the purpose of communicating with the young market.
The focus of the test drive was not the orange Lynk & Co 02 Hatchback T5 that had been driven before, but a new powertrain version that was about to be launched, named Pro and Plus on the model.
Unlike the previous pure steel gun of the benchmark GTI, the new model is equipped with a Drive-E 2.0TD T4 engine with a maximum power of 140 kW and a maximum torque of 300 N·m. The T4 engine has lost 47kW of power and less torque than the T5 engine, so the transmission has also been changed from the Aisin 8AT to a 7-speed wet dual clutch.
Obviously, this Lynk & Co 02 Hatchback Pro is aimed at golf, not with gti.
According to Lynk & Co's official data, the acceleration of the new Lynk & Co 02 Hatchback T4 model is almost 7.8 seconds, which is about 1.6 seconds slower than the T5 version. This gap is obviously different in the body sensation when accelerating at full strength, especially after just driving the T5 and then changing to the T4, the acceleration feeling after the full throttle is still different.
The 140kW output is still completely sufficient for everyday driving, but the extra 30kW of power and 50N·m of torque offset the 200 kg more weight of the Lynk & Co 02 Hatchback than the Golf, which is still a brisk and powerful feeling.
At the same time, the 7-speed wet dual clutch is better at ride, which is something I've always emphasized. Many people may think that T5 is Aisin 8AT, why is T4's 7DCT more smooth? The actual experience is like this, smoother gear shifting, faster lift and lower gear feeling, weaker transmission of low-speed vibration, all make 7DCT more attractive.
For example, in the same high-speed cruising state, full force on the accelerator, can perceive the 7DCT downshift action, torque can be output quickly, the process is not silky smooth, but also very smooth. The T5 version of the 8AT will hesitate a little before jumping from high gear to 5 or even 3 gears, and then there will be a very sporty gear connection - of course, the T5 model has a much stronger push back feeling than the T4 because of the advantages of the powertrain.
Obviously, the T4 with the 7DCT is more suitable for navigating the city in energy-saving mode and comfort mode. Softer power delivery and smoother shift perception make the Lynk & Co 02 Hatchback look at ease and not too reckless. If you switch to the sport mode, then the acceleration of the front section brought by the power output of 300N·m can still enjoy the happiness of some steel guns.
The Lynk & Co 02 Hatchback T4 after the powertrain is still very European in the chassis, but it has a heavier feeling than the crisp and hard chassis of the Golf, which is more in line with the requirements of Chinese consumers for comfort and isolation. For example, the pulling and rebound of the rear suspension when running over the speed bump will still make people feel more resilient.
This time did not do intense driving on the T4 model, so I don't know if there is any difference with the T5 model in the chassis, but the T5 has a front cabin aluminum alloy lateral stability reinforcement bar, which may be more advantageous in body rigidity, and will also be reflected in the difference in the rear steering adjustment.
A small difference is that this new model is equipped with 19-inch wheels Andyo's Eagle F1 tires, while the T5 version is a 19-inch forged wheel and Michelin PS4 tires. Therefore, when actually driving the T4 model, it will feel that the vehicle transmits more fine vibrations to the road surface, while the road feedback of the T5 model is softer, and the T5 has more advantages in suppressing road noise.
The difference in steering feel is probably the more perceptible part of the T4 and T5 models. Basically, the steering feel of the T4 model from energy saving, comfort to sports is very light, light and relatively light, the electronic taste is obvious, and the T5 model is obviously more calm in the comfort mode and the sport mode, especially the steering stability in the sport mode is better, and it is also more accurate.
With this difference in steering feel, you can probably understand the consumers targeted at the Lynk & Co 02 Htachback T4 model.
In addition to some changes in the powertrain and mechanical level, Lynk & Co has also made some static perception differentiation of the 02 Hatchback's T4 and T5.
As a more "approachable" style, the 02 Hatchback Pro is only minimalist in white, gray and black, but it still provides young friends with a contrasting roof - such as a black body with a gray roof. The style of the body kit is no different from the T5 version, but the logo of LYNK & CO on the T5 and the black four-out exhaust have become chrome-plated, and the T4 is more urban.
The interior of the T4 version is uniformly black elegant and simple style, using silver gray stitching, black seat belts and other details, and including trim panels and interior materials are also more simple.
According to Lynk & Co, the orange and black body colours are exclusive to the T5 model, while the interior racing seats, Alcantara shift levers, as well as the orange sports seat belt, tri-color stitched sports steering wheel, orange back ring, orange paddles and orange air outlets are also unique.
Driver's Summary:
I really think that although it is also a steel cannon, the attraction of the Lynk & Co 02 Hatchback to young people is not based on popularity, but on the uninhibited spiritual temperament.
It's like the uncles and aunts who open the public will definitely go to sanya to stay in luxury five-star hotels here and go to duty-free shops to spend heavily. But Lynk & Co 02 Hatchback is more in line with the surfing place where young people gather in Sanya Houhai Village, which is the holiday tone that 20 years old should have.
In addition to maintaining an advantage over the Golf in terms of design and power, the two new models of the Lynk & Co 02 Hatchback should be close to the eighth-generation Golf in price, after all, due to the displacement tax, the price of the 2.0T model of the Lynk & Co 02 is almost 150,000 yuan. Of course, for Lynk & Co, it is no longer necessary to use price to prove itself, and the brand tone and excellent product strength are enough to wrench the wrist with the public.
Now the question is, do you think the T4 model of the Lynk & Co 02 Hatchback can compete with the Sales of the Eighth Generation Golf of Volkswagen?
Text| JackieLXX
Pictured| JackieLXX