| Manufacturer | Volvo Cars |
|---|---|
| Production | 2006–present |
| Assembly | Belgium: Ghent |
| Predecessor | Volvo 480 |
| Class | Small family car |
| Body style | 3-door hatchback |
| Layout | FF layout |
| Platform | Volvo P1 platform |
| Engine | Petrol: 1.6 L I4 1.8 L I4 1.8 L Flexifuel I4 2.0 L I4 2.4 L I5 2.5 L turbocharged I5 Diesel: 1.6 L I4 2.0 L I4 2.4 L I5 |
| Transmission | 5- or 6-speed manual 5-speed automatic 6-speed PowerShift |
| Wheelbase | 2,640 mm (103.9 in) |
| Length | 2007–2010: 4,252 mm (167.4 in) 2011–: 4,266 mm (168.0 in) |
| Width | 1,782 mm (70.2 in) |
| Height | 1,447 mm (57.0 in) |
| Curb weight | 1,331 kg (2,930 lb)-1,347 kg (2,970 lb) |
| Related | Volvo S40 Volvo V50 |
The Volvo C30 is a small family car produced by Volvo Cars. The C30 is a three-door, four-seat hatchback powered by straight-4 and straight-5 engines. The car is a hatchback version of the S40/V50/C70 range, and uses the same Ford C1 (or Volvo P1) platform. It is being marketed as a premium hatchback or a sports coupe specially designed for first-time Volvo buyers and the youth market. Production is expected to be 65,000 units a year, 75% for sale in the European market. The production car was officially unveiled at the 2006 Paris Motor Show.[1]
The exterior design of the C30 is based on the 2001 SCC concept car, which was inspired by the 1800ES, the estate adaptation of the P1800 Coupe. It also shares many design cues with the Volvo 480, particularly the 'sportback' body style and glass tailgate. According to Simon Lamarre, chief studio designer, "the 1800ES has become one of the icons for Volvo,"[2] inspiring the design of the Volvo C30.[2] The interior design is similar to the S40 and V50; the majority of parts including the instrument panel, 'floating' centre stack and steering wheel are shared by the three cars.
Contents |
In late 2006, the C30 was launched in Europe. Engines choices range from a 1.6L inline-4 (petrol or diesel) to a 2.5L inline-5 turbo (2.4L diesel). 2009 added the choices of a 6-speed PowerShift dual-clutch automatic with the 2.0 L petrol and diesel engines, a 1.8L E85 flex-fuel engine, and 1.6L "DRIVe" diesel engines with improved efficiency and optional start/stop capability. Trim lines include SE and SE Lux in the UK, and Kinetic, Momentum, and Summum (from fewest to most features) in most other European nations. The R-Design package adds interior and exterior accessories including aluminum inlays on the dashboard, R-Design emblems on the steering wheel, seats and floor mats, a rear spoiler and body kit.
The C30 went on sale in Canada in March 2007 as a 2007 model, and in October 2007 in the United States as a 2008 model.[3]
In Canada, the 2.4i was offered until 2011, while the T5 remains available. In the United States, the only engine available has been the T5.[4] For 2008, the US C30 debuted with two trim lines, Version 1.0 and Version 2.0. R-Design was added later in the model year, featuring unique badges and interior trim. Since 2009, the US C30 has been offered in T5 or R-Design trim.
An upgraded sound system includes a digital 5×130 watt ICE Power amplifier from Alpine featuring Dolby Pro Logic II Surround, and 10 loudspeakers from Danish Dynaudio.
The 2008 model year brings some minor changes, mostly adapting the interior to the facelifted S40/V50 and including as standard an Aux audio socket.
The 2009 model year moved the VOLVO badge from the hatch handle to the glass area above it, enlarged the font and increased the space between the letters. It also brought other small changes such as including the hard load cover as standard.
