The Volvo C30 is a compact SportsCoupe from Volvo aimed at youthful, sporty drivers. The smallest yet most expressively designed of all Volvos, the C30's interior is equally stylish with Volvo's unique, ultra-slim centre stack, individual seats for four adults and the deep, distinctive glass tailgate for easy loading.
'The C30 is a crucial car for Volvo, taking us into a new sector of the market for compact, sporty, expressive cars,' says Stephen Odell, president and CEO of Volvo Cars.
Closely based on the styling of the Volvo C30 Design Concept, first shown at the 2006 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the C30 is the 'ultimate manifestation of Volvo's current design language,' according to Peter Horbury, Volvo's design director. 'It has the broadest shoulders and the most expressive lines. The Volvo C30 is a car that will engage buyers emotionally.'
Volvo expects the car to appeal to young people without a family - and to the young-at-heart whose children may have left home and who want a distinctive, small, sporty yet functional car. 'Yes, it's a very sporty and stylish car,' says Mr Abrahamsson, C30 project director. Many buyers are likely to be urban based, so won't need a large car or carry passengers very often. They lead busy, active lives and appreciate good design and premium brands.
The Volvo C30 has four individual seats. The rear seats are mounted towards the centreline of the car, improving head and shoulder-room. 'We were convinced that four seats, not five, was the correct approach,' says Mr Abrahamsson. 'Four seats mean great rear seat comfort for both passengers. Five would have been a compromise. Besides, Volvo has many five-seat cars. If you want five seats, you can buy a Volvo S40 saloon or a V50 Sportswagon. On most journeys, we doubt whether the rear seats will even be used. Mostly, the rear seats will probably be folded flat, giving an amazing cargo space.'
The distinctive glass tailgate offers excellent rear visibility, as does the big rear side windows, whose pronounced curve tapering towards the back benefits rear three-quarter view. 'Many modern cars have poor rear three-quarter visibility and that's to the detriment of safety,' says Mr Abrahamsson. 'The Volvo C30's rear visibility is class leading and a refreshing change from most cars.' A load cover is available to protect luggage from prying eyes.
There is a choice of seven engines (four petrol and three diesel), including four and five-cylinder units. The petrol range includes a light and efficient 100 PS 1.6-litre, 125 PS 1.8-litre, 145 PS 2.0-litre, plus one five-cylinder model - 230 PS T5 that can achieve 0-60 mph in 6.2 seconds. The three diesels include the lower CO2-emitting 109 PS 1.6D DRIVe engine and 136 PS 2.0D, plus Volvo's five-cylinder, 2.4-litre, 180 PS D5.
Reinforcing Volvo's long-standing commitment to environmental care, models with the 1.6D engine will come equipped with a series of efficiency enhancing features to lower CO2 emissions to below 120 g/km and improve fuel economy. These models are marked with the DRIVe emblem to signal their uprated environment properties. New Start/Stop technology is also available on the 1.6D DRIVe to further reduce CO2 emissions to just 104 g/km and offer fuel economy of up to 72.4 mpg.
'The Volvo C30 is a compact, light car with the consequent benefits on agility, performance and fuel economy,' says Mr Abrahamsson. At 4.25m long, it is 22cm shorter than the current smallest Volvo model, the S40. 'But it is also a very safe car. Even the rear end crash protection is the same, despite the new car's smaller rear area.'
The Volvo C30 is also an extremely safe car in an accident. Curtain airbags protect both front and rear passengers, and other safety equipment includes safety belt tensioners, Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS) and Side Impact Protection System (SIPS) plus SIPS airbags and an IC (Inflatable Curtain). In addition, every Volvo C30 has DSTC (Dynamic Stability and Traction Control), and ABS brakes with EBD (Electronic Brake Distribution) and EBA (Electronic Brake Assistance).
Background to the design
The Volvo C30 story begins in 2001. Volvo wanted to design a more compact car, to broaden the brand's appeal. 'The question was: what sort of car should it be?' says Hakan Abrahamsson, Volvo C30 project director. 'We looked at possibly a more functional five-door car, like an MPV/hatchback crossover: a real family vehicle, as with most current Volvo models. The other possibility was a much sportier, smaller and more dynamic vehicle.
'We began our research in London. We wanted to go to a city with many trendy young people who had the money to buy a new car. We went into their homes to interview them and to find out about their lives.' Volvo saw 40 people in the 25-30 age group. 'After that, we started to sketch out the sort of car these people would like.'
What they wanted - and Mr Abrahamsson says the results could not have been clearer - was a sporty car with character. 'They wanted a car that actually didn't currently exist. A compact car, very dynamic looking, but with the flexibility to carry friends and items such as sporting equipment. So, not a traditional sports car. They wanted driving fun but also comfort and space and carrying versatility. How many doors? They wanted two and they were very clear on that point. They don't have a family, so why do they want four doors?
'Strategically, this approach suited Volvo. We are renowned as a manufacturer that satisfies family motoring requirements. This would be a chance to enter a new market and win over people who had never been attracted to the Volvo brand before.'
Coincidentally, 2001 was also the year that the Safety Concept Car (SCC) was unveiled, at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. 'The SCC was very popular with the public and with the media,' says Peter Horbury, Volvo design director. 'It was handsome, sporty but very different from anything else out there. It also had the Volvo 1800ES-like tailgate, which was not only well liked in design but also offered great practicality in terms of visibility and easy loading.'
The SCC was the design starting point for the Volvo C30. 'We tried to recapture the emotional appeal of the SCC but reapply it on a smaller car,' says Simon Lamarre, chief designer. 'We wanted to capture the essence of the SCC - which was a four-door car - but make something real out of it.
'During the design process we had the SCC in the studio in Gothenburg and an 1800ES for inspiration. The 1800ES influences are most obvious at the rear. But please don't think there is anything retro about this car; there isn't. The glass tailgate is a cue from the past because it is so practical and attractive. Retro design is sentimental. Here, we're just being emotional.'