The new Volvo C30 is all about the looks. The exterior gets a new-look front fascia to match the unique rear end of the three-door hatchback that's all about manliness. The angled lines of the front bumper, the new headlamps, drawn offset and up, are meant to reinforce "the impression of speed and sportiness." In the middle of the front fascia is a new, larger iron mark just like that found on the face of the rest of the Volvo range. The air intake has also grown in size and resembles the intake in the XC60. The grille now has a new pattern that's used solely on the C30.

Otherwise, the rest of the exterior changes are rather undramatic — like the option to choose five different colours on the lower trim — the C30 Contrast Colour Collection — visible exhaust tailpipe in the T5 and D5 models, two new wheel options and, for the first time, white wheels are available.

The interior also gets a refresh for its Frankfurt Motor Show unveiling next week — new colors and a newly-redesigned center stack. Other than that, it's the same Ikea-ized interior as the last model.

The lack of change to the Focus-platformed hot hatch extends under the hood with the same engine combinations as the previous generation.

The new Volvo C30 - with a sporty new front and even more choice

The new Volvo C30 steps out and shows the model's full potential and personality. This can be seen in the fresh, self-assured design of the front. And it is emphasized by a wide range of options, including an urbane, bold accessory styling kit.

The C30 is Volvo's most playful and spontaneous car model. It appeals to customers who spend most of their time in the city environment and who impose considerable demands on the car's design, driving properties and personality. The Volvo C30 can be configured in an almost unlimited range of variants thanks to a wide selection of drivelines, design details and equipment levels. And the new C30, which makes its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show 2009, offers even more choice than before.

"Since its introduction in 2006, the Volvo C30 has become highly appreciated for its unique appearance. This applies in particular to the rear. 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.

The new exterior is also a better match for the way the C30 drives - challenging, direct and with a whole lot of attitude." continues Daniel Backman.

Major exterior changes

The renewal of the Volvo C30 is more comprehensive than is usually the case with Volvo's models. The entire front has been redesigned, including body panels such as the front wings. This gives the car a radical new appearance from the front, carving out a distinctive personality which clearly separates the new C30 from the Volvo S40 and V50.

"By integrating greater depth into the design language, the front has become more dramatic and expressive. Along with the angled lines of the front bumper, the new headlamps, drawn offset and up, reinforce the impression of speed and sportiness," says Fedde Talsma, Exterior Chief Designer at Volvo Cars.

In the middle of the front is the new, larger iron mark just as in the rest of the Volvo range. The air intake has also grown in size and resembles the intake in the XC60. The grille has a new pattern used solely on the C30.

"The fact that the C30 has enhanced its visual volume and self-confidence is entirely in line with Volvo Cars' design strategy. At the same time, the C30 has a one of a kind expression. The new honeycomb grille, for instance, means it takes just a quick glance in the rear-view mirror to see that the car filling your view is the new Volvo C30," continues Fedde Talsma.

Although the biggest design changes have taken place at the front, 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 colour lower down, in the same or a contrasting colour, to forge a closer visual contact between the car and the road surface.

The other new exterior features:

* Elegant and trendy new body colour, Orange Flame Metallic
* Visible exhaust tailpipe in the T5 and D5 models
* Two new wheel options - and for the first time, white wheels are available!
* The option to choose five different colours on the lower trim - the C30 Contrast Colour Collection.

Matching interior updates

The new Volvo C30 also offers a range of new interior options. Among other things, there is now an all-new colour 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 colours such as orange, green and blue in the fabrics, as well as a new colour for leather upholster, Cranberry.

"We know that a large proportion, almost half, of all C30 customers make detailed interior choices. They want to decide for themselves what their car should look like and are not interested in readymade packages. The new C30 gives them a range of fresh, modern style cues in terms of both colour and fabric to choose between," explains Maria Uggla, Program Chief Designer Colour & Trim at Volvo Cars.

"We have also focused on making it easier for customers to match exterior design elements with interior trim in an attractive way, something that has been made that much easier with the new Espresso/Blond colour combination," continues Maria Uggla.

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.

New centre stack - Oyster Burst Déco

Volvo's special centre stack is already available in a range of innovative variants. Now another new option is being added, Oyster Burst Déco. Volvo's design team was inspired by the surface texture of the classic Swedish Hagström guitars that enjoyed world renown in the hands of stars such as Elvis Presley back in the 1950s. Hagström used the word "burst" in many of its model names and gave their guitars a pattern that shifted subtly from light to dark and back again. Just like in the new centre stack of the Volvo C30.

