Sporty Lynk & Co 03 sedan teased

Lynk & Co has released an official teaser that's claimed to debut its forthcoming 03 sedan's design.

The sketches, posted online late last night, hint at a surprisingly sporty and aggressive take on a small sports sedan that could preview a flagship performance model that will rival cars like the Audi S3 sedan and BMW's M2.

Inspired by the design of the Shanghai motor show concept shown back in April 2017, it's already known the Lynk & Co 03 will share much with the Volvo V40, since it will be based on the same Compact Modular Architecture (CMA) that was developed by the Swedish car maker.

Under the bonnet, the Lynk & Co 03 is set to come with a range of electrified powertrains that will pair with Volvo's 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol engine and the bigger 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo.

It's the latter that's likely to be combined with both a supercharger and a powerful electric motor for an unusual plug-in hybrid performance flagship that will match or exceed the performance of the Audi S3 and BMW M2.

Set to share the same 300kW output as the Volvo T8 powertrain, the light kerb weight could see the Lynk & Co 03 hit 100km/h in less than 5.0 seconds while providing for a pure-electric range of more than 50km.

Already caught testing in the US, the Lynk & Co 03 is set to come with an even more advanced large, central touch-screen infotainment system.

A car-share feature will harness the power of the manufacturer's new app that allows a smart phone to be used as a key. A subscription service will also be offered to users.

The small sedan will also come permanently connected online, providing a WiFi hotspot for owners when away from home.

Confirmed to be developed for right-hand drive markets, Lynk & Co 03 is expected to be on sale in 2019 in European markets, but its launch Down Under has yet to be announced.