Volvo C30 2009 News

There was plenty of incredible historic racing, Wayne Gardner was back to winning on classic motorcycles, and Sir Stirling Moss celebrated his 80th birthday with a cavalcade of 80 cars he raced through his incredible career.But the highlight at the Goodwood Revival meeting was the sight of Rowan Atkinson recreating the incredible stunt when he 'drove' a Mini from an armchair on the roof during an episode of the Mister Bean series.Atkinson is a talented amateur racer who often turns out at Goowood for a sprint in something special, like a 1950s Jaguar, but he brought the house down when he climbed up into the armchair last weekend. And that is what Goodwood is all about. It is racing, and history and socialising and real surprises.There was even a Messerschmitt Bf109 fighter plane in the sky abo ve the history British track, as well as a guest appearance by Buzz Aldrin, and a Mini-only race to celebrate the car's 50th birthday. All of this action is the reason why Goodwood is a sellout each year and why I had to get along.It was only a day, on a packed personal program that included the Frankfurt Motor Show and a safety visit to Volvo in Sweden - when I also tried the company's impressive new electric car and a C30 with the DriveE system - but it was a trip I was happy to make.The day started with smiles and ended with smiles and now I'm making serious plans for a return visit in 2010 with my two best mates. Mister Bean won't be there, but I know there will be plenty of other special stuff.Follow Paul Gover on Twitter!

Volvo is about to hit the eco button with its first stop-start fuel savers as it also reveals plans for full-scale production of a plug-in hybrid with a diesel engine. Its longer term goal is to become a world leader in environmentally-friendly cars with a drive to zero emissions culminating in plug-in electric power. The C30 DRIVe model will lead Volvo's push on a zero-emission strategy and the first cars will be in showrooms in September. They have a stop- start system similar to the one already seen in the Smart ForTwo and the upcoming Land Rover Freelander II. There will eventually be a full range of DRIVe models as Volvo has produced seven for Europe, from the C30 to XC70, with CO2 emissions as low as 104grams/km. The drive DRIVe model is a C30 with a 1.6-litre turbodiesel engine that promises, with help from stop-start, fuel economy of 3.9L/100km and best-in-class CO2 emissions of 104g/km. The car also has low- rolling-resistance tyres with lowered suspension and a gearshift indicator. "At this stage, we can't confirm specification or pricing but should be in a better position to announce details around August," says Laurissa Mirabelli of Volvo Cars Australia. By 2011 the DRIVe program will see a direct-injection petrol turbo engine with fuel economy and emissions cut by up to 30 per cent as well as a next-generation micro-hybrid with stop-start. But the big breakthrough comes in 2012 with a plug-in hybrid, previewed this week in Sweden inside the body of a V70 station wagon. The plug-in Volvo is being developed in partnership with a Swedish energy company, Vattenfall. It uses a lithium-ion battery pack. "We're investing more than $1 billion on the joint venture, to investigate plug-in hybrids. They will be a reality from 2012," says Mirabelli. "Ideally, we'll also have them here within 12 months of production. The aim is economy of 1.9L/100km." Hitting those targets means using a diesel engine in the hybrid drivetrain, a move which has not been made yet by any maker. Most European brands are promising some form of diesel hybrid but, so far, the mass-market Toyota Prius and Honda Insight use petrol power. "The plug-in system takes five hours to charge and the electric range is 50 kilometre. That's on the demonstration car which is a V70," says Mirabelli.

