Under its belt of automotive brands, Volvo, Lotus and London Taxi, Chinese car maker, Geely has a completely new auto brand which it plans to take global this year. Already making waves with the international press, after a recent test drive of the range of vehicles, the LYNK&CO car brand is now set to arrive in Malaysia……and probably under Proton’s banner. This is our prediction as we received news from Proton’s communication department this week expressing the interest of a number of Proton Malaysia dealers in LYNK&CO.
LYNK&CO vehicles are positioned between those of the Geely brand and Swedish brand Volvo which was purchased by Geely in 2010. The focus of the brand is on internet connectivity and innovative purchasing models in certain markets, targeting the young professional demographic.
LYNK&CO is already making waves with younger car owners as their vehicles embodies modernity, stylish design as well as connectivity. Their vehicles are all about connectivity and communication. Just like Tesla, Lynk & Co is moving into the European market quickly and they will have ‘offline stores’ in each capital city starting with Amsterdam. In addition, there will be 20 pop-up stores staffed by 200 employees across the Continent. Buyers can get their Lynk & Co car serviced at a Volvo dealership or perhaps a Proton dealership when they arrive in Malaysia.
Here is what some Proton dealer had to say about this new emerging auto brand.
As Hazree Hashim, of Pesat Auto Sdn Bhd, aptly puts it, “The outlet is all about lifestyle. If you are in Malaysia, it looks like walking into the Pavilion shopping mall, with its lighting, aura, even the feel of the quality of furniture in the outlet. There is a luxury feel to the outlet. We can safely call it luxury in a minimalist sense”.
“The design of the outlet is such that it rides on the sense of fashion, with relation to ‘chic’. Besides, the interior of the outlet is hipster style, trying to be non-confirming, an effort to be different from the rest in the market. This is what the young and smart look for. These days, the purchase of cars is more of a lifestyle choice, rather than a mere means of transport,” Hazree added.
For Jeffrey Ngu Heng Hing, of Ngu’s Motor Service Sdn Bhd, “The car offers plenty of technology, catchy choice of colours, minimalist dashboard design, and the car model is simply known as 01, a truly great marketing ploy, something which is easy to remember and easy for people to relate to, as in being number 01”.
“Moreover, the car also comes with lifetime warranty, hence this will boost customers’ confidence in owning the car, which also gives them peace of mind. For starters, this will prove as a great SUV,” continues Jeffrey Ngu.
“After visiting this outlet, I believe I would like to emulate what I see. At the corner of a space, we can see that there are the details of customers’ information, which show delivery records on display for all to see. There are names of Sales Advisors, name of customers, as well as when the car was delivered. This is totally something new, and I would love to implement the same at my outlet. The information gives clarity to what is happening to each customers’ car, as well as a quick and good reference point,” said Azizulmu’min Mohd Hussain Malim, of Rohamas Corporation Sdn Bhd.
As for Ha Yih Wei, of Juara Mulia Motor Sdn Bhd, “It is totally a different experience visiting Lynk&Co outlet. The whole look and feel is different. The inside also shows posters of young girls and guys shouting their own slogans about lifestyle. One slogan depicted the words – “Born alone but not lonely” – imagine this in an outlet selling cars, how many feel connected? The message is simple yet strong, especially those who would like to own a car and stand out in the crowd. This experience is a totally new and one of a kind”.
