Volvo unveils its Golf challenger

This is the first official look at Volvo's imminent C30, the car that will take the fight to the likes of the Volkswagen Golf.

The first public appearance of the car is still a couple of months away -- it debuts at September's Paris motor show -- but these pics reveal that the production model is little changed from the C30 Design Concept that starred at January's Detroit show.

Happily, the sporty proportions have carried through to the showroom model, and unusual design elements such as the large glass tailgate have also survived unscathed.

Unlike rivals such as the VW Golf, which is available in Europe in both three- and five-door formats, Volvo says the C30 will be offered in one body style only -- with two doors and four individual seats.

The petrol engine line-up for Euro models will kick off with a 1.6-litre four-cylinder unit with 74kW, while the range-topper scores the 162kW five-cylinder turbo engine that we've sampled locally in the S40 T5 and Ford Focus XR5.

Of course, there will also be diesel variants: a 1.6-litre unit with 80kW and a five-cylinder D5 powerplant with 132kW.

Volvo hasn't yet disclosed kerb weights, but it has revealed that the C30 is 220mm shorter than the S40, which suggests it should weigh considerably less.

Do the maths and you'll arrive at the conclusion -- we did, anyway -- that the C30 T5 might be just the thing with which to go Golf GTI hunting.

The S40 and new S80 have already provided proof that Volvo has at last rediscovered the elements of good style, and the C30 -- which harks back to the legendary 1971 P1800ES -- is further reinforcement of this trend.

The 'wheel-at-each-corner' descriptor is perhaps thrown about too loosely, but in the case of the C30 it fits. The squat stance and unusual treatment of its derriere seems more than likely to earn the C30 many friends in the 18-35 demographic -- and that's part of the plan.

"The new Volvo C30 is a cool car. A car that aims for a group of young singles, or couples, with busy urban lives," says Fredrik Arp, President and CEO of Volvo Cars.

"These people prioritise excitement in design and driving characteristics, and this car is designed to suit their taste and lifestyle."

Volvo claims the C30 has room for four adults and the rear seats are slightly centred to provide "a feeling of space and a good forward view".

The space between the seats also makes Volvo's unique, ultra-thin centre stack clearly visible through the glass tailgate.

This is, after all, a Volvo so there had to be a safety story -- and there is. Combined with dual front airbags and safety belt tensioners, the C30 also comes with the 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 extremities of the car.

The C30 launches in Europe later this year, and we can expect it here in the first half of 2007. No official word as yet on pricing, but an entry point around $30K seems a reasonable estimate.

Read more CarPoint's earlier news story for more details here