Then, early Saturday our time, a Swedish court gave it three months to find a means of keeping the company afloat while an administrator negotiates with creditors.Saab's managing director, Jan Ake Jonsson, says Saab is seeking to create a fully independent business."What would happen during the reorganisation phase is more preservation of cash and making sure we have the financials to go through it. Exactly what that means is too early to say."How very confidence inspiring …One feels for the workers, dealers and thousands of various job descriptions whose livelihoods will exist no longer when the Trollhattan marque eventually succumbs to the inevitable.Honestly, though, does anyone believe Saab deserves to survive?Can anyone – except perhaps the ever diminishing number of clueless and chronically dizzy types who mysteriously continue buy them – say with sincerity that they care a Viking’s frozen digit for Saab?The 9-5 is so hopelessly obsolete, so thoroughly behind the times, driving it is the equivalent of wearing spats. To the beach. The numerical designation might as well indicate its year of origin; the 9-5 belongs firmly to the previous century.Next to that the 9-3, with its near-decade old Vectra underpinnings, is positively effervescent. But with at least a half dozen sounder and more desirable alternatives for every one of the barely numerable variants in the line-up, the 9-3 is also very possibly the most futile car on earth.And as for charging $90K for the top model, on what planet – or more to the point – in which era do these people dwell?The only possible thing Saab could do to justify its continued existence is to make an entirely new car. A proper new car, that is, as opposed to minor embellishments of two decomposing model lines.That’s not going to happen, at least not in a hurry. Saab is wedded to a decaying US former auto giant, whose embattled execs want nothing more than a quick divorce. And Saab can’t afford to live on its own.The contrast with compatriot Volvo is glaring. But while Ford remains attached to life support, its Swedish subsidiary has at least continued to produce new, competitive and even – in terms of its fusty image – exciting new models, a la the C30 T5 and XC60. So Ford will eventually find a buyer for Volvo, because it’s making cars that you’d cheerfully spend your money on.Whereas Saab … well, the best thing it could do is to stop making them altogether. Please. 

Such is the incestuous nature of our auto industry.With very few exceptions, just about every manufacturer you can name is somehow related to another one. And without sounding too much like I’m into that sort of behaviour, it’s one of the major factors that makes the car game so interesting.Car design is very similar, most recently noticed in the first images of the long awaited Porsche Panamera. At carsguide HQ, it wasn’t long before we had pics of the new Porsche and Volvo’s C30 lined up bum to bum – not in that way – and couldn’t help but gaze at the striking similarities.It wasn’t too much of a stretch to cast our minds back to more instances of sameness in the recent past.Squint and you’ll think the back of the German designed Hyundai i30 is actually a one series Bimmer hatch.Still on rear ends and you won’t be shot down for mistaking the new Jaguar XF for an Aston Martin DB9, the latest Camry for an Accord Euro, or that the new Citroen C5 has an Audi A4 butt.The latest Jeep Cherokee is almost a mirror image of the Dodge Nitro and the Toyota Camry could almost pass for a Honda Accord.Then there are the ridiculous cases where affiliated brands simply swap badges and celebrate the arrival of an ‘all new’ car. The Ford Laser/Mazda 323 combo of few years back springs to mind in the same thought bubble as the Holden Commodore/Toyota Lexcen exchange. The latter rather ironic really considering the secrecy and uniqueness surrounding 1983’s Americas Cup winning yacht, Australia II, and its Lexcen designed ‘winged keel’.I know, I know, this has been happening forever but it would be nice too see more unique, fresh metal on the roads these days wouldn’t it?Which cars can you think of that bear a striking resemblance to others?

The car brand trumpeted as the world's safest will catch up with the pack next month. Volvo is at last making sure every car it sells in Australia is equipped with ESP and traction control as standard. It has yet to confirm details of the ESP upgrade, including prices, though all Australian cars coming off the production line this month – which means deliveries in June once they are shipped from Sweden – will have the system. “We can confirm that dynamic stability control and traction control will be standard on all Volvo models from May production,” says Laurissa Mirabelli of Volvo Cars Australia. While Volvo is talking up its ESP upgrade, it is also working to finalise details of next year's model line-up after an upgrade last week in Europe. They should be here by October, and the all-new XC60 all-wheel-drive wagon will be the headliner. The most obvious change, on everything from the baby C30 to the C70, is a larger Volvo badge on the boot. It picks up the prominence of the badge on the XC60 and the latest mid-sized wagons. The only other change across the range, though not confirmed for Australia, is exterior mirrors that fold flat for parking. “There will be some minor changes to Volvo's MY09 line-up this year, as there is with its models every year,” Mirabelli says. “The MY09s won't be here until much later this year and we're not in a position to confirm the extent of the changes yet, given we're still going through the business case process.” She says there are only minor tweaks to the range, apart from the XC60, and nothing big on the technical front. In Europe, there are minor tweaks to nine models and one of the best is an optional system called Homelink. It uses buttons integrated into the sun visor to operate remote-controlled home appliances such as garage doors, house alarms and lighting. There is an upgrade of the optional satellite navigation on the S40 and V50, a hard load cover is now standard on all C30s and the climate control is upgraded in the C70 with the addition of the Powershift gearbox already fitted to the C30, S40 and V50. The S80 flagship gets heated washer nozzles and chronograph-style dials in the dash.  