New expressive accessory styling kit

The Volvo C30 also meets the wishes of buyers with a broader car design interest. A youthful new accessory styling kit with a bolder, less polished style gives the C30 even more attitude. The kit includes foglamp décor, a front skidplate, side scuff plates with engraved C30 logo and a rear skidplate with a stylish aluminium look. For D5 and T5 two 90 mm tail pipes in polished stainless steel are added to underline the powerful engine.

The exterior detailing is complemented by a dramatic interior where the pattern of the floor mats forms a world map. The aluminium centre stack, including inner door handles, is inspired by an ancient nautical chart and a sea adventure map. Its pattern shows longitude and latitude lines as well as dashed direction lines to further emphasise the explorer theme.

New sport chassis with excellent characteristics

The new optional sport chassis for the Volvo C30 is considerably sharper, with stiffer, more distinct properties than previously. 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 no less than 30 % in order to increase the car's poise in enthusiastic driving. 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 new sport chassis is available in all C30 versions except for 1.6D DRIVe.

Drivelines - considerable freedom of choice here too

The Volvo C30's sporty chassis and steering can be combined with a particularly wide range of drivelines covering the full spectrum of needs from sparkling acceleration and performance to diesel engines with class-leading low fuel consumption and environmental impact.

C30 DRIVe with start/stop function

As of spring 2009, the Volvo C30 1.6D DRIVe is available with an advanced start/stop function that switches off the engine when the car is at a standstill, for instance at traffic lights or in a traffic queue. This cuts fuel consumption to as little as 3.9 l/100 km while carbon dioxide emissions are just 104 g CO2/km, the lowest in this segment.

Engine range, Volvo C30

The figures below are for versions with a manual gearbox running in the mixed driving cycle.

Petrol engines Power output Fuel consumption CO2
T5 (2.5 litres) 230 hp/320 Nm 8.7 l/100 km 203 g/km
2.4i 170 hp/230 Nm 8.4 l/100 km 200 g/km
2.0 145 hp/185 Nm 7.4 l/100 km 177 g/km
2.0F (Flexifuel) 145 hp/185 Nm 7.8 l/100 km 185 g/km
1.6 100 hp/150 Nm 7.0 l/100 km 167 g/km

Diesel engines Power output Fuel consumption CO2
D5 (2.4 litres) 180 hp/400 Nm 6.2 l/100 km 164 g/km
2.0D 136 hp/320 Nm 5.7 l/100 km 151 g/km
1.6D DRIVe 109 hp/240 Nm 4.5 l/100 km 119 g/km
1.6D DRIVe start/stop 109 hp/240 Nm 3.9 l/100 km 104 g/km

Engine facts in brief:

* All the engines are extremely compact and installed transversely in the engine bay for the best possible safety and maximum cabin space
* Turbo technology is used in the T5 engine and all diesel engines to deliver the best possible performance
* A six-speed manual gearbox is available for the T5 engine, D5 and 2.0D
* A five-speed automatic transmission with Geartronic is available for the five-cylinder petrol and diesel engines
* A six-speed Powershift automatic is available for the 2.0D and 2.0 petrol engines (2.0 petrol only in Asia)
* A particle filter is standard on all diesel engines
* The 1.6 DRIVe with start/stop function has extremely low fuel consumption, 3.9 litres per 100 km

A few facts: the number of possible combinations, new Volvo C30

* The new Volvo C30 is available with a choice of 13 different exterior body colours and with the lower spoilers in five different colours. All told, there is a choice of 49 exterior combinations (previously 13 combinations)
* If the 11 different aluminium wheels are added, the customer now has 529 possibilities of creating a unique car
* The 27 upholstery choices (previously 15) now make 14,553 combination possibilities
* A choice of 4 decor inlays in the centre stack increases the range of combinations to 58,212
* Being able to specify the car with or without a rear spoiler doubles the number of configurations to 116,424
* The customer can specify a roof hatch - or not. The available variants have now increased to 232,848
* The C30 is available with eleven different drivelines (manual/automatic transmission included), making 2,561,328 possible combinations
* What is more, the Volvo C30 can be equipped with a choice of three different audio systems, a variety of safety and security functions, parking assistance, Bluetooth and so on to suit customer wishes
* All in all, there are so many unique variants that Volvo estimates that if every single person in Britain - about 60 million people - were to order a new Volvo C30, no two cars would have to be alike!

Emphasizing vehicles for family use, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety normally crash tests four-door vehicles. However, to evaluate the extent automakers are extending new crashworthiness improvements to two-door vehicles — you know, for kids — they've recently conducted front, side and rear tests of 2009 model year two-doors. First up — the 2009 Chevy Cobalt, Ford Focus, Honda Civic and Scion tC along with the more-of-a-mid-size Volvo C30.

