Renewed C30 gets the new looks and a sport chassis

Volvo C30 has just recieved the new looks and an optional sport chassis, days before the Frankfurt Motor Show 2009. Volvo is now able to offer even more choice than before regarding the drivelines, design details and equipment levels of the compact C30 model. In the following filtered down press release, I'll briefly introduce the renewed Volvo C30.

The optional sport chassis for the Volvo C30 is considerably sharper, with stiffer, more distinct properties than before. The steering is more precise owing to the installation of stiffer bushings. The steering ratio is lower, giving 10% faster response to steering wheel input. Spring stiffness has been increased by 30%. The dampers too are stiffer and are now of the exclusive mono-tube type that builds up pressure much more quickly. The roll stabilizers are stiffer to reduce any leaning tendency when taking corners.

The Volvo C30's new sporty chassis and steering can be combined with a particularly wide range of drivelines except for 1.6D DRIVe (109 HP / 240 Nm). However, that particular engine is available with an advanced start/stop function which helps to reduce fuel consumption to as little as 3.8 l/100 km while carbon dioxide emissions are just 99 g CO2/km, the lowest in this segment. Normally 1.6D DRIVe consumes 4.5 l/100 km emitting 119 g/km of CO2.

Originally introduced in 2006, the Volvo C30 was praised for its unique appearance, particularly of the rear end tail lights. The entire front has been redesigned, including body panels such as the front wings. "With the new front, it feels as though everything has fallen neatly into place and that the car's entire personality has been boosted to an entirely new level," says Daniel Backman, Product Manager for the new Volvo C30. Along with the angled lines of the front bumper, the new headlamps, drawn offset and up, reinforce the impression of dynamics and motion. The honeycomb grille pattern is used solely on the C30, while the bigger air intake resembles the intake in the XC60. The rear also sports the same deep new lines and detailing. The contours are wavier and more dynamic than before. The black plastic panels have been replaced with more body color lower down, in the same or a contrasting color. Exhaust tailpipe is visible in the T5 and D5 models, to visually suggest higher performance levels of the Turbo 5-cylinder engines.

The new Volvo C30 also offers a range of new interior options. Among other things, there is now an all-new color combination known as Espresso/Blond, consisting of a dark brown upper section and a blond, fresh shade on the lower door sides. The blond tone is somewhere between grey and beige and is an expression of Volvo's strong Scandinavian design tradition. The Espresso/Blond interior permits the integration of energetic new highlight colors such as orange, green and blue in the fabrics, as well as a new color for leather upholster, Cranberry. Yet another new feature is the luggage compartment cover in the rear, which uses a new material and a new graphic pattern to further enhance the car's modern image.