| Petrol engines | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model | Engine type, code | Displacement | Max power @ rpm | Max torque @ rpm | Transmissions |
| 1.6 | I4, B4164S3 | 1,596 cc (1.6 L; 97.4 cu in) | 100 PS (74 kW; 99 hp)@6000 | 150 N·m (110 lb·ft)@4000 | 5-speed manual (Ford IB5) |
| 1.8 | I4, B4184S11 | 1,798 cc (1.8 L; 109.7 cu in) | 125 PS (92 kW; 123 hp)@6000 | 165 N·m (122 lb·ft)@4000 | 5-speed manual (Ford MTX-75) |
| 2.0 | I4, B4204S3 | 1,999 cc (2.0 L; 122.0 cu in) | 145 PS (107 kW; 143 hp)@6000 | 185 N·m (136 lb·ft)@4500 | 5-speed manual (Ford MTX-75), 6-speed PowerShift (Ford MPS6) |
| 2.4i | I5, B5244S4 | 2,435 cc (2.4 L; 148.6 cu in) | 170 PS (125 kW; 168 hp)@6000 | 230 N·m (170 lb·ft)@4400 | 5-speed manual (Getrag M56), 5-speed Geartronic (Aisin AW55-51) |
| T5 (2006–2007) | I5 turbo, B5254T | 2,521 cc (2.5 L; 153.8 cu in) | 220 PS (162 kW; 217 hp) | 320 N·m (236 lb·ft)@1500–4800 | 6-speed manual (Getrag M66), 5-speed Geartronic (Aisin AW55-51) |
| T5 (2007–) | I5 turbo, B5254T7 | 2,521 cc (2.5 L; 153.8 cu in) | 230 PS (169 kW; 227 hp)@5000 | 320 N·m (236 lb·ft)@1500–5000 | 6-speed manual, 5-speed Geartronic |
| Diesel engines | |||||
| Model | Engine type, code | Displacement | Max power @ rpm | Max torque @ rpm | Transmissions |
| 1.6D, 1.6D DRIVe | I4 turbo, D4164T | 1,560 cc (1.6 L; 95.2 cu in) | 109 PS (80 kW; 108 hp)@4000 | 240 N·m (177 lb·ft)@1750 | 5-speed manual (Ford MTX-75) |
| 1.6D DRIVe S/S | I4 turbo | 1,560 cc (1.6 L; 95.2 cu in) | 109 PS (80 kW; 108 hp)@4000 | 240 N·m (177 lb·ft)@1750 | 5-speed manual (Ford MTX-75) |
| 2.0D | I4 turbo, D4204T | 1,997 cc (2.0 L; 121.9 cu in) | 136 PS (100 kW; 134 hp)@4000 | 320 N·m (236 lb·ft)@2000 | 6-speed manual (Getrag MMT6), 6-speed Powershift (Ford MPS6) |
| D5 (automatic) | I5 turbo, D5244T8 | 2,401 cc (2.4 L; 146.5 cu in) | 180 PS (132 kW; 178 hp)@4000 | 350 N·m (258 lb·ft)@1750–3250 | 6-speed manual (Getrag M66), 5-speed GearTronic |
| D5 (manual) | I5 turbo, D5244T13 | 2,401 cc (2.4 L; 146.5 cu in) | 180 PS (132 kW; 178 hp)@4000 | 400 N·m (295 lb·ft)@2000–2750 | 6-speed manual (Getrag M66) |
| Petrol/E85 engines | |||||
| Model | Engine type, code | Displacement | Max power @ rpm | Max torque @ rpm | Transmissions |
| 1.8F | I4, B4184S8 | 1,798 cc (1.8 L; 109.7 cu in) | 125 PS (92 kW; 123 hp)@6000 | 165 N·m (122 lb·ft)@4000 | 5-speed manual (Ford MTX-75) |
Volvo introduced a refreshed C30 at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show.[5] It has a redesigned front end with new headlights, grille, and front body panels. The rest of the body has only minor changes, and the engine and transmission choices remain the same. A new sport chassis is available. Many new interior and exterior color choices have been added, including "Orange Flame Metallic" paint. The updated C30 went on sale in early 2010, as a 2011 model in North America and Australia.
A racing version of the C30 won the championship for the 2010 Swedish Touring Car Championship season.
The C30 continues Volvo's marketing strategy to put safety as a primary concern. This is demonstrated through some recently developed safety features, including a method of overcoming the "blind spots" in the driver's view to the rear through a system known as BLIS (Blind Spot Information System).
The C30 also features a four-wheel anti-lock braking system (ABS), electronic stability program (ESP), traction control system and front, side and curtain airbags, front and rear crumple zones, and a stiff occupant cell.[6]
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) awarded the Volvo C30 their Top Safety Pick award. The C30 was granted its highest rating of "good" in front, side, rear and roof strength tests and has Electronic Stability Control as standard equipment to receive the award.