The results? The big winners were the Ford Focus and the Volvo C30, but "overall the results for 2-door cars are good news," David Zuby, Institute senior vice president for vehicle research says. "All but one earn good ratings in our frontal offset test. Only two of the 5 earn this rating for protection in side crashes, but none of the 5 earns anything less than an acceptable rating. This is pretty good, considering how demanding the side test is. It simulates being struck by a pickup or SUV."

See the rest of the results in the gallery by clicking the next button to the right.

[Images/Data via IIHS]

2009 Volvo C30
Awarded Top Safety Pick

TEST: 31 MPH Side Impact Test
RESULT: Good

2009 Volvo C30
Awarded Top Safety Pick

TEST: 40 MPH Frontal Offset
RESULT: Good
COMMENTS: "The dummy's position in relation to the steering wheel and instrument panel after the crash test indicates that the driver's survival space was maintained very well.

2009 Ford Focus Coupe
Awarded Top Safety Pick

TEST: 40 MPH Frontal Offset
RESULT: Good
COMMENTS: "The dummy's position in relation to the steering wheel and instrument panel after the crash test indicates that the driver's survival space was maintained reasonably well."

2009 Ford Focus Coupe
Awarded Top Safety Pick

TEST: 31 MPH Side Impact Test
RESULT: Good

2009 Honda Civic 2-door

TEST: 40 MPH Frontal Offset
RESULT: Good
COMMENTS: "The dummy's position in relation to the steering wheel and instrument panel after the crash test indicates that the driver's survival space was maintained very well."

2009 Honda Civic 2-door

TEST: 31 MPH Side Impact
RESULT: Acceptable

2009 Chevrolet Cobalt 2-door

TEST: 40 MPH Frontal Offset
RESULT: Good
COMMENTS: "The dummy's position in relation to the steering wheel and instrument panel after the crash test indicates that the driver's survival space was maintained reasonably well."

2009 Chevrolet Cobalt 2-door

TEST: 31 MPH Side Impact
RESULT: Acceptable

2009 Scion tC

TEST: 40 MPH Frontal Offset
RESULT: Acceptable
COMMENTS: "The dummy's position in relation to the steering wheel and instrument panel after the crash test indicates that the driver's survival space was maintained well… a high head acceleration occurred when the dummy's head hit the steering wheel through the airbag."

2009 Scion tC

TEST: 31 MPH Side Impact
RESULT: Acceptable

The chair was chosen as tops in the Sustainable Design category, and one look at the clever design tells you why. It combines a shape taken from the tail light cluster of the Volvo C30 and laminated cardboard for a modern seating design. The block design pulls apart to reveal an included ottoman and a side table, perfect for what looks like a cherrytini.

Very clever, yes, and green, which is in-vogue with the design community these days, but we're not sure we'd be interested in furniture that would turn into a sloppy pile of brown paper if it gets left out in the rain. [Behance]

THE NEW VOLVO DRIVe SUB-120g/km RANGE

* Efficiency enhancing features
* C30 SportsCoupe, S40 saloon and V50 Sportswagon break into Band B
* Widest range of premium cars with low environmental footprint

Volvo will be unveiling the new economical, sub-120g/km diesel variants of the C30 SportsCoupe, S40 saloon and V50 Sportswagon at the Paris Motor Show in early October. All three models are equipped with a special set of efficiency-enhancing features and marked with the DRIVe emblem to signal their uprated environment properties. Production of these new models will start in mid-November with first UK customer deliveries in January.

The new 1.6D DRIVe models will offer outstanding fuel consumption of 64.2mpg on the C30 and 62.8mpg in the S40 and V50, with VED Band B CO2 figures of just 115g/km for the C30 and 118g/km for the S40 and V50. These new low emissions mean that the Volvo C30 and V50 offer best-in-class CO2 in their segments1.

"We wanted to demonstrate that low CO2 ratings are not solely the preserve of small diesel cars. By offering the Volvo V50 with emission levels below 120g/km, we are also making it possible for families and other customers who require extra space to make an active pro-environmental choice," says Volvo Cars President and CEO Fredrik Arp.

Holistic approach to eco-performance
The reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions was brought about by meticulously analysing the cars' total potential for more efficient, more economical driving. The cars were then optimised within four areas:

1. Reduced air resistance:

* Chassis height reduced by approximately 10mm to help reduce drag
* A front spoiler on the S40 and V50 which is the same spoiler currently on T5 models.
* Covered radiator grille. Behind the characteristic Volvo grille there is a wind-deflecting panel that provides better aerodynamics inside the engine compartment.
* Wind deflectors in front of the front wheels to steer the airflow.
* Aerodynamically optimised wheels with a unique ‘Libra’ rim. The diamond cut finish adds to the unique design and the large unobstructed area that goes all the way out to the tyre makes the rim look considerable larger than it actually is. The total drag reduction of 10-15% is due to the design of the Libra rim.
* Underbody panels on the Volvo C30 for more efficient airflow under the car.
* A unique rear spoiler has been developed for the Volvo C30 which adds both to the aerodynamics and to the visual appearance. The Volvo S40 features the same ‘ducktail’ spoiler as found on the current T5 and D5 models.
* New rear bumper on the Volvo C30.