No one in its Gothenburg centre in Sweden will talk about future product, although there is an underlying trend to shrink technology.Volvo's strategic design chief Jose Diaz de la Vega thinks a small car — smaller than the current C30 hatchback — would fit neatly into the company's mould.But he warns it could be a long way off — not because of design and engineering progress, but simply because of the Scandinavian caution about change.“We take a long time, we enter vehicle segments later than many car companies,” he said.“Volvo is a cultural brand. There is a movement towards smaller, more efficient motor cars and away from bigger SUVs. So I hope we can look at a smaller car. Like the Fiesta.”Volvo's holistic approach to the car has encompassed safety and environmental concerns for decades.Prepared to put its money where its mouth is, Volvo has committed $1.8 billion between 2006 and 2011 for research and development linked to environmental issues.The biggest step in this framework becomes tangible within five years with the launch of Volvo's first hybrid. No details are being released, although the hybrid unit is being developed in Sweden at Volvo's specialist Hybrid Centre using technology shared with its parent company, Ford.The hybrid — expected to be seen first in the XC60 body — aims to reduce Volvo's CO2 emission footprint and will join its other low-emission models for sale in Europe.It is part of Volvo's commitment to reduce emissions and to meet the stringent 120g/km of CO2 level being legislated for 2011 by the European Union. The CO2 level is an average across a carmaker's range and affects all manufacturers.Volvo said it was looking across the hybrid spectrum, including the simple 'micro-hybrid' technology, which is a starter motor/generator combination that works as a stop-go system. This turns off the petrol engine when the car is stationary — such as in heavy traffic or at lights — and automatically restarts when the accelerator pedal is depressed. Stop-go reduces fuel and C02 emissions by up to 10 per cent.Volvo will also expand its alternative fuel range, predominantly for the markets in Sweden, France and Brazil.There are three Flexifuel engines that run on varying percentages of ethanol and are available in five models — C30, S40, V50, V70 and S80. The engines range from a 1.8-litre four-cylinder to a 2.5-litre turbocharged version. Extra-low CO2 emission models under development include the C30 Efficiency with a C02 level of less than the proposed EU figure of 120g/km. This car will go on sale next year in Europe.Volvo is also close to delivering a twin-clutch automated gearbox that will offer greater engine economy.This transmission is similar to the Volkswagen DSG system. Would you be interested in a smaller Volvo car?  

The Swiss show this week turned a significant corner, brushing aside traditional glitz and glamour to tackle the more sombre environmental issues.The show's displays confronted visitors with the speed and breadth of low-emission vehicle development.The change that is sweeping Europe and is relentlessly marching on other markets, including Australia, is spurred by consumer demands for low-emission cars and future European legislation that will dramatically curtail exhaust pollutants.Ford Europe's vice-president for environmental affairs, Wolfgang Schneider, said there was a global move to reduce emissions and create energy independence through minimising the use of fossil fuel.But rather than make hybrids, or wait for fuel-cell vehicles that use hydrogen, European car companies are seeking less radical and less expensive options.“The mainstream solution is to take conventional technology and turn it green,” he said.“Consumers want what they have now — cars that are well priced, have sporty driving manners, are comfortable and affordable to run — but they want to be environmentally aware. More importantly, they don't want to pay for it.”Ford released its new Fiesta small car that emits less than 120g of CO2 for every kilometre, the future legislated threshold proposed by the European Union.“We can do this by using current engineering — that is, to reduce the vehicle's weight, make the car more aerodynamic, and use low-friction lubricants,” Dr Schneider said.“The Fiesta, with 99g/km, equates to a fuel economy of 3.8 litres/100km. As long as we can get these low emissions and low fuel consumption by existing technology, the less need we have to rush into building hybrid vehicles.