Filed under: Aftermarket, Motorsports, Hatchbacks, Volvo
This needed to happen: RWD Volvo C30
Click above for a photo galllery of Skruffse's RWD C30
While Volvo's C30 has wily charms in its stock configuration, we could see how it'd be even more entertaining with the power being sent to the proper wheels. While we're talking revisions, a honkingly large turbocharger and external-reservoir dampers would be welcome additions, too. The race-ready ride height is dead sexy, and while it's a crazy thing to do to a perfectly good brand new Volvo, Sweden's Skruffse has carried out some beautiful fabrication work. The use is obviously racing of some sort, and with wide tires at all four corners we're surmising that it's something that involves turning, versus drag racing. Seeing this car's tow rig - a first-generation V70, it all comes together -- those willing to strip the C30 down like a stolen Pinto and rejigger the chassis are true Volvo nuts. We're pretty sure the warranty has been voided, though.
Gallery: Skruffse RWD C30 Racer
[Source: CarScoop]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
GhostDoggy 12:34PM (4/05/2008)
The C30 wasn't that bad of a looking vehicle, but I do not think I can go back to a front wheeled drive vehicle again. The wife also liked the C30, in appearance, but she loves her 3-series too much and also hates FWD.
Now, if Volvord would just their head out of the sand ...
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almost Dr. G.. 1:09PM (4/05/2008)
i LOVE the rear design and the price on this car. it's the long throw transmission and the fwd that bogs me down. i wish theyd make an awd version of this car.
HotRodzNKustoms 1:37PM (4/05/2008)
I totally agree if it were rear or awd I would certainly take a very serious look at one but being fwd I'll pass.
mario 3:59PM (4/05/2008)
@ghostdoggy
anybody can own a nice car like the 3 series on the internet but in real life...all they own is a keyboard...
seeing other comments left by you, i can hardly believe what you say..
ckm 7:00PM (4/05/2008)
@mario: huh? What kind of ad-hominy attack is that and why? GhostDoggy obviously has a wife who drive a 3-series. It's not like they are rare or even expensive.
Seriously, you should choose better targets for your random attacks or better yet, just chill out. Not all of us are 16 year olds with too much time on their hands and access to that 'internet thing'.
mike 1:08PM (4/05/2008)
you've reported on radical c30 work before - evolve produced an AWD 500+ HP c30 for sema:
http://www.autoblog.com/2006/10/31/sema-and-volvo-c30-makes-three/
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Fritz 1:08PM (4/05/2008)
You said it. Why is it the only hype this car creates is when its either AWD or RWD, meanwhile dealers can't move the damn things off the lot? The local has sold 1 since they started selling.
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Apu 2:10PM (4/05/2008)
Why not just use a rear-wheel-drive car? No one is forcing them to stick to a Volvo.
I know, I know, show off tuning skills or whatever.
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Val 2:36PM (4/05/2008)
Why? i mean, this looks like a cool but pointless exercise. Just take a BMW 1-series 3-door hatch, in black, with black/polished aluminum wheels, and call it a day.
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almost Dr. G.. 2:51PM (4/05/2008)
further evaluating the pics someone has A LOT of time and money on their hands. i wish that we all had as much money to "play engineer" and do such things to $25k cars.
i would def use the new 1 series as my starting point though. id gut that sucker and leave it with the bare essentials.
a lot of weight reduction with the genetic abilities of the twin turbo engine and youve got yourself a great track whore.
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Chris 3:08PM (4/05/2008)
Perfect example of 10 steps forward and 50 steps back. Great choice of car, great idea to convert it to RWD but...........whomever made the decision to use a rim/tire package that big is out of their mind. That car looks so terrible thanks to those big wheels. What happened to the BBS's that were on it in the photos?
I never thought I'd ever say a C30 was ugly until today.
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Azrael4h 2:42AM (4/06/2008)
It just goes to show that rear wheel drive makes everything better.
I'll refrain from commenting on looks until it's, you know, actually finished?
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Rene Curry 10:11AM (4/06/2008)
I am surprised that the C30 in it's present form isn't flying off the dealer lots. It has a 5 cylinder turbo, can be had with a stick, low base price, and looks great to boot!
I haven't test driven one yet, but it sure seems to be a sweet combination in the right price range.
Many people I know have never heard of it or seen one. Maybe the whole Volvo things needs to get connected to Mercury to make both divisions succeed. (Flame suit on)
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Razor1973 11:26AM (4/07/2008)
@Rene Curry
Easy. Cause you get the same and more in a GTI. And look at my avatar. I should be biased.
Kipp Johnson 12:07PM (4/06/2008)
Don't get me wrong- I love rear wheel drive, but I'm not sure if it's right in this application. Shorter cars with rwd or even awd without extensive chassis tuning (remember the rs200 on topgear? the 800 hp golf?) tend to be excessively twitchy and difficult to turn. AWD is probably the way volvo should have gone if they wanted any kind of performance reputation for the car, because they could have extensively tuned the chassis to accommodate it correctly. This homebrew rwd c30 is probably poorly balanced and in the end I doubt it would even beat, say, a stock WRX with equal engine tuning to this example, which is what it is priced closely with.
Say whay you will about the C30's looks (i think it is probably the best looking car on the market for under 50,000) it would never keep up with something designed from the beginning with at least some aspect of performance or sporting driving.
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