2. Lower rolling resistance:

* All the cars are equipped with a new generation of Michelin tyres with low rolling resistance.

3. Higher ratios:

* Gearbox with altered ratios for third, fourth and fifth gears. The longer gear ratios contribute to a 1.5% reduction in fuel consumption without affecting the drivability of the car.

4. More efficient driveline:

* Optimised engine cooling, engine management and power steering.
* New transmission oil which creates much lower friction will be used in the gearbox.
* Gearchange indicator in the information display to tell the driver the ideal time to change gears.

"Changing the transmission oil gives us a 0.75 percent lower fuel consumption. Tyres with low rolling resistance save another 2 percent. Each of these measures may seem rather modest, but it is important to look at the whole picture. Taken together, all the small adjustments have helped us achieve our aim, with emissions below 120g/km for all three cars, without in any way compromising on either driving properties or comfort, which was an important requirement," says Magnus Jonsson, Senior Vice President, Research & Development at Volvo Cars.

Volvo C30 best in the ECO test
Volvo's DRIVe cars are all certified according to the mandatory European NEDC standard. In addition, the Volvo C30 has excelled in the ECO test, which carries out even more comprehensive measurements of CO2 and particulate emissions. This certification process relies on stars and points, in a similar way to the Euro NCAP programme for safety. The independent ECO test places the Volvo C30 at the top of its size category, with four stars and 76 points in the overall assessment of the car's total environmental performance.

Benefits for the environment and economy
Reducing fuel consumption and dropping below the 120g/km CO2 emission level offers a range of benefits, both for the environment and the buyer's pocket. With lower carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, these cars reduce the net contribution to global warming. All new diesel models from Volvo are also fitted with a maintenance-free particle filter that traps about 95 percent of all soot particles.

With the cars' good environmental performance, the driver can count on various financial incentives in 13 European markets, including the UK, where CO2-based vehicle taxation systems, have been implemented; for instance a lower road tax, registration tax or other similar forms of financial encouragement.

Rising fuel prices also make the Volvo 1.6D DRIVe offer very attractive as fuel consumption can reach 76.3mpg at motorway speeds.

Sold throughout Europe
"We will offer our diesel-powered DRIVe cars throughout Europe, even in countries that today do not offer any form of financial incentive. We are doing this to give everyone the opportunity to choose a pro-environmental alternative from Volvo. For us it is not simply a question of short-term sales - it also clearly shows how strongly Volvo prioritises environmental properties throughout the product range, both today and for the future," says Fredrik Arp.

Volvo Cars expects to sell over 20,000 1.6D DRIVe cars next year in Europe. Sales are expected to spread fairly uniformly throughout the region, with France, Sweden and Spain accounting for most sales due to particularly favourable terms offered to buyers in these countries. The price supplement for the DRIVe package is estimated at between 150 and 450 euros depending on model and market. The DRIVe cars can be specified with most of the options and accessories that Volvo offer, apart from those that affect the cars' aerodynamic properties. Prices, specifications and volume forecasts for the UK will be announced closer to the start of production.

"The higher price must be regarded as particularly modest bearing in mind the advantages the customer gains in the form of environmental incentives and reduced fuel consumption. We also believe customers will appreciate the opportunity to tailor their DRIVe car by choosing from the wide range of options available," adds Fredrik Arp.

The most eco-friendly car range
Apart from these three diesel-powered DRIVe cars, Volvo also offers a comprehensive Flexifuel range encompassing five car models and three bioethanol engines. All told, this means that Volvo Cars today offers the market's widest range of premium cars with a low environmental imprint.

Volvo Cars is also conducting intensive research into hybrid technology and future alternative fuels. The attention-grabbing Volvo ReCharge Concept plug-in hybrid and Ford Motor Company's decision to establish its European hybrid centre in Volvo's home town of Gothenburg, clearly highlight the environment-technology potential there is within the company.

[Source: Volvo]

Currently on sale is a set of Volvo C30 wheels from the next Fast and Furious movie, but the auction includes prototype Dodge Challenger pistol-grip shifters, original mid-engine Corvette sketches from the 70's, a BMW sculpture and a Bob Bondurant racing class. Further details can be had at The Garage Blog and you can check out the current auction over at eBay.

