2006 Volvo C30 Concept
For the past two years, Volvo has kept the media on its toes concerning its forthcoming compact car, the C30. Its marketing departments have done everything from tease audiences with shadow-veiled photos to even scooping the cars debut on several well-known websites. With such tactics, you might consider the C30s story to be more in line with the supermarket tabloids! Nevertheless, the Swedish brand will finally be showing the finished product of its labors, the C30 Design Concept - a near-production version of the finished car, at this years North American International Auto Show in Detroit on Sunday morning.
The C30 Design Concept is a little bit different than the typical hatchback; Volvo is pitching it more as a hatchback-coupe with a sporty profile, and the use of two, rather than three doors, akin to some of its more unique designs from the past. The rear tailgate - the third or fifth door in most hatchbacks, isnt present on the C30. Instead, it has two side doors and a very big lift-open window for access to the trunk, a key design element of the SCC Concept Car, and a historic tribute to the quirky 80s 480 Coupe and P1800 ES wagon of the early seventies.
Like the SCC, the C30 puts a great deal of emphasis on the cars tail. Similar to of Volvos wagons, the C30s tail lamps are vertical, stretching from its waistline right up to the roof, hugging the cars curvy, coke-bottle profile. However, because of its narrowing flanks, a trait borrowed from the 3CC electric concept car, the C30s tail lamps are much broader, and L-shaped. Together, the unique tailgate and lamps give the C30 a rear end that is sure to be remembered from first sight.
The rest of the C30 is akin in design to any other new-shape Volvo, with a prominent, soft-formed nose, inset headlamps and strong creases on its hood. The new prototype steps up the bar on the S60, V70 and S80, however, with regards to regular Volvo design with its waterfall treatment on the cars nose - notice how the hoods shape flows over the grille and down the front valance in one sweeping motion, unlike the current cars that have a distinctive, separate bumper. The 3CC concept car started this design trend, and aids in the C30s sleek shape. To dress up the little coupes shapely exterior panels for its debut, Volvo has added a sporty bodykit with muscular front and rear valances, and pumped up fender flares, all outlined in Very Bronze paint to contrast the Quite White bodywork.
Underneath the skin lies the Ford-derived C1 platform that currently underpins the Mazda3 and 5, the European-market Ford Focus, and most importantly the superb S40 and V50 compact premium sedan and wagon. To make the C30, Volvo has sliced off a good portion of the C1 chassis mid and tail sections, making it 8.9 inches shorter, for a grand total of 166.9 inches. Yet, to maintain its sporty demeanor, the C30 has been widened slightly.
The downside about the size-reduction operation is that the C30 has a small cabin and trunk. While this might pose a problem for a family-oriented hatchback, the C30s sporty demeanor lends itself to buyers that rarely use the rear seats (the automaker has the V50 and upcoming XC50, among others, for this crowd as it is), giving Volvo interior designers a clean canvas to experiment with. Instead of using a rear bench, the C30 features a pair of bucket seats, which have been positioned closer to each other to fit in with the tapered bodywork. As for the trunk, its large enough to accommodate everyday items, such as briefcases and groceries, and even a bulky sports bag filled with hockey gear in a pinch - but thats about it. A much larger load can be carried once the rear seats have been folded over, though, but just how much wont be revealed until the car hits production.
Up front, the driver and passenger sit in a cabin thats nearly identical to the S40/V50. This means you get clear, simple instruments, and the wonderfully futuristic thin, floating center console that looks like it was designed by stereo-maker Bang & Olufsen. And on that note, sure to appeal to audiences young and old is the C30s Premium audio system. Sound fills the interior via ten high-end Dynaudio (also Danish, like B&O) speakers, intelligently processed by Dolbys Pro Logic II Surround Sound processor and powered by a 5x130 watt Alpine amplifier. The system is controlled via a sleek remote control-like head unit integrated into the console.
Although the C30 may be a small, compact hatchback, it has one seriously powerful engine under its hood: a turbocharged 2.4-liter of traditional inline-five layout that produces a fire-breathing 260-horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. Mated to a proper six-speed manual gearbox, a necessity for any high-performance hot hatch, the C30 can dash to 60 mph from naught in under six seconds, while the top speed is electronically limited to 155 mph.
While any Volvo fan would melt over a 260-horsepower, all-wheel drive C30 R, chances are that this heavily boosted motor wont make production. As compared to this mad scientist concept vehicle, the production versions will draw from the S40/V50 line, the North American models to be powered by the 170-horsepower 2.4-liter inline-five, and perhaps the 220-hp turbocharged T5. Other global powerplants include PSA-Ford sourced diesels and smaller gasoline engines.
Volvo is expected to unveil the finished, production version of the C30 at the Paris motorshow this September, making for a spring or summer introduction in North America. Volvos decision to push down market comes not a moment too soon, as many traditional premium automakers have projected their efforts downwards. Where Mercedes-Benzs B-Class delivers on practicality, and Audi on all-weather performance, the C30s forte is style and visual appeal, an unusual combination that is sure to interest those in the market for a premium compact car.