Many may see the C30 as a radical departure for Volvo; in fact, the C30 is a rational response to demand for a distinctly designed car for urban living.

The C30's design is definitely distinct with two doors, four individual seats, and a glass tailgate to give the C30 a unique character that may attract new buyers to the Volvo brand.

Volvo will reveal C30 at the Paris Motor Show in late September. C30 production begins at Volvo Car's Ghent plant in Belgium at the end of 2006. The C30's on-sale date in Australia is tentatively slated for the first half of 2007.

"The new C30 is a cool car. It is a car that will appeal to a younger demographic with an intense urban lifestyle. These people prioritise excitement in design and driving characteristics, and the C30 is designed to suit their taste and lifestyle," says Fredrik Arp, President and CEO of Volvo Cars.

Dynamic silhouette
The design of the production-ready C30 is in obvious character with the C30 Design Concept presented at the Detroit Motor Show at the beginning of the year.

The front retains its dynamic character with angled headlamps and low, wide grille.

Viewed on side profile, the distinct wheel housings and sloping roofline give the new C30 a fast silhouette, which is further enhanced by its glass-to-body proportion and day light openings.

The shoulders at the rear are powerfully rounded and are accentuated by the horseshoe shaped lighting pattern of the tail lights and the C30's glass tailgate. The trailing edge spoiler is available in two different versions.

"The C30 flexes plenty of muscle in a sporty and compact package. Anyone who recalls the Volvo SCC (Safety Concept Car) will recognise the exclusive and convenient rear tailgate. The distinctive tail lights ensure that everyone will identify the car they have in front," says Volvo Cars Design Director Steve Mattin.

Styling for individualists
The new C30 seats four adults with room to move. The interior layout offers two separate rear seats. The rear seats are slightly centred to provide a feeling of space and offer passengers good forward vision.

The space between the seats also makes the thin, visually floating centre console clearly visible through the glass tailgate.

"The C30 is about 'personalised function'. There are a lot of possibilities for personalisation and the C30 has all the right and cleverly designed interior features that people want from this type of car," says Håkan Abrahamsson, manager C30 project.

C30 T5 - compact at 4.25 metres, stout at 162kW
The Australian-spec C30 takes seriously its dynamic design and performance potential. The nimble C30 will deliver exciting driving performance. Engine selection is yet to be confirmed, but Volvo Car Australia is anticipating the 162kW C30 T5 and the 125kW C30 LE will provide C30 with ample performance. Both five-cylinder engines will be matched with a choice of manual or automatic transmission.

Measuring 4250 mm in overall length, the C30 is the smallest member of Volvo's model range - 220 mm shorter than the Volvo S40 sedan.

"A car that exudes muscular manoeuvrability must live up to the promise of its looks when you are behind the wheel. Therefore, the C30 has a chassis that offers sporty driving characteristics," says Abrahamsson.

At every specification level, the Volvo C30 offers top-end audio performance. Audiophiles can choose the Premium Sound system with a digital 5x130W ICE Power amplifier from Alpine®, Dolby® Pro Logic II Surround and 10 loudspeakers from Danish Dynaudio®.

Safety
When it comes to safety, the C30 is a true Volvo. Among other things, it is available with BLIS (Blind Spot Information System), which helps the driver to identify another vehicle in the blind spot at the rear sides of the car.

The front has the same patented structure as the S40 sedan and V50 wagon. Combined with airbags and safety belt pre-tensioners, the C30 offers an element of safety.

The C30's safety equipment naturally includes the Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS) and a Side Impact Protection System (SIPS) with side airbags and the Inflatable Curtain (IC).

"The new C30 plays an important role in Volvo's push towards a volume goal of 600,000 cars a year. We are broadening our model programme to make it possible for younger customers with an intense, urban lifestyle to choose a Volvo. The C30 will offer the right appeal," says Fredrik Arp.

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