Press Release:
Volvo Debuts Limited Edition C30 R-Design for 2008

Unique Style and Exclusivity Await 400 Lucky Customers:

Volvo is introducing another dimension of fun and excitement for the award-winning C30. The Limited Edition C30 R-Design brings new levels of style and unique appointments to the smallest and most expressive car in Volvo's lineup. To celebrate the success of the C30's introductory year, only 400 C30 R-Design vehicles have been earmarked for 2008 model year production - that's just over one car for each Volvo retailer.

At first glance, the C30 R-Design catches the eye with its distinctive exterior enhancements. Premium touches include a matte-silver finish for the outside mirror housings, front grille surround and iconic Volvo grille "strap." To signify that this C30 is truly special, an R-Design badge has been affixed to the grille. Customers can select from four exterior colors: Black Sapphire, Titanium Grey, Orinoco Blue and Passion Red. Sport Body kit, tailgate spoiler, large diameter exhaust tips, etc. are additional exterior enhancements that add to the C30 R-Design's dynamic personality.

Stepping inside the cabin, the driver and three passengers are rewarded with sporty and premium cues befitting the stature of this truly special Volvo. Seats are swathed with off-black Flex-tech while the cushions and backrests are trimmed in contrasting crème-colored leather. The R-Design logo is embossed neatly into the front bucket seatbacks.

Inspired by Volvo's legendary high-performance R models, the C30 R-Design sports a blue-face instrument cluster. The C30's signature super-slim center console is finished with a unique inlay with subtle circular patterns that take the standard aluminum inlay to the next level. A special leather-wrapped steering with aluminum inlays proudly displays the R-Design logo. Additional features include sport pedals, sport shifter, and floor mats.

Like the regular production C30, the R-Design delivers an exhilarating driving experience with its turbocharged T5 5-cylinder engine that produces 227-horsepower and 236 lb.-ft. of torque from 1,800 to 5,000 rpm. Equipped as a complete package which includes 18" Atreus wheels and Sirius Satellite Radio with a 6 month introductory subscription as std. equipment, customers can select from an abbreviated list of options for the C30 R-Design including 5-speed Geartronic transmission, DVD-based navigation system with real time traffic, power driver's seat, Climate Package, power glass moonroof, bi-xenon headlights, Serapis alloy wheels and Dynaudio premium sound system.

Pricing for the Volvo Limited Edition C30 R-Design will be released closer to its introduction date in the second quarter of 2008.

A C30 wagon would provide some serious competition in the young-urban-professional-dog-owning-wine-tasting-small-condo-with-garage demo, which has been flocking to the Audi A3. No word yet on who and what gets the new wagon and whether it'll be a V-series wagon or just a larger C-series. [World Car Fans]

BMW 3-series
Chevrolet Corvette
Chevrolet Malibu
Infiniti G35/G37
Lotus Elise
Mazda CX-9
Mercedes-Benz S-class
Porsche Boxster/Cayman
Volkswagen GTI
Volvo C30
[Automobile Magazine]

Press Release:

Volvo S80 High Performance version flexes its muscles at SEMA in Las Vegas

German tuning and motor sport experts HEICO SPORTIV has developed a spectacular high-performance version of the Volvo S80. With a high-tech aluminium-look exterior and a 350 hp bioethanol engine,
the S80 High Performance Concept is destined to be a true attention-grabber at the SEMA show in Las Vegas.

"We wanted to explore how far we could take a special high-performance version of the S80. HEICO SPORTIV's impressive track record in motor sports and Volvo tuning made them the perfect partner for the job," says Lex Kerssemakers, Senior Vice President Brand, Business and Product Strategy at Volvo Cars. He adds: "Personally, I think the result is absolutely stunning. Both when it comes to the exterior and interior design as well as the impressive muscle under the bonnet." The turbocharged T6 engine has been modified to run on E85 (85 percent bioethanol,15 percent petrol) - a biofuel that is becoming increasingly widely available throughout Europe.

The T6 engine in the HEICO S80 High Performance Concept boasts around 350 horsepower at 5500 rpm and a massive 550 Nm of torque between 1500 and 4000 rpm. Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h will take around 5.8 seconds. "The engine development is not yet finalized, so we hope to reach an even higher horsepower figure when the car is ready for SEMA," says HEICO SPORTIV's president Holger Hedtke.