“If we decide on a hybrid, it will immediately add about $6000 to the car's price. Customers won't pay that.”Ford in Europe also offers one Flexifuel version which runs on biofuel for every model. But the pick-up is poor compared with diesels.Volvo, which sits under the Ford umbrella, offers biofuel models, but believes high-efficiency diesels are the best option.Volvo chief Steven Armstrong said his company would soon offer a high-efficiency version of its C30 three-door hatch that emits less than 120g/km.He said it was also developing a plug-in electric C30 version.The battery is charged by plugging the car into a power source, usually overnight. The battery runs four electric motors, each within the wheel hubs.When the battery runs low, a small four-cylinder, ethanol-fuelled engine is automatically started to run a generator to recharge the battery.Volvo insists that the power source to charge the battery must be sustainable, preferably solar or wind-generated.“We will have a hybrid of the XC60 (a small SUV released this week and expected in Australia later this year) in 2010 and other hybrids may follow,” Mr Armstrong said.“Hybrids are great for the city where there is low-speed operation, but we believe that an efficient diesel is far, far better for the environment.“We will have an XC60 diesel with 170g/km CO2 on the market within 12 months.”Many manufacturers at the Geneva Motor Show displayed diesel-fuelled vehicles that use an ammonia-based liquid that results in extremely low emissions of nitrogen. Companies such as Mercedes-Benz call it BlueTec.But it's not on the way to Australia, certainly not this year.Volkswagen has a similar system called BlueMotion that could be here as early as late 2009.Volkswagen showed a concept diesel-hybrid that it claims will consume only 3.4 litres/100km.One further way many car makers are minimising fuel consumption and reducing emissions is by offering models with smaller engines.This “downsizing” is being adopted by Volvo (it has a two-litre, four-cylinder engine option for its S80 luxury sedan) and Ford (1.6-litre engine for the medium-size Mondeo).The legislation on emissions will come into force from January 1, 2012.However, the rush to clean up the current fleet of cars is also being pushed by new US emission legislation that will come into effect about the same time as Europe.When introduced, both sets of legislation will affect the vehicles available to Australian buyers. 

But now here comes the smallest Swede, the C30 which is 22cm shorter than the S40 mid-size sedan. While it still boasts many Volvo virtues such as high levels of safety equipment, it is clearly aimed at a different buyer. "The C30 doesn’t try in anyway to be a family car," says Volvo C30 program chief designer Simon Lamarre at the world launch on the Spanish holiday Island of Mallorca. "It’s not designed for people with kids. "We’re known for family cars, but we didn’t even consider putting in a fixed child’s seat or a pram in the rear cargo area." The premium coupe/hatchback C30 will arrive here in April with an entry level price of about $35,000 for the 2.4litre five-cylinder petrol five-speed manual up to about $44,000 for the T5 2.5litre turbocharged petrol and D5 2.4litre five-speed turbo diesel five-speed auto models. The D5 and T5 will also be available with a six-speed manual transmission. Volvo Car Australia PR manager Todd Hallenbeck said they were "still pushing hard for an attractive price". It will come with three trim levels and a host of exterior and interior colour combinations. "It’s all about customer customisation," says Lamarre. "Like mobile phones; you can change the colour of the phone, its cover, its wallpaper and its ring tone." In the C30, you can choose a white exterior with a brown body kit and even red carpet. There is a wide range of colour combinations available in the exterior, the body kit, upholstery, carpet shades and even three centre console finishes including an iPod white. Hallenbeck aid he hoped to have most of the combinations available, but trim details were not yet confirmed. The C30 clearly targets younger buyers rather than the traditional Volvo customer with its bold nose, rakish sloping roof, high sills, big wheels, funky glass tailgate, wide rear Porsche-like hips and sporty body kit. Its competition will include the 1 Series BMW, but mainly the Audi A3, even though it comes in a lot cheaper and better equipped than the German competitors. On price, alone, it would be more of a competitor with sporty variants of the Ford Focus, Mazda3, VW Golf and Holden Astra. "The A3 brought in more younger buyers, more women and it rejuvenated the brand," says Lamarre. "We expect the C30 to do the same." But there could be a big market in downsizing empty nestes who want a smaller car, but not necessarily fewer creature comforts. Top of the list of C30 attractions is the equipment levels: dual zone climate air conditioning with pollen filter; cruise control; proximity key that never needs leave your pocket; and two levels of audio including one with 10 Dynaudio speakers. The audio systems also include a jack to connect an MP3 player and from early in 2007, there will be a USB connector for an iPod. "People want style, performance and gadgets," says Lamarre. The C30 is a four-seater