March 28, 2007 - The last time Volvo offered Canadians a sporty compact coupe, Bobby Hull signed for a $1,000,000 to headline the upstart World Hockey Association, and Jackie Stewart drove his last Formula 1 race at Mosport Park.

Volvo first tantalized us with their idea of a modern, sporty compact coupe over five years ago with the Safety Concept Car. The Swedish brand kept stripping off the conceptual layers at subsequent car shows until the final production version—designed by Volvo’s Studio Chief Designer in Göteborg, Canadian-born Simon Lamarre—now dubbed the C30, was unveiled last fall in Paris.

With thirty-five years between Volvo’s P1800 ES and Volvo’s latest C30 sports coupe, the phrase “highly anticipated” seems a bit of an understatement.



Volvo’s existing premium compacts—the S40/V50 sedan and wagon—are Volvo’s most fun-to-drive cars to date. They offer a roomy, comfortable cockpit, lively yet confident handling, presented in Volvo’s modern design language and are certainly a good place for the supposedly sportier C30 to be based upon.

The $27,495 base C30 2.4i’s 168 horsepower, 170 pound-feet of torque, naturally aspirated 2.4-litre five-cylinder engine and five-speed manual transmission will be familiar to S40/V50 owners. As will the 218 h.p., 236 lb.-ft. of torque, turbocharged 2.5-litre five, as found in my C30 T5 test car with one more gear in its standard stick. A five-speed automatic transmission with Geartronic sequential shifting is available in both models. Also note that one deletion from the S40/V50 gene pool is the option for all-wheel-drive, as both C30s are strictly front-wheel-drive.



For a $31,995 starting price, the C30 T5 adds electronic climate control system, a more powerful audio system, and leather-trimmed steering wheel and shift knob on top the C30 2.4i’s standard kit. My test car came with Sport and Dynaudio Packages to total up to $37,895, not including the optional bodykit and 18-inch alloys with the Pirelli PZero Rossos summer performance rubber which pricing Volvo is still working on.

From the C30’s driver’s seat, one will find a nearly identical setup as the existing S40/V50. There are the same supportive seats with multiple adjustments covered in Volvo’s durable Dynamic T-Tec upholstery; crisp and clear driver instrumentation with the circular tach and speedo bracketing a digital info screen; steering wheel wands that can be readily accessed without having to take your hand off the wheel; audio remote-inspired floating centre console that’s still pretty cool; and those surprisingly dainty foot pedals.

Within the first block or two of the C30 T5 in motion, both commonalities and differences from the S40/V50 siblings start to become obvious.



As with the compact Volvo sedan and wagon, the C30 T5’s blown mill is smooth and eager. The turbo kicks in around 4,500 rpm and there’s that distinctive five-pot warble. Unfortunately, it also comes with the same gooey throttle response, clutch take-up that is noticeably late, and a gearbox that is relatively notchy—especially the first- to second-gear throw. As with the S40/V50, the base 2.4i and five-speed stick may not accelerate as quickly, but it’s much a more refined package, all-around.

Also unchanged from its compact siblings, the C30 T5’s electro-hydraulic steering is accurate. But it’s not all that quick, and there’s little feel coming back to the driver.

Having much experience with an ‘05 V50 equipped with a sport suspension and 17-inch wheels and tires with its less than forgiving ride over bad pavement, the test car’s optional 18-inch Pirellis and a lowered sport chassis had me leery.

But once the road starts to twist and turn, the C30 feels a lot more nimble than the S40/V50; like jogging without a knapsack. The PZero Rossos use a silica-enhanced tread compound which delivered plenty lot of grip, even on greasy spring roads, yet offer a relatively quiet ride at high speeds.



You would think the Volvo 2+2’s generous track width and a relatively long wheelbase would deliver a well-planted feel, and it does. Volvo’s done a better job with the C30’s suspension compared to previous S40/V50s, combining near-flat cornering without beating you up. Nonetheless, take a corner hard, encounter a sharp bump, and the C30 T5 tends to skitter through instead of providing resiliency to the road situation. A situation a Volkswagen GTI would shed off easily.

Where Volvo is making a big deal is in the C30’s back seat. The company is being honest in that most C30 customers will rarely try and stuff three passengers in the back.

To this end, the two rear seats are closer to the centre line for more elbowroom. Room between the seats looks ready to accept hockey sticks, snowboards or skis. The rear side glass has been pulled back not only to give rear occupants something to look out of, but also give the driver visibility where normally a wide C-pillar sits.



Despite being 216 millimetres shorter in overall length, the C30 shares the same wheelbase as the S40/V50, claiming it’s just as safe as its sedan sibling, even with respect to rear impacts.

A product of the growing popularity of premium small cars, Volvo expects the new C30 three-door 2+2 hatchback to become an icon for Volvo design much like the Mini Cooper is to BMW's Mini brand or the TT is to Audi. Fundamentally, C30 exists to bring to the brand a different type of customer other than those looking for a station wagon to fill with Rottweilers.

With these goals in mind, the 2007 Volvo C30 T5 is a successful synthesis of new Volvo form with traditional Volvo function; a unique offering in a segment full of three-door boxes. And judging by the rubbernecking and sideways glances that my test car generated, Volvo will definitely generate some attention with this svelte looking 2+2.

- John LeBlanc, Publisher, www.straight-six.com



Just the facts...
Build quality
Features 
Performance
Fun-to-drive
Overall value

Type of vehicle: Front-wheel-drive 2+2 hatchback
Engine: 2.5L turbocharged DOHC I5
Power: 218 hp @ 5,000 rpm; 236 lb-ft @ 1,500-4,800 rpm
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Tires: P225/40 R18 Pirelli P Zero Rossos
Brakes: Four-wheel disc with ABS
Price base/as tested $31,995/$37,895 (not including bodykit and 18” wheels and tires)
Fuel economy L/100 km 11.5 city, 7.3 hwy.
Standard features: Dynamic Stability and Traction Control (DSTC), Inflatable Curtain (IC), Side Impact Protection System (SIPS), SIPS Front Seat Mounted Side Airbags, Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD), Emergency Brake Assistance (EBA), Sport Chassis, Heated Power Side View Mirrors, In-Dash Single CD Player AUX / MP3 / WMA functionality with High Performance Sound System with 8 Speakers, 4 x 40 amplifier and Auxiliary jack, Electronic Climate Control system, Leather-trimmed steering wheel and shift knob.
Options: Sport package, Dynaudio package, bodykit, 18” wheels and tires