Volvo C30 revision to appear at Frankfurt
September 8, 2009 by Matt Brogan
The new Volvo C30 will make its debut at next week’s Frankfurt Motor Show alongside the new C70 and S60 Concept.
With its new look allowing customers an even greater level of customisation, the new Volvo C30 will appeal to buyers who place considerable demands on the design, driving properties and personality of their vehicles.
“Since its introduction in 2006, the Volvo C30 has become highly appreciated for its unique appearance. This applies in particular to the rear. With the new front, it feels as though everything has fallen neatly into place and that the car’s entire personality has been boosted to an entirely new level,” says Daniel Backman, Product Manager for the new Volvo C30.
“The new exterior is also a better match for the way the C30 drives – challenging, direct and with a whole lot of attitude.”
Front the front the C30 has undergone a complete rework with new body panels giving the car a more distinctive appearance to its predecessor. This new look will also more clearly define the C30 from its S40 and V50 cousins for the first time.
“By integrating greater depth into the design language, the front has become more dramatic and expressive. Along with the angled lines of the front bumper, the new headlamps, drawn offset and up, reinforce the impression of speed and sportiness,” says Fedde Talsma, Exterior Chief Designer at Volvo Cars.
The new, larger iron mark floats in the centre of the grille, which also features a new ‘honeycomb’ pattern exclusive to the C30 range. The air intake has also grown in size and resembles the intake in the XC60.
“The fact that the C30 has enhanced its visual volume and self-confidence is entirely in line with Volvo Cars’ design strategy. At the same time, the C30 has a one of a kind expression. The new honeycomb grille, for instance, means it takes just a quick glance in the rear-view mirror to see that the car filling your view is the new Volvo C30,” continues Mr Talsma.
Although the biggest design changes have taken place at the front, the rear also sports the same deep new lines and detailing.
The contours are more dynamic and more defined than before while the black plastic panels have been replaced with body coloured units. These may be specified in the same or a contrasting colour upon order.
Revised exterior features include:
- New body colour ‘Orange Flame’
- Visible exhaust pipe on T5 model
- Two new alloy wheel options with white alloy wheels available for the first time
- Five different colours options on lower trim – ‘C30 Contrast Colour Collection’
Inside the new C30 offers a new colour combination known as Espresso/Blond which consists of a dark brown upper section and a blond, fresh shade on the lower door sides.
The Espresso/Blond interior permits the integration of energetic new highlight colours such as orange, green and blue in the fabrics, as well as a new colour for leather upholster, Cranberry.
“We know that a large proportion, almost half, of all C30 customers make detailed interior choices. They want to decide for themselves what their car should look like and are not interested in readymade packages. The new C30 gives them a range of fresh, modern style cues in terms of both colour and fabric to choose between,” explains Maria Uggla, Program Chief Designer Colour & Trim at Volvo Cars.
“We have also focused on making it easier for customers to match exterior design elements with interior trim in an attractive way, something that has been made that much easier with the new Espresso/Blond colour combination,” says Ms Uggla.
Yet another new feature is the luggage compartment cover in the rear, which uses a new material and a new graphic pattern to further enhance the car’s modern image.
Volvo’s exclusive centre stack is already available in a range of colours and textures. Now a new option is being added, Oyster Burst Déco.
Volvo’s design team 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.
Hagström used the word “burst” in many of its model names and gave their guitars a pattern that shifted subtly from light to dark and back again. Just like in the new centre stack of the Volvo C30.
The Volvo C30 also meets the wishes of buyers who want to individualise their vehicles on the outside. A youthful new accessory styling kit with a bolder, less polished style gives the C30 even more attitude.
The kit includes foglamp décor, a front skidplate, side scuff plates with engraved C30 logo and a rear skidplate with a stylish aluminium look. For D5 and T5 two 90 mm tail pipes in polished stainless steel are added to underline the powerful engine.
The exterior detailing is complemented by a dramatic interior where the pattern of the floor mats forms a world map.
The aluminium centre stack, including inner door handles, is inspired by an ancient nautical chart and a sea adventure map. Its pattern shows longitude and latitude lines as well as dashed direction lines to further emphasise the explorer theme.
The new optional sport chassis for the Volvo C30 is considerably sharper, with stiffer, more distinct properties than previously.
Sport Chassis updates include:
- The steering is more precise owing to the installation of stiffer bushings
- The steering ratio is lower, giving 10 per cent faster response to steering wheel input
- Spring stiffness has been increased by no less than 30 per cent in order to increase the car’s poise in enthusiastic driving
- The dampers too are stiffer and are now of the exclusive mono-tube type that builds up pressure much more quickly
- The roll stabilisers are stiffer to reduce any leaning tendency when taking corners
- The new sport chassis is available in all C30 versions except for 1.6D C30 DRIVe
The Volvo C30’s sporty chassis and steering can be combined with a particularly wide range of drivelines covering the full spectrum of needs from sparkling acceleration and performance to diesel engines with class-leading low fuel consumption and environmental impact.
The Volvo C30 1.6D DRIVe is available with an advanced start/stop function that switches off the engine when the car is at a standstill, for instance at traffic lights or in a traffic queue.
This cuts fuel consumption to as little as 3.9 litres per 100 km while carbon dioxide emissions are just 104 g CO2 per kilometres, the lowest in this segment.
The updated Volvo C30 is due for arrival in Australia next March (2010).
With Volvo Media
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I’ve never really warmed to it, and I think that now is the right time to say it: Volvo’s floating console is boring. Needs a revamp methinks.
I think it looks clean, classy and sophisticated. Each to their own I suppose.
That front end has insignia written all over it….
I liked it more before. It was so clean and modern looking. The pre-faclifted model was a classic. This will date.
I think the designers should have focussed more on the rear end. Whilst I like the look of most of the current range of Volvos.. I think that the rear end of the C-30 will date rather quickly.
I think now is the time to buy a Volvo whilst they are still a true Volvo – with their innovative features; and their renowned safety.. they are relatively good value for money
I prefered the old model significanlty more, this looks very bland, very volvoish
and that interior is dreadful
give me a xr5t
EDWARD CULLEN!
I really disagree with Volvo tacking on their new corporate look on all their models. Especially so soon, with no real or natural progression between them. The new XC60 was the start of their language, they should have waited and designed all new models to incorporate it, as opposed to just bodging the new look on every car.
The C70 pulled it off a little better, because it was an older car in their line up. However, looking at the C30 (which before was quite a handsome little looker), the new ‘face’ really doesn’t fit. Alas, it might be highly color/wheel dependent (which Volvos are increasingly becoming) because these photos really don’t flatter the car.
As always, will need an actual look in the flesh (metal?) for a proper judgement.
My impression is that Volvo’s new “design language” is less articulate, more fussy, less distinctive and more “Persistence of Memory”-esque than before. As others have said, I agree that “Orange Flame” does not flatter the car. Why does Volvo have a penchant for selecting the worst colour in its range as the launch or signature colour? Remember the Maya Gold S60?