The last time Sweden went to war was in 1814, when it mopped up the placid old Norwegians in just 20 days. Now, with the launch of the new Volvo C30, the normally peace-loving Scandinavians have taken on the mob at which they resisted having a crack in the last major conflict in Europe — the Germans and the Italians.
The main competitors of the C30, Volvo says, will be Audi’s A3, BMW’s 1 Series, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe, the BMW-owned Mini, the Volkswagen Golf GT1 and the Alfa Romeo 147. And there will none of that namby-pamby negotiating nonsense this time around; Volvo boldly states that its intention is that at least three out of every four C30s will be sold to people who don’t currently drive a Volvo. Seconds out, and let’s have a fair fight!
Volvo has a reputation for building safe, conservative cars for safe, conservative old farts, even though its offerings have for a decade or two been rather less than boring. The C30, though, is more aggressive looking than most, because it was designed to appeal to younger buyers. According to the PR blurb dished out at the launch, it’s aimed, like most cars today, at “young and dynamic customers who prioritise excitement in design and driving characteristics on their list of wants”. If public-relations types were allowed to run the world, people anybody over 30 would probably be told to stay at home, or take a bus.
But let’s get back to the car. Under its skin the C30 is effectively a shortened S40 sedan wrapped up in new sheet metal. As was the case during the 1939-1945 hostilities, the assault launched on Germany with the two-door hatchback has turned into quite an international affair, because the S40 and thus the C30 are based on the Ford Focus/Mazda 3 platform, and built at Ghent in Belgium.
The C30 is available here in three guises — two T5 versions using the potent 2,5-litre Volvo five-cylinder, turbocharged unit found in the Ford Focus ST, mated to six-speed manual or five-speed Geartronic gearboxes; and a third, more affordable derivative powered by a two-litre Ford/Mazda-sourced four-cylinder engine with a five-speed manual transmission.
Specs
As one would expect from Volvo, all are highly specced, with top-class sound systems, steering-wheel-mounted audio controls, cruise control, rain-sensing windscreen wipers, electric windows and mirrors, and air conditioning. Safety features are as standard in Volvo’s bigger cars, with front and side airbags, whiplash protection, traction control and ABS brakes with EBD.
The T5 versions get a more advanced dynamic stability and traction-control system, a better sound system, leather upholstery with a powered driver’s seat, 17″ alloy rims instead of the 16″ ones fitted to the two-litre, puddle lights, retractable exterior mirrors and a rear spoiler.
Nobody driving behind the Volvo C30 is going to ever mistake this car for anything else, thanks to the enormous rear-window glass. This affords excellent rear-view vision, but leaves the boot contents very openly displayed, so it’s a pity the hard and soft load covers are options rather than standard. Another unusual feature is that the car is strictly a four-seater, with individual rear seats. That’s quite understandable, given the cars’ intended target market.
On the road the Volvo feels very well screwed together. The T5 manual, with virtually identical power and torque to the Ford Focus ST, is altogether more refined, which some might see as a plus and others a minus. It lacks the raw edge of the Ford, but still gallops along at a fair lick, with a claimed 0-100km/h time of 6,7 seconds (7,1 for the auto) and top-speeds of 240km/h and 235km/h respectively.
Pricing is R265Â 000 for the manual and R275Â 000 for the auto, which is a fair bit more than the Focus ST three-door’s R241Â 900, but for those who appreciate classiness more than in-your-face aggression, the Volvo’s well worth the extra.
The auto transmission gets the job done well enough, but I’d be inclined to save the R10Â 000 difference and enjoy the manual transmission. Handling is good, but there’s a sports kit available to make it even better if you’d prefer something nearer Ford’s interpretation of the theme.
The entry-level, two-litre version, at R215Â 000, is likely to be the best seller of the three, and rightly so. With 107kW and 185Nm on tap, it’s quick enough for most, with the 0-100km/h dash being dispatched in 9,4 seconds, and top speed claimed to be 210km/h.
Volvo offers a range of options, allowing buyers to give their cars a more individual touch. These include a colour-coded body kit with larger exhaust pipes, a lower suspension package with bigger wheels, a sporty steering wheel, gear lever and foot pedals, and a choice of four colours for the centre stack in the cabin.
The distributors say they aim to sell 1Â 500 C30s during 2007, which represents about 170 per month. The new car is stylish enough to attract lots of buyers who had never have considered the brand before, so their chances of achieving that goal must be good.