The Volvo C30 has a patented front and rear structure using four different grades of steel to absorb and redistribute impact energy around the body of the coupe. Volvo's Whiplash Protection System and Side Impact Protection System with side airbags and Inflatable Curtain are also standard.[7] The seat belts have pretensioners to protect the occupants against unexpected accidents.[8]
The car also uses Volvo's Intelligent Driver Information System (IDIS) which continuously monitors the car's preemptive systems such as steering wheel angle, pedal depressions, and overall factors that help the vehicle's computer to decide if the driver is busy or distracted merging or turning, and will then accordingly delay certain data or alerts that are unimportant.[9]
The C30 has been criticized because in an effort to make it more responsive in curves it has become less reliable on ice or snow where the rear end can more easily lose its grip compared to other Volvo models.[10]
Three C30 concepts were unveiled at the 2006 SEMA show:[11]
Another concept car that was not unveiled at SEMA is the C30 PCP ("Performance Concept Prototype"). It was revealed in 2010 and was developed by Swedish company Polestar. It had all wheel drive, a body kit similar to the one found on the STCC cars and it borrowed the T5′s turbocharged 2.5 engine, albeit pushed to 405 hp. It was finished in a striking shade of blue. While the car was only a concept, as of July 2011 Volvo is considering producing a limited run of them.[13]
The ReCharge concept is a plug-in hybrid electric version of C30, developed by Volvo's California development center. It was unveiled at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show.[14][15] It features a 4-cylinder 1.6L flex-fuel engine and an electric motor on each wheel. It has an estimated battery range of 100 kilometres (62 mi). The batteries have 3 hours of full recharge time. The car has a top speed of 160 km/h (99 mph). Volvo plans to sell a production plug-in hybrid C30 in Europe in 2012.[16]
Volvo first presented a drivable electric C30 prototype in September 2009. An updated prototype was shown at the 2010 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.[17] The concept car was exhibited in the 2010 Paris Motor Show and presented as the C30 DRIVe.[18] The C30 DRIVEe was one of the five finalists to the 2011 Green Car Vision Award.[19]
Field testing of about 50 C30 electric cars have been conducted in Sweden since the fourth quarter of 2010, mainly internally at the Volvo Car Corporation.[20] A Volvo C30 Electric was also part of the One Tonne Life project in which a family was given the task of living as climate-smart as possible for a period of six months.[20] In November 2011 an agreement was made to run a demonstration program with two Volvo C30 Electric cars in the Jiading District in Shanghai.[21]
The electric C30 has a lithium-ion battery, supplied by US manufacturer EnerDel.[22] Top speed is estimated by Volvo at 130 km/h (81 mph), with acceleration from 0–50 kph (0–31 mph) in 4 seconds. The C30 Electric can be recharged from a regular household power socket and a full charge takes about 7 hours. The all-electric range is up to 150 kilometres (93 mi). The batteries are installed where the fuel tank normally sits and also in a special compartment in the C30's central tunnel, and as a result, the luggage compartment is unchanged.[20]
The Volvo C30 Electric is equipped with three climate systems: one supplies the passengers with heating or cooling; one cools or warms the battery pack as necessary; and the electric motor and power electronics are water-cooled. The climate control in the passenger cabin features a bioethanol-powered heater, a solution chosen by Volvo to get heating without compromising the battery driving range, but the driver has the option to run the climate unit on electricity from the batteries. Ethanol is the default mode and the ethanol tank can carry 14.5 litres (3.8 US gal) of bio-ethanol. Volvo has Tested the C30 in winter conditions in temperatures as low as −20 °C (−4 °F).[23]
Production of the C30 Electric began in June 2011. The Volvo C30 Electric body is built on the regular assembly line in the factory at Ghent, Belgium, and then the glider is transported to Göteborg for installation of the motor, batteries and other model-specific electronics.[20]
Volvo plans to lease the Volvo C30 Electric to corporate customers, mainly companies, authorities and government agencies. Initial deliveries are scheduled for the third quarter of 2011 throughout Europe, including in Sweden, Belgium, the Netherlands and Norway. Volvo expects to build about 250 cars by the end of 2012, and possibly more if market interest takes off.[20]
A total of 100 Volvo C30 Electrics will be slated for the US, half will be allocated on the West Coast and the other half on the East Coast. Volvo is targeting the leases to corporate and government fleet users at a price of around US$2,100 per month in the U.S. and €1,500 per month in Europe. As this pricing is much higher than other electric cars available in the market by 2011, Volvo explained that their prices reflect the actual cost of the limited-production car.[24]
| Calendar year | United States[25] | Canada | Global[26] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 0 | 0 | 1,596 |
| 2007 | 2,103 | 1,143 | 46,726 |
| 2008 | 4,299 | 1,142 | 39,966 |
| 2009 | 4,266 | 906 | 32,409 |
| 2010 | 3,906 | 755 | 35,981 |
| Type | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | |
| Small family car | 544 | 66 | S40 | S40 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 340/360 | C30 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Volvo 440/460/480 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Large family car | Amazon / 120 / 130 | S60 | S60 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 140 | 240 | 850 | S70 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Luxury car | 740 | 940 | S80 | S80 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 164 | 760 | 960 | S90 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 260 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | P1800 | 1800S | 1800 E | 1800 ES | 242 GT | 240 Turbo | 850 R | S/V70 R | S60/V70 T5 | S60/V70 R | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coupé | 262C | 780 | C70 | C70 II | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Estate car | V40 | V50 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 145 | 240 | 850 | V70 | V70 | V70 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Duett | 740 | 940 | V90 | V60 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Crossover | XC60 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| XC70 | XC70 | XC70 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| XC90 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||