The focus is on the development of low-order models of atmospheric transport and chemistry and their use for data assimilation purposes. A new low-order coupled chemistry meteorology model is developed. It consists of the Lorenz40-variable model used as a wind field coupled with a simple ozone photochemistry module. Advanced ensemble variational methods are applied to this model to obtain insights on the use of data assimilation with coupled models, in an offline mode or in an online mode.