Volvo C30 unveiled: the details

Volvo has released more on its C30 compact hatch. And as details emerge, it's becoming clear the new small Volvo will be a major departure for the brand.

Unveiled at the North American International Autos Show (NAIAS) at Detroit this week in concept form, the near-production-ready hatch is aimed to take on the likes of the Golf, BMW's 1 Series and Audi's A3.

A range of engine and drivetrain options will, it seems, give the little Swede the ability to target both the 'economy' end of the prestige hatch market as well as the hotties.

Unashamedly aimed at the "youth" market, in its own words, the at-times-staid Swedish marque summed up the new offering saying: "Volvo Does Small and Sexy with the C30 Design Project."

Says the company: "The C30 Design Concept is about feeling invigorated by the youth, by the passion and by the dynamics of Volvo's future small car. The C30 Design Project takes a mindful step forward for Volvo into a new premium market segment."

The three-door carries design cues from the 2001 Volvo Safety Concept Car (SCC) and the marque's S40/V50, upon the platform of which the C30 is built.

“Our aim is to give the Volvo C30 Design Concept a hefty dose of muscles in a sporty and compact package,” explained Volvo Cars Design Director, Steve Mattin.

The front end evolves the now familiar family look to a more muscular plane. And though far from retro, there are some cues from Volvos of old, specifically, the P1800/1800ES shooting breaks of the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Volvo says it has focused primarily on singles and on couples without children in designing the C30. Seating, in the concept is four indivdual buckets -- expect the production car to be a more conventional (if tight) '2 + 3' layout.

The Concept is powered by what is likely to be the range-topping powertrain for the production range. Under the bonnet of the Detroit car is Volvo's T5 inline 2.5-litre turbocharged five-cylinder delivering a claimed 190kW at 5500rpm and maximum torque of 350Nm between 2100 and 5000rpm. This is coupled to a six-speed manual gearbox and yields a claimed 0-100km/h time of 6.0sec and an electronically-limited top speed of 2509km/h.

In production form, the T5 version will likely boast all-wheel drive (a la S40/V50 T5).

Other engines are tipped to be 1.6 and 2.0-litre fours, as well as at least two diesel options. Expect the top diesel spec to deliver performance not far short of the T5. The standard offering will be front-wheel drive only.

Volvo says the production Volvo C30 will be unveiled at the Paris motor show in September. Australian buyers will likey see the car at Sydney motor show in October with local deliveries slated for early 2007.

More details -- straight from the horse's mouth:

Space for luggage – when necessary
"The Volvo C30 Design Concept is designed for a customer category that mostly uses the front seats only. The luggage space behind the attractive glass tailgate is designed for everyday loads such as briefcases and sports equipment – with the ability to swallow far larger loads if one rear seat or both rear seats are folded flat."

Big audio dynamite
"A first-class audio system is an important part of the driving experience. This explains why the Volvo C30 Design Concept has Volvo’s Premium Sound system, with 5x130 W digital ICE Power amplifier from Alpine®, Dolby® Pro Logic II Surround and 10 loudspeakers from Dynaudio® of Denmark."

Size matters
"Measuring 4240mm in overall length, the C30 Design Concept is 228mm shorter than the Volvo S40. The shorter C30, though, looks more muscular. The C30 is also 10mm wider – at 1780mm overall – than the S40."

Them's the brakes
"The 19-inch aluminium wheels wear Pirelli Corsa 225/35 R19 rubber. There are four-pot brakes from Brembo with aluminium callipers and 330mm ventilated brake discs front and rear."

Gettin' jiggy wid it
“Sporty driving characteristics are a must to attract this customer category. A car that radiates muscular agility has to live up to its appearance once you slip behind the steering wheel,” says Håkan Abrahamsson, the C30 Project Director.