C30 dolled up and keen to boogie

With the C30, the Swedes have been a little braver.

The new C30 is certainly one of the most daring range of cars the safety first Swedes have produced to date, being quite a few tweaks up from the previous model.

Not only is it a great little looker, but it's got as much kick as the firewater aquavit the Scandinavians knock back in such huge volumes.

One of its best features

Like swimsuit models and the Renault Megane, one of the baby Volvo's most appealing assets is its shapely derriere, now even more attractive than when it was first launched in South Africa four years ago.

But it's not only its rear that is eye-catching. The C30's overall looks have been vastly improved to such an extent that it even makes the best hot hatch on the market, the Volkswagen Golf GTi, look a little frumpy.

One of the C30's best features, and one you'll be able to enjoy as it passes you.

In fact, with its fancy new looks this Volvo coupe hatch has moved into the territory of the Volkswagen Sirocco, which has won numerous design awards.

The new styling starts up front with a bigger, bolder badge, stylish shaped front wings, honeycomb grille, new headlamps and a racier air intake.

New colours, new options

Sharper plane lines and deeper body contours make an immediate impact and on the high-end model choices the visible tail-pipes and sporty new wheel options add to is zippy looks, particularly if the car wears its latest body colour make-up - Orange Flame Metallic.

To add further sporty touches Volvo has also designed a bold and stylish body styling kit, available as an optional extra

And the outdoor fun continues indoors with a range of new cabin options, including an all-new colour combination known as Espresso/Blond, consisting of a dark brown upper section and blonde tones on the lower door sides.

This Volvo coupe hatch has moved into the territory of the Volkswagen Sirocco.

Another extremely bold (for Volvo!) option is the choice of cranberry red leather upholstery.

The rather unique Volvo centre stack is also available in a range of colours, including Oyster Burst Déco which the carmaker says was inspired by the surface texture of the classic Swedish Hagström guitars that enjoyed world renown in the hands of stars such as Elvis Presley back in the 1950s.

The clean lines of the design are continued in the instrument panel and console.

click to enlarge

So, with a choice of 12 different body colours,11 leather upholstery choices and five decor inlays, buyers can play and personalise to suit their characters and wallet size.

The reworked C30 range now offers three petrol-only model choices - a 1,6-litre manual, a 2,0-litre in either manual or powershift, and the range-topping T5 R-Design 2,5-litre with either a manual or Geartronic gearbox.

The entry level is no slouch, but…

The entry-level 1,6 produces 74 kW and 150 Nm and uses an average of 7.0l/100km with emissions down to 167g/km.

The 2,0-litre steps up the performance with 107 kW and 185 Nm. Fuel consumption averages at 7.4l/100 km, and emissions also increase to 177 g/km.

But these two pale by comparison with the 2,5-litre pack leader which has a punchy 169 kW/320 Nm engine. Even fuel consumption of 8,7l/100 km and emissions of 203g/km doesn't distract from this desirable chunk of Swedish motoring metal.

Sharper plane lines and deeper body contours make an immediate impact.

Volvo has never produced cheap cars and the C30 proves that point yet again with C30 prices ranging from R227 400 for the entry level 1,6-manual to R341 000 for the T5 R-Design Geartronic version.

My choice would be the T5 manual model which costs R328 500. With its smooth manual shift this C30 is an absolute pleasure to drive. Plant your right foot and the 100 km/h mark will come up in just 6,7 seconds.

But the T5 is much more than just go, go, go. It's the way it handles that makes it such a pleasure to drive.

Raring to go

Sadly our launch drive presented no opportunity to really show it the whip, but it oozes willingness to boogie and it sits superbly well on the road, thanks to a combination of a new sport chassis (which is standard across the range), more precise steering which justifies Volvo's claims of being 10% faster to respond, stiffened suspension, including dampers and stabilizers, all of which encourages enthusiastic driving.

The Volvo C30 T5 R-Design is the sportiest and most dynamic model in the current Volvo line-up and is proving the most popular option in many countries across the world. As the flagship of the C30 range the T5 is available in R-Design only which is actually a bonus because it adds a lovely layer of cool to the brand in general and the C30 in particular.

The Swedish brand has never been a huge seller in South Africa and last year only 2 836 Volvos were sold here. The new C30 is certainly not going to push the brand's sales into orbit, but it will certainly play a major role in the future perception of the brand.

Sexy Sue's choice

Naturally the new-look C30 still has all the usual Volvo protection devices, not that boring Uncle John will care two hoots. He will remain happy with his Volvo S40 or V50 station wagon because the C30 is not for him.
Nope, Sexy Sue, Naughty Neville, their party-time mates, trendy young urbanites and trendsetters will be the ones frothing over Volvo's inspired new creation.

Below are the model options and prices:

Volvo C30 1.6 manual - R227 400
Volvo C30 2.0 manual - R255 700
Volvo C30 2.0 Powershift - R271 200
Volvo C30 T5 R-Design manual - R328 500
Volvo C30 T5 R-Design Geartronic - R341 000

Specifications

Suggested retail prices