Wednesday 26th July 2006

Volvo goes for Audi A3

Aiming for premium coupé market with C30

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Volvo's latest images of its new C30 coupé show what it describes as "sporty design cues", a glass tail gate and room for four adults. Aimed at buyers of the BMW 1-Series and the Audi A3, the production car retains cues from the C30 design concept released at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit earlier this year.

The C30 will be unveiled at the Paris motor show in September, with production beginning at the end of 2006. The car will be on-sale in Canada in early 2007.

Performance and features

Engines range from a 99bhp 1.6 to the T5 turbo with a more perky 217bhp. There's a diesel too, a 1.6-litre with 108bhp, to the five-cylinder D5 diesel turbo providing 178bhp.

Volvo offers a digital 5x130W ICE Power amplifier from Alpine, Dolby surround sound, and 10 Dynaudio speakers.

There's room for four adults with two separate folding rear seats, slightly centred to provide a good forward view. The space between the seats also makes Volvo’s thin centre stack visible through the glass tailgate.

Safety

It gets airbags and safety belt tensioners, Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS), Side Impact Protection System (SIPS) with side airbags and the Inflatable Curtain (IC).

The Volvo C30 will also be available with BLIS (Blind Spot Information System), which helps the driver to identify another vehicle in the blind spot at the rear sides of the car. The front has the same patented structure as the Volvo S40 saloon or V50 Sportswagon.

Volvo's boss Fredrik Arp described it as "a cool car. A car that aims for a group of young singles, or couples, with busy urban lives. These people prioritise excitement in design and driving characteristics, and this car is designed to suit their taste and lifestyle."

[Witchfinder]

Hmmm... I wonder what drivetrain the T5 will have.

[vodkakid]

Hope they make the key a tad smaller!!

[Andrew Noakes]

Witchfinder said:

I wonder what drivetrain the T5 will have.

= Focus ST, I imagine.

[mat205125]

Be interesting if the T5 version were to be 4wd! Is there a 4wd S40 model out yet?

If they are able to 4wd the volvo, then surely a 4wd focus would be possible!!!

[jezzi]

A chipped D5 engine in that would be 226bhp and 450Nm. I'm not sure I can wait until 2007 to get my hands on one!

[deadlym]

Looks like the AMC Pacer!

[Beefmeister]

I think that looks fantastic, i'd have one any day.

Especially the T5 version, if it has the chassis and drivetrain from the ST...

[Rennsport]

Ye but its still a Volvo, so even if it does have the engine and drivetran from the ST, it will still be optimised for comfort, rather than as a hardcore track slag

Edited by Rennsport on Wednesday 26th July 12:47

[jezzi]

Having driven the S40 T5, I can vouch that it drives just like a Ford, not a Volvo. I prefer the comfort of the S60 but I still want a C30 D5!

[eddy_hyde]

A decent replacement to the 480



with 4wd (they do do a number of 4wd S40's, but LHD only i think)and the ST motor or the derv could be a lot of fun

[jezzi]

The Focus ST engine is the new T5 Volvo unit. ;-) Not a Ford engine in the Volvo!

[eddy_hyde]

I know, i work for Ford, just easier to call it the ST motor for people that dont

[Witchfinder]

Andrew Noakes said:

= Focus ST, I imagine.

That's what I thought. Would be interesting with 4WD though. That engine has serious potential, and with four wheel drive, it could very impressive indeed.

[FestivAli]

eddy_hyde said:

A decent replacement to the 480



with 4wd (they do do a number of 4wd S40's, but LHD only i think)and the ST motor or the derv could be a lot of fun

We get the 4wd t5 down here (australia) now and we're obviously a rhd market. As for the car, not too bad, though the front overhang is a bit long for my tastes.

Ali.

[Valentin]

A C30R with 4wd!!!!



Now that would be a car!!!!!

But I'd take a standard T5 anyway!!

[adycav]

Volvo bod said:

a cool car. A car that aims for a group of young singles, or couples, with busy urban lives. These people prioritise excitement in design and driving characteristics, and this car is designed to suit their taste and lifestyle

What a lot of tosh.

[dodgey_rog]

mat205125 said:

Be interesting if the T5 version were to be 4wd! Is there a 4wd S40 model out yet?

If they are able to 4wd the volvo, then surely a 4wd focus would be possible!!!

They do an AWD T5 in the S40 i thought. The C30R will definately be AWD, when i worked for Volvo it was already on the drawing board, along with an S40R.

I quite fancy one of them though, they look hot. Better alternative to what else is around.

[Valentin]

Everything with more than 250 hp going to the front wheels is rubbish!!
My Dad got a 850R, what a machine!! In a straight line. But show it a corner and oh my!!!
A C30 with the engine of the V70R and the 4wd with adaptive dampers would be a marvel!!!!!

(although I don't believe they are going to put 300 hp into such a small car)

Valentin

[skodaku]

Rennsport said:

Ye but its still a Volvo, so even if it does have the engine and drivetran from the ST, it will still be optimised for comfort, rather than as a hardcore track slag

Edited by Rennsport on Wednesday 26th July 12:47

And that, for 99.99% of the car-buying public, will be just fine.

[antonyb]

brilliant stuff volvo. sign me(wife) up!