All Wheel Drive and sports suspension
The HEICO S80 High Performance Concept features Volvo's electronically controlled All Wheel Drive system with Instant Traction. The car also has specially developed sport suspension. New shocks and springs lower the chassis by 40 millimetres.The 6-pot sport brake system has blue callipers featuring the Heico Sportiv logo, sports brake pads and 355x32 mm discs.
The specially developed 20-inch VOLUTION®X. forged alloy wheels are shod with 255/30R20 tyres from Continental. "When it comes to the driving experience, we aimed at tuning all the components so we get
a dynamic yet harmonious result. In other words, a true sports car experience without losing the luxurious and comfortable touch that is the hallmark of the S80," says Holger Hedtke.

Spectacular aluminium-colour effect
The exclusive aluminium metal-effect colour of the HEICO S80 High Performance Concept radiates a distinctive technical look.

"To bring out the shiny, "real metal" effect was a major challenge. This type of paint is normally not used to cover a whole car. All told, the bodywork features seven coats of paint. The coat that gives the aluminium effect doesn't allow any touch-ups afterwards, so you have to get it right from the beginning. The whole process takes two weeks," says Holger Hedtke. All other parts, such as the tailpipe trim, window mouldings, front grill and rub strips are coated with matte finish black chrome. All body parts are handcrafted. The car's body kit has redesigned wide skirts all round.

The front features integrated spoiler flaps, three larger air ducts, integrated LED daytime running lights and an integrated sport grille with the Volvo iron mark. The exhaust system is made of stainless steel throughout and the exhaust tailpipes are integrated into the wide rear spoiler. There is also a rear deck spoiler.

Mystic Blue interior
The bespoke interior has full high-quality leather in Mystic Blue with matching blue stitching and HEICO SPORTIV logo, both on the sport-contoured front seats and the two individual "bucket" seats in the rear. The safety belts and floor-mats are also blue. There is a sports steering wheel trimmed in leather and a leather-trim gear lever with a silver carbon accent.

The extended floating centre stack is covered with silver carbon fibre. The centre stack also features integrated controls for the rear seat entertainment system and a storage space with a handmade blind. All decorative trim elements are made of silver carbon fibre. The illuminated entrance trim in stainless steal and glass features the HEICO SPORTIV logo.

Volvo dealer since 1989
The Hedtke Volvo dealership in Weiterstadt, Germany, opened in 1989. The company entered the motor sport scene in 1995 and over the years HEICO SPORTIV has developed one of the world's most exclusive tuning programmes based on Volvo cars.

"We are very pleased that Volvo Cars has given us the opportunity to design a concept car that profiles the sporty emotions of the brand and still remains true to the company's core values. Just like the C30 "Camo" we designed for SEMA last year, the S80 High Performance Concept represents the very best of our long experience of Volvo tuning and motor sports," says Holger Hedtke.

Special-version Volvo C30 surfs to Las Vegas and SEMA

A surf-pattern exterior, a stunning orange dream interior and 0-100 km/h in 5.4 seconds. The special-version Volvo C30 by HEICO SPORTIV is ready to go to Las Vegas and the SEMA show.

"We wanted to turn up the "visual volume" of the sporty Volvo C30. And this is not just a one-off prototype. All the parts used are available in our tuning product range," says Holger Hedtke, president of German tuning and motor sports company HEICO SPORTIV.

The white Volvo C30 has a special surf-pattern design kit and a body kit with redesigned, widened skirts all round. The front features integrated spoiler flaps, three larger air ducts, integrated fog and cornering lights, and an integrated sport grille with the Volvo iron mark. The deeper and wider rear skirt features a quad-pipe exhaust system made of stainless steel.

The bespoke high-quality interior has orange leather with matching orange stitching and HEICO SPORTIV logos on the sport-contoured front seats. The safety belts and floor-mats are also orange.
The radiant interior also has a sports steering wheel in leather and a leather gear lever with a silver accent. The entrance trim in stainless steel features the HEICO SPORTIV logo.

Beefed-up T5 powerplant
An upgraded, turbocharged T5 engine powers the C30. Is produces 300 horsepower at 5500 rpm and 420 Nm of torque at 3500 rpm. Acceleration from 0 to100 km/h takes 5.4 seconds. Top speed is 250 km/h (governed). The car also has a specially developed sport suspension. New shocks and springs lower the chassis by 40 millimetres. The 4-pot sport brake system has orange callipers featuring the HEICO SPORTIV logo, sport brake pads and 326x30 mm discs. The 19-inch VOLUTION® V. TITAN wheels are shod with 235/35R19 Continental tyres.

"The already sporty and distinctive personality of the C30 model makes it the perfect tuning product. Our car is a spectacular extension of the individualisation philosophy that is a part of the C30," says Holger Hedtke.

The SEMA (Speciality Equipment Manufacturers Association) show in Las Vegas is open between 30 October and 2 November 2007. SEMA is the biggest automotive specialty products trade event in the world.

