Volvo C30 - model year 2013
With the C30, Volvo made its debut in the segment for two-door premium cars. The sporty design, with two doors, four individual seats, and a glass tailgate, gives a young and dynamic group of customers "a Volvo of their own".
Recently, the C30 personality has been boosted with a new, confident front, a bold styling kit for those who want even more attitude - and a new razor-sharp sports chassis.
EXTERIOR
Contemporary look with proud heritage
The Volvo C30 displays clear elements of other classic Volvo models with a sporty pedigree, such as the Volvo 1800 ES. Anyone who recalls the acclaimed Volvo SCC (Safety Concept Car) will recognise the exclusive and convenient glass tailgate.
The grille has a unique pattern with the enlarged iron mark in the centre. Viewed from the side, the pronounced wheel housings and the sloping roof give the C30 a fast silhouette that is further enhanced by the markedly boat-shaped side windows. This has been created through the narrowing roof and the wide shoulders. The shoulders at the rear are powerfully rounded and accentuated by both the horseshoe-shaped lighting pattern of the tail lamps and the glass tailgate.
The new, extrovert Rebel Blue is an addition in the colour programme, available on R-Design versions.
Contrast Colour Collection
The popular C30 Contrast Colour Collection - featuring a contrasting shade at the lower part of the car body - has been extended with a possibility to use Terra Bronze as the contrasting colour.
R-Design version
The C30 is also available in an R-Design version featuring a redesigned front and rear. The body kit is colour-coordinated with the rest of the body, giving the impression that the car has been lowered more than the actual 10 mm reduction in ride height. The C30 R-Design is also equipped with five-spoke Cratus wheels that are the hallmark of the R-Design range.
Volvo C30 Electric - up to 150 km on one charge
The Volvo C30 Electric is part of Volvo Car Corporation's ambitious electrification strategy. It is as well-equipped, comfortable, sporty and safe as the standard car - while at the same time offering the driver a range of up to 150 kilometres per charge with almost zero carbon dioxide emissions.
The compact electric motor offers 111 hp and 220 Nm of torque. The lithium-ion batteries are recharged via a regular 230 Volts power socket. The cable is plugged into the car's grille via a specially designed charge connector.
Deliveries of the initial batch of 250 cars to selected customers in Europe and China started during the second half of 2011.
INTERIOR
Four-seater with iconic centre stack
The C30 has room for four adults thanks to the two separate seats in the rear, with generous head- and legroom. The rear seats are slightly centred to provide a feeling of space and a good forward view. It also makes communication between front and rear occupants much easier.
The space between the seats also makes the thin, visually floating centre stack clearly visible from the outside through the glass tailgate.
The interior is inspired by Scandinavian product design with the emphasis on uncluttered surfaces, honest materials and functionality.
Guitar-inspired centre stack
Volvo's ultra-thin centre stack is available in a Oyster Burst Déco version, inspired by the surface texture of the classic Swedish Hagström guitars that became world-famous in the hands of stars such as Elvis Presley back in the 1950s.
The centre stack's floating theme flows smoothly with similar elegant soft curves all the way to the rear seat. The storage space between the seats has also been designed with the help of Scandinavian design tradition's most renowned hallmark - smart functionality.
The sliding cover over the larger storage compartments, in which there are also two holders that provide secure support for large and small cups, is complemented by a flexible armrest for the driver.
Espresso/Blond interior
The Volvo C30 offers a range of interior options. Among other things, there is a Espresso/Blond combination, consisting of a dark brown upper section and a blond, fresh shade on the lower door sides. The blond tone, somewhere between grey and beige, is an expression of Volvo's strong Scandinavian design tradition. The Espresso/Blond interior permits the integration of energetic new highlight colours such as orange, green and blue in the fabrics, as well as leather upholstery in Cranberry.
Audio and information
The Volvo C30 can be equipped with Bluetooth® technology that enables wireless communication. The Bluetooth connection allows hands-free phone conversations as well as music streaming from a preferred Bluetooth enabled portable music player. Volvo is actually the only brand to offer Bluetooth music streaming throughout the entire vehicle range.
The High Performance and Premium Sound systems have a USB port, making it easy to attach an iPod® or other MP3 player or even a digital camera to the audio system.
Keep in touch via mobile application
A mobile application that makes sure that the driver can stay in touch with the parked car via an iPhone or Android smart phone. The mobile application is an extension of Volvo On Call.
