Geely

China’s Geely claims to have taken more than 30,000 digital pre-orders for its brand new Icon small SUV ahead of the completely online product launch this week. The company - which has launched an online test-drive, sales and servicing portal, and which owns the subscription-based car brand Lynk & Co - also claims to have fast-tracked the fitment of a bolstered air purification system in response to the Coronavirus.

Aston Martin is reportedly talking to two potential investors as it attempts to sure up its finances. Last week, the luxury sports car maker issued a profit warning as it expects its 2019 earnings to be between £130 million ($248 million) and £140 million ($267 million), a fall of at least 43 per cent from 2018. Sources have told Bloomberg Chinese automaker Geely is holding talks about acquiring a stake and adding capital, although it's not clear how much money Geely is looking to invest.

Upstart Chinese brand Lynk & Co has unveiled its fourth model, the 05. It’s an SUV that measures 4592mm long and 1879mm wide with a 2734mm wheelbase, so roughly the size of a Toyota RAV4 or Honda CR-V. Where it differs from those established SUVs is in its styling. Featuring a rakish coupe SUV silhouette, it’s reminiscent of the much more expensive Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe and BMW X4.

Volvo is set to reveal an electric variant of its XC40 SUV later this year, the company has confirmed. Speaking with industry journal Automotive News Europe, at a safety event in Gothenburg, Sweden, Volvo officials indicated the EV will debut before the end of 2019, before hitting showrooms in global markets from 2020. The spokespeople declined to comment further, however.

Dieter Zetsche, outgoing CEO of Daimler, parent company of Mercedes-Benz and Smart, has said talks regarding electric commercial vehicles "are happening" with Tesla The two carmakers have been in contact since November, when Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, tweeted: "Maybe interesting to work with Daimler/Mercedes on an electric Sprinter. That’s a great van. We will inquire." Speaking to Automotive News, Zetsche stated the "outcome [of the talks] is open".