The baby of the Volvo family, the C30, is being launched on the Irish market, says Daniel Attwood.
Volvo has launched its most radical and daring model in years on to the Irish market. Aimed at that affluent, brand-conscious group of motorists often referred to by marketeers as empty nesters and young, single professionals, Volvo is shifting its focus for this car away from its more traditional and rather conservative buyers.
A dramatic visual design, three-doors and just four seats should all appeal to the target audience, but these features will also dissuade those tempted by a small Volvo but needing the practicality of five doors and five seats.
This fear that only having a three-door model will alienate some potential buyers is already coming true. Following static displays of the new C30, interested customers visited Volvo showrooms keen on the C30 only to leave with the larger, more practical and more conservative S40 saloon.
The C30 is the baby of the Volvo family and, while sharing many of the larger S40's fixtures and fittings, is some 22 centimetres shorter than its nearest Volvo stablemate. Despite this, the C30 is practical, the two rear seats can accommodate a couple of adults in comfort and the boot, while not class leading, has room for weekend bags.
The most striking feature is its design. A high dose of steroids means the C30 has exaggerated muscles, which while giving it a sporting powerful appearance also give it an overblown look - especially from the rear where the small glass tailgate is dwarfed by bulging rear lights.
The appearance is carried through to the engine line-up, which includes the €39,950 range-topping model powered by a 2.5-litre 220bhp turbo-charged petrol engine that can already be seen powering the C30's cousin, the Ford Focus ST.
Most of the C30s Volvo expects to sell here will be the base €26,500 model powered by a 100bhp 1.6-litre petrol, although the petrol line-up also includes a 125bhp 1.8 and a 145bhp 2.0-litre.
For diesel fans there is a choice of a 1.6-litre 109bhp, a 2.0-litre 136bhp or a range topping 2.4-litre 180bhp engine. A bio-fuel model, which will attract a 50 per cent VRT rebate and will be placed favourably in the new CO2 ratings, will arrive at the end of 2007.
The lack of an engine smaller than a 1.6-litre may put off some of the 60 per cent of buyers Volvo hopes will upgrade from mainstream models such as the Golf and Focus.
The Swedish carmaker also predicts that 15 per cent of C30 customers will migrate from the A3 and 1 Series, although both of these are available with five doors which widens their appeal beyond that of the C30.
But premium buyers in this sector place a high emphasis on driving enjoyment and the C30, while appearing to be the most radical of all Volvos, sits on the excellent and well proven Focus platform, which means handling and on-road dynamics of this compact hatchback are as predictable and enjoyable as in the Ford.
Just 350 of the new C30 coupé - described, possibly fatally, by Fredrik Arp, president and CEO of Volvo as a "cool" car - will arrive next year, which if all find homes will take Volvo to third place in the premium compact sector - a position it will be more than happy with, considering it controls just 1.6 per cent of the entire new car market.