Our friends from World Car Fans sat down with a Volvo PR person last week at the Helsinki Motor Show and after a suitable amount of poking and prodding, they got the skinny on Volvo's plans to offer a wagon version of its C30 hatch.The five-door version would be based off the same Mazda3 platform as its three-door sibling, and is aimed to be a direct competitor to the Audi A3 Sportback just as the C30 seeks to compete with the standard A3. There's no word on names, but we're still partial to slapping a C50 badge on the back and calling it done.
World Car Fans' graphics ninja attempted to render the five-door Volvo and you can check out his photochopped work by clicking the pic above.
[Source: World Car Fans]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
davido @ Dec 3rd 2007 1:10PM
So there will be TWO wagons on the same platform, this one AND the V50?
Andrew @ Dec 3rd 2007 1:29PM
It does seem redundant. Perhaps this would be more of a "5-door" like the Mazda3 hatch, than a wagon with lots of space in back like the V50. Is there really a market for such a thing?
MoparKid @ Dec 3rd 2007 5:18PM
Yes, but I think the new one is geared towards the younger generation with its styling.
SPG @ Dec 4th 2007 2:22AM
The S40 and V50 are dead.
Soon to be cancelled as there were too many quality issues and a design language that did not translate into a smaller car as well as Volvo had hoped.
Plus, the sales were not great.
I'd take one, but that's the facts.
Andy @ Dec 3rd 2007 1:17PM
V30 would be a better designation. Leave the C50 for a COUPE that slots between the C30 and C70.
Xcountryflyer @ Dec 3rd 2007 1:29PM
Saw a C30 2 door in person this weekend. I liked it. The 5 door should broaden the appeal. Didn't have very good panel gaps in some places though. Very uneven.
jgp @ Dec 3rd 2007 1:37PM
I remember hearing a rumor a while back that the V50 would be replaced by a C30-esque 5-door...
PiCASSO @ Dec 3rd 2007 1:42PM
The practicality of the 5-door and the current 3-door V30 are poor due to the goofy single glass window opening that is narrow and doesn't allow for swallowing large items.
volvfan88 @ Dec 3rd 2007 3:58PM
I personally in a since dont see the purpose of doing this in a way, but when you consider the fact that Volvo is moving up market they will need more vehicles.
Last week Ford Dearbourn went in to see about 300 of Volvo's top managers and exceutives. The meeting was about Volvo losses lately, the plan for product expansion through the help of Ford global suppliers. Further, every product will get the Volvo mark, but Volvo wil actually have to make a new and bold attempt on taking on the German rivals. Volvo in past years has said that they are not like the German rivals in no way and dont want to follow them either, but now Volvo has been pushed ahead by its American adopted parents to move the brand up market by completely exploiting Scandanavian design, simplicity, environmentaly kind, and ultimate safety machine.
With saying all of that the entire Vovlo R&D department will have to conduct a major product overhaul. The new Volvo S80 and V70, XC70 will lay the ground for all new comers. Volvo is to take on the Germans with efficient alternatives to German autos. In the entry level sedan ( bmw 3series, mb c class, audi a4, lexus is, and infiniti g) Volvo will offer the S60 sedan and the next generation V50 as the estate. In the midsize sedan ( bmw 5 series, mb e class, audi a6, lexus es and gs, infiniti m) Volvo will offer the already succesful and respected Volvo S80 and V70, XC70. Now the problem here in lies the full size sedan ( bmw 7 series, audi a8, mb, s class, lexus ls, infiniti q) Volvo currently has no offering in this segment but now they must come about to produce a " S100" of the sort and a new "V90" estate using the luxury features of the Volvo VCC concept back in 2004. The Volvo XC90 takes on the bmw x5 and mb gl well, and the new coming xc50 will do just as well againt the likes of the Bmw x3 and mercedes ml. Volvo has already called to drop the S40, but in my opinion volvo should consider making the S40 in a 2 door sedan and keep that as an alternative to the bmw 3 series 2 door, mb clk. The Volvo c70 is a great rivial against the luxury converitbles like the audi a5. The Volvo C30 is also well agianst the up coming audi a1, mb a class. This new wagon that is coming should be dubbed the v30 to compete against the likes of the A3 sedan.
Volvo has to do alot of product changing and actually make a plan on products to keep up, not above, the german rivals. Volvo is the strongest Swedish brand and they are a bit worried that Ford may be trying to change them but with AB Volvo there, not much of that will happen and Ford assured them that they will keep Volvo more self operating now, only doing things that the customer will never see, things affectingthe customer will always be Volvo.
k.w.a @ Dec 3rd 2007 4:34PM
Volvo shouldn't get rid of the S40. That's a very nice car! Sure it's nothing compared to a 3 series but all it needs is IMPROVEMENT...infiniti did it, even Mercedes did it with their C class. the S40, S60 and s80 shouldve been improved and stayed in their original segments.
Like you said, I think a lot of it has to do with Ford owning them. unfortunately, appreciation for Swedish luxury has gone down considerably. Now that Saab has been completely watered down by GM I guess Ford feels there's no reason for Volvo to stand out or be anything more than just another BMW or MB follower . S100? that sounds like a mercedes!
Volvo has great reputation and is very classy, and making a stylish wagon like this proposed c50 is a good point in the right direction. I just think they should improve the S40's performance, they shouldve made the new s80 the s60, and they shouldve made a new s80 with more space and better performance to compete with at least a lexus ls
psarhjinian @ Dec 3rd 2007 5:51PM
This is tricky: the C30 doesn't sell because the kind of people who buy Volvos are practical enough to not want to twist their way into a rear seat. This isn't a Mini (bought for the styling) or a Civic Si (bought by baseball-cap-wearing teenagers) it's a car for young urbanites, and, truthfully, no one who takes four people out on the town or has to wrestle in a child wants anything to do with a two-door.
If (and it's a big if) they stay with Vovlo, they'll buy a V50 instead. Adding a second set of doors to the C30 will solve it's sales problem, but at the V50's (and S40's) expense, and possibly the Mazda3's as well.
I think Volvo will suffer for this no matter what. It could help them a lot, though, if they could get the price on the C30 down. It's very much out of it's league.
500 @ Dec 4th 2007 12:40AM
Maybe they can get this classified as a "truck" like the PT Cruiser, HHR, Outback etc., and add dark tinted windows. That huge rear hatch glass, while cool, is begging for some blackout tint.