• Volvo is looking at this car to hit the streets in 2015, but it won't be the first hybrid Volvo plans on releasing — but they're keeping what the first one will be a secret until later.
  
• There's four electric motors — one at each wheel.
  
• This emphasizes safety as they've moved the motors away from the front of the car and to the wheels. By not having the engine in the front, it allows for Volvo to use the front for more crash-protection.
  
• Also, despite having an engine, it has no driveshaft.
  
• Full recharge of the batteries will take three hours, but the car should be drivable on an hour or less.
  

Press Release:

Special version Volvo C30 below 4.5 l/100km

In parallel with Volvo Cars' focus on biofuels and hybrid technology, energy-effiency improvements are continuously being made to the company's conventional drivelines.

The special version of the Volvo C30 called Efficiency has a fuel consumption below 4.5l/100 km, and CO2 emission below 120 g/km.

Additionaly, Volvo Cars will introduce a Powershift gearbox that reduces fuel consumption by about 8 percent.

"We are firmly committed to lowering the fuel consumption of our conventional petrol and diesel engines. By doing this we will continuously reduce the overall CO2 emission level for our whole model range," says Magnus Jonsson, Senior Vice President Research and Development at Volvo Cars.

In 2008 Volvo Cars will introduce a Volvo C30 with a 1.6-litre turbodiesel (105 hp) that has a fuel consumption of less than 4.5 l/100 km.

Volvo Cars' experts have succeeded in reducing fuel consumption by more than 0.4 l/100 km from 4.9 l/100 km which is the official figure for the C30 1.6D that is available on the market today. Translated into CO2 emissions, this is a reduction from 129 g/km to below 120 g.

"This is a science of small adjustments and gains. Many systems and details in a car model have been dimensioned to suit all engine variants, from the smallest diesel to the most powerful petrol unit. This gives possibilities for fine adjustments to individual engine variants, particularly the smallest alternatives," says Magnus Jonsson.

A range of measures within four main areas

The fuel consumption reduction has been achieved through measures within four main areas:

* Aerodynamics. The Efficiency has reduced chassis height, a new rear roof spoiler, a new rear bumper, underbody panels, optimised engine cooling and aerodynamically optimised 16-inch wheel rims.
* Rolling resistance is reduced with a new generation of low friction tyres
* Higher gearing. The unique gearbox variant has revised gearing on 3rd, 4th and 5th gears
* Powertrain efficiency increase. This includes new low-friction transmission oil, optimisation of steering servo assistance and engine management optimisation.

The special C30 will also get visual elements that enhance its unique character.

Cash-back in Sweden

In Sweden, a conventional car with carbon dioxide emissions of 120 g/km or less is classified as an environmental car. This entitles private new-car buyers to a state-provided cash-back of 10,000 kronor (SEK).

"These measures are positive both for the customer and for the environment. The car owner gets a Volvo C30 with the very same sporty feel and appearance, with the added benefit of even better fuel economy and, in some countries, tax incentives. At the same time, emissions of carbon dioxide are cut by about 8 percent," explains Magnus Jonsson.

Powershift reduces consumption by 8 percent

In early 2008 Volvo Cars will introduce a new gearbox with a so-called Powershift feature.

Powershift cuts fuel consumption by about 8 percent compared with today's automatic transmissions. It will be available in the Volvo C30, S40 and V50 with the 2-litre turbodiesel (2.0D) engine.

Put simply, one could say that Powershift consists of two manual gearboxes that work in parallel and are controlled by separate clutches. Since there is no disruption in torque delivery during the gearchanging process, gearshifts are instantaneous and the efficiency rating is higher.

Developments in petrol and diesel engines

The environment is in constant focus as Volvo Cars initiates continuous improvements in its other petrol and diesel engines.

For petrol engines, the company's experts are examining how direct-injection technology can be further refined and they are also looking at even more advanced control of both the air/fuel mixture and valve control.

"When it comes to diesel engines, it isn't fuel consumption that is the greatest challenge. Here the main challenge is to meet the increasingly tough demands on regulated emissions such as nitrogen oxides and particulates without jeopardising the diesel engine's already low fuel consumption," says Magnus Jonsson.

