Volvo has one former concept car ready to hit show rooms for the coming new year and another concept prepping for production. The one thing about Volvo in this decade; when it comes to concept cars they are a waste-not, want-not. Volvo does not toss out concepts to the car show crowds as mere litmus tests to see if they meet critical approval. Their cars seem to be well throughout, uniquely styled concepts just waiting for the right market for them to reach production. And so it is with their latest concepts the C30 and XC60.
In the C30 Volvo is entering into the 2-door hatchback market against the likes of the VW GTI and the Mini Cooper. They have coupled the sophisticated styling of the S40′s front end with the curvatured distinction of the XC90 in the rearend. The C30 is powered by the same 218 horsepowered engine as the S40 T5 which should serve well in this slightly shorter hatchback. The interior cockpit of the C30 boasts 4 bucket seats and the same unique dash as the S40. But with a stiffer, driver friendly suspension and a 6-speed manual transmission there should still be plenty of adventure built into this uncommon hatchback.
In not so stark a comparison the new XC60 is deemed to be the little brother to the well designed XC90. The rush to production is rumored to be in response to the new BMW’s X3 and the Audi Q5 that will be coming to market in the next year. But with its one-off styling and flex-fuel element this is a concept deserving its place on the market. While the narrow windows may give some people pause in concerns to visibility the over-all design of the car follows the similar and successful lines to that of its larger brother. With the new S80 out and the C30 and XC60 coming to market in the next year the future is looking very exciting for Volvo… which is something that no one would ever have said about Volvo back in the 1970′s.On a side note, another area in which Volvo has taken a large step is on the internet. Of all the major car manufacturer’s Volvo has embraced the marketability of the internet and produced some of the more original sites for their cars. Check out the current websites for the C30 and XC60.