with the rear seats slightly offset to the middle to provide a good view of the road ahead for rear passengers, but still wide enough apart for a clear view between them for the driver. The cloth upholstery in the 2.4i is called "Dala" which is like a wet suit. It’s comfortable and appears to be very durable. Leather is an option on the 2.4i and standard on the D5 and T5. There is plenty of room in the front and back with seats supplying generous squab extension and contoured for comfort. The D5 and T5 will come standard with dynamic stability and traction control, with stability control on the 2.4i. Options include the award-winning BLIS system which alerts drivers of a car in their blind spot; a sport chassis which lowers the car 20mm and has firmer suspension; leater upholstery; and sunroof. Volvo expects to sell 600,000 cars worldwide in 2007, with 65,000 of them being C30s. In Australia, Volvo was the top-selling imported car from the early 1970s to the early ’90s and the company is hopeful the C30 will help return them to their glory days. Volvo Car Australia PR manager Todd Hallenbeck said they expected to sell 600 a year. Together with sales for other new products not available this year, this could lead to an extra 1500 sales in 2007. That includes 500 S80 saloons, 400 C70 convertibles plus an unknown number of diesel S40s. ON THE ROAD The Spanish holiday island of Mallorca is a strange mix of old and new architecture, partying young holidaymers and rich yachting tpes. Somehow this mirrors the appeal of the Volvo C30. It’s a bold and fresh new image for Volvo, especially that radical rear end, with enough of the Swedish DNA to make it unmistakeably Volvo. I get the feeling it will appeal to both the young who like the radical new look and the empty nesters who admire the proud nose and inconic badge. Heading out of Palma de Mallorca in peak-hour traffic, the C30 attracts plenty of stares and even some camera clicks form young and old alike. The T5 with the six-speed box feels easy to use in commuter traffic conditions, the gears shifting smoothly and swiftly without any notchy feeling. Out of Palma, the 120km/h freeways give the C30 a chance to stretch its legs. The T5 and D5 proved capable cruisers with enough grunt to overtake rapidly without urgent need for downshifting. But most of Mallorca has narrow and twisty roads with few bumps and rare opportunities for well-timed and brave passing. The C30 is perfectly suited to these conditions. First in the T5, the engine is so torquey you can drive most of the way in third. Wind it up on the short straights, then back off and the high compression engine tucks it into the corner. The brakes felt rather spongey and requiring plenty of pressure. Mid corner you let the revs drop as low as 1500 and it will still punch out from the apex without having to shift down. Only the hairpins required second and in some cases first gear. The manual T5s on test were fitted with the lowered sport suspension which had almost no understeer, unless you suddenly reefed on the steering wheel. Firing it out of the corner, there was a slight nose lift and mild torque steer. Steering is electro-hydraulic with a bit of play around the centre, but a distinct and controlled feel. Despite the sporty suspension, the few bumps where tree roots had tunneled under the super-smooth hot-mix asphalt are taken in its stride. By comparison, the standard suspension fitted to the five-speed auto D5s on test, is even more forgiving, but the nose wants to run wide and will not pull back near as easily. It runs down the road with a whisper of wind and tyre noise, but a howling diesel note when pushed. The petrol model didn’t even have an intake or exhaust growl to speak of. "The C30 is not designed as a sports car, but as a sporty car," says Volvo C30 program chief designer Simon Lamarre. No doubt, if it becomes a success, a more sporty version will be forthcoming. FAST FACTS ENGINES: 2435cc 5-cylinder petrol (2.4i); 2521cc 5-cylinder turbo petrol (T5); 2400cc 5-cylinder turbo diesel (D5) POWER: 125kW @ 6000rpm (2.4i); 162kW @ 5000rpm (T5); 132kW @ 4000rpm (D5) TORQUE: 230Nm @ 4400rpm (2.4i); 320Nm @ 1500–4800rpm (T5); 350Nm @ 1750–3000rpm (D5) TRANSMISSIONS: 5-speed manual (2.4i), 6-speed manual (D5, T5), 5-speed auto with sequential (all) DRIVE: front wheels SUSPENSION: spring-strut, lower link, anti-roll bar (front); individual, multilink, coil springs, anti-roll bar (rear) TURNING CIRCLE: 10.6 m BRAKES: ABS with electronic brakeforce distribution, 278–300/280mm ventilated discs DIMENSIONS (MM): 4252 (l), 1782 (w), 1447 (h), 2640 (wheelbase), 135 (ground clearance) KERB WEIGHT: 1204–1404kg FUEL: 91–98 RON and diesel (D5), 52litre tank (D5), 62litre tank (2.4i, T5) PRICES (estimated): $35,000 (2.4i), $44,000 (D5, T5) OPTIONS: BLIS blind spot alert ($1200), body kit, sports chassis, sunroof, leather trim.