Looks like if you want serious Swedish muscle, you'll have to contract with powerlifter Magnus Önerud. Volvo released details on its new R Design package and there's not a single performance upgrade in sight. Not that we'd expected anything, considering the company's abandoned its S60 R and V70 R models. It's all cosmetics, like satin matte-finish grille ad side mirrors; color-coordinated bumpers and lower side moldings; rear or roof spoilers, and five-spoke aluminum wheels in 17- or 18-inch outside, and blackish seats with contrasting cream-colored leather, leather-trimmed steering wheel with R-design logo, aluminum pedals, center stack and door inlays, and tufted dark sport floor mats on the inside. It'll be available by year's end on the C30, S40 and V50 models in Europe. – Mike Spinelli

Press Release:

Spice up your Volvo with R-design - the choice for a refined taste

Volvo Cars is now introducing R-design - an exclusive factory-fitted options package for customers who want a car with refined attributes.

R-design will initially be available on the Volvo C30, Volvo S40 and Volvo V50 as of autumn 2007.

"The possibility of tailoring one's car to suit personal tastes is becoming increasingly important to car buyers today. R-design has been developed for buyers who want a refined and sporty look for their cars," says Gerry Keaney, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Sales and Customer Service at Volvo Cars.

Customers can choose between 10 exterior colours, and the R-design badge in the grille is accompanied by a range of specially designed exterior and interior details.

Exterior features include a satin matt-finish grille, colour co-ordinated bumpers and lower side mouldings, rear or roof spoiler, satin matt-finish door mirror caps and five-spoke aluminium wheels (17 inches, 18 inches available as option). There is also a decotrim on the tailgate of the C30 and V50.

Contrasting seats

Inside the car there are seats in off-black Vulcaflex with the seat cushion and backrest in contrasting cream-coloured leather. The R-design logo embossed on the backrest and the contrasting stitching reinforce the seats' sporty appearance.

Other R-design interior details include the leather-trim steering wheel with its R-design logo, the unique combi instrument, aluminium pedals, specially designed aluminium centre stack and door inlays, gear selector with aluminium inlay and tufted dark sport floor mats with contrasting light leather seams.

A selection of R-design features will also be available as accessories.

Emotional and extrovert

"R-design is entirely in line with the accelerated focus on making our cars more extrovert and emotional. It gives the buyers the opportunity to spice up the already distinct personality of these car models," says Steve Mattin, Senior Vice President and Design Director at Volvo Cars..

Related:
Volvo to Call Cosmetic Package R-Design [internal]

According to Germany's Autobild, Volvo's working up a diesel hybrid version of its new C30 hatch, which the company will show off at Michelin's annual alternative energy fest, Challenge Bibendum in Shanghai later in 2007. It'll be a series hybrid, where the engine turns a generator that can either charge the batteries or power an electric motor that drives the transmission. But the internal combustion engine in this case will be a diesel, and the system may have plug-in capability. No word on whether the car will be a concept, or for series production, but company reps say Volvo is serious about bringing the car to market. But are they serious serious? – Mike Spinelli

Report: Volvo Working on a C30 Hybrid Concept [egmCarTech]

Related:
More on the Volvo C30 [internal]

Sadly, Volvo has dispensed with the teal suits that made their booth so rad at last year's show. But they did bring us the C30, which is apparently a car that's a "product of free will." They also compared it to the iPod, which theoretically begs the following experiment. Drive a C30 while listening to Rush via your iPod. See if Volvo's vaunted safety standards save you when the car collapses under the weight of its own metaness. – Davey G. Johnson

Related:Paris Auto Show Reveal: Volvo C30 Hatch! [internal]

With the US version of the new Volvo C30 hatch debuting at the Los Angeles Show this week, a Swede-lover's fancy can't but turn to thoughts of tuning the crap out of one. Down, boy. Volvo tuner Heico Sportiv is unveiling its HS3 D5 at the Essen show in Germany next week. The diesel-fired hatch isn't quite a screamer, but it can get from zero to 60 in 7.9 seconds, by way of the a five-cylinder oil burner, tweaked to produce 205 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. V-max is a respectable 143 mph. The slightly hotter hatch does look like a runner, with a full-body kit, fender flares shrouding 8.5x20" VOLUTION V. wheels, height-adjustable suspension kit, four-tip stainless steel exhaust, four-piston sports brake kit, and interior accouterments (aluminum pedal set, foot rest, hand-brake lever, and door pins, along with two-tone leather seats and door panels). If you were wondering, Essen is SEMA without the road trip to Cadillac Ranch. – Mike Spinelli

Related:
Swedish Speedballs: Tuning Shops to Show C30 Concepts at SEMA [internal]

Volvo rolled out three dolled-up custom C30s at SEMA this year, ahead of the hatch's US debut next year. The three cars' mods were done, respectively, by IPD; Heico Sportiv with Burton Snowboards, and Evolve. It's all a matter of merging the New Hatchback school with the sport compact crowd, and seeing what transpires. Will Acker Bilk ever forgive us? [Gallery]

Related:
SEMA Show: Caresto Volvo V8 Speedster [internal]