Owners of all new models with Volvo On Call can download the application that opens up a range of connectivity possibilities. The mobile app is free and downloaded via the iPhone and Android application stores. The app is designed to offer the owner an intuitive, easy-to-use relationship with the car from a distance.
CHASSIS
Well-balanced and controlled driving
Thanks to its small size, the Volvo C30 is very nimble to handle, even in limited space. It is built according to the same principles as the rest of the cars in the Volvo range.
A very torsionally rigid body, a wide track and a relatively long wheelbase all help give it responsive and stable driving characteristics.
The chassis, with spring struts at the front and Multilink axle at the rear, is set up for controlled, reassuring driving manners and alert steering response. The Multilink rear axle is an independent rear suspension system featuring a number of links and it is designed to offer a good combination of controlled wheel movements and a high level of ride comfort.
DSTC standard
Volvo's advanced DSTC (Dynamic Stability and Traction Control) stability-enhancing system is fitted as standard. DSTC intervenes and helps stabilise the car if it registers any tendency to skid.
Optional sports chassis
The optional sports chassis (also available together with R-Design) has been modified in several areas. The steering is more precise owing to the installation of stiffer bushings. The steering ratio is lower, giving 10 percent faster response to steering wheel input. Spring stiffness has been increased by no less than 30 percent in order to improve the car's poise in enthusiastic driving. The dampers are also stiffer and the exclusive mono-tube technology builds up pressure much more quickly. The roll stabilizers are stiffer to reduce any leaning tendency when cornering.
The new sports chassis makes the C30 a better-balanced and more agile car. Road contact is more distinct and feedback from the wheels is faster and clearer, promoting a more alert feeling while driving. This is something that also benefits safety.
DRIVELINE
Transverse engines
The engines in the Volvo C30 are transversely installed in-line units. Together with large displacement, the five-cylinder configuration provides high torque across a broad rev band, and thus also swift acceleration and excellent driveability within a wide speed range. Four-cylinder engines are also available.
T5 with 230 hp
The Volvo C30 T5 features a turbocharger and five-speed automatic transmission or a six-speed manual gearbox. It produces 230 hp and 320 Nm of torque. There is also a 2-litre petrol engine version, as well as a 2.0-litre bio-ethanol Flexifuel variant on certain markets.
2-litre diesel
The five-cylinder, 2-litre turbodiesel is in principle the same engine as the well-established 2.4-litre diesel, but its displacement has been reduced with a shorter stroke to optimise fuel consumption. The engine has been optimised for low fuel consumption and the injection system has a different type of piezoelectric fuel injector compared with the D5 engine.
These injectors minimise consumption with exceptionally rapid and precise injection pulses under high pressure. This promotes extremely efficient combustion.
In the Volvo C30 the 2-litre diesel is available in two variants - both with a six-speed automatic transmission or six-speed manual gearbox.
D2 with 95 g CO2 emissions
The C30 can also get the upgraded 1.6-litre diesel engine that meets the Euro 5 exhaust emission regulations implemented in 2011. The engine produces 115 hp and 270 Nm of torque.
Combined with a six-speed manual gearbox and start/stop function, the D2 engine keeps CO2 emissions down to 95 g/km (3.6 l/100 km).
SAFETY AND SUPPORT
IDIS promotes safer driving
Volvo Cars has developed various information systems and functions designed to help the driver while on the move. One such system is IDIS (Intelligent Driver Information System), which for instance delays incoming phone calls in complex traffic situations that require the driver's undivided attention.
Systematic safety approach
Protective safety in the Volvo C30 is structured around a network consisting of exterior and interior safety systems that interact with one another to reduce the risk of occupant injury in a collision.
The body of the Volvo C30 features immense torsional rigidity and the car has a sturdy chassis, a combination that results in consistent, predictable behaviour on the road.
Incoming collision forces are distributed so the passenger compartment remains as intact and undamaged as possible. The car's body is therefore built in the form of a metal cage made from different grades of steel, where all the components interact with one another to ensure controlled deformation.
The interior safety systems aim to keep the passengers securely in place and also to reduce the risk of serious injury. In order to provide the most effective protection possible, Volvo Cars has developed a number of in-house systems such as WHIPS (Whiplash Protection System), SIPS (Side Impact Protection System) and IC (Inflatable Curtain). All are fitted as standard in the Volvo C30. What is more, all four seats are equipped with three-point inertia-reel seat belts, belt pre-tensioners and head restraints.
