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Polestar says goodbye to Volvo C30 in video tribute

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 19:59:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Videos, Hatchback, Volvo, Racing

The Volvo C30 was put to its eternal bed a few months ago, but the tuners at Polestar have a little more eulogizing to do. The Swedish house of speed that has raced and reworked the little hatch since its introduction in 2006 wants the world to know what they've been through together, so it has encapsulated seven years of around-the-world action into three minutes and 28 seconds of track footage and champagne.

We're still waiting on word of a replacement for the funny little hatch, and while we lament what could have been, the video below proves that the C30 provided plenty of thrills for those outside of the US. And as you can read in our recent review of the Polestar-enhanced road-going C30, it provided a decent amount of fun for those of us in the States, as well.

Continue reading Polestar says goodbye to Volvo C30 in video tribute

Polestar says goodbye to Volvo C30 in video tribute originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 12 Mar 2013 19:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2013 Volvo C30 R-Design Polestar Limited Edition [w/video]

Jeffrey N. Ross — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 11:58:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Hatchback, Volvo, New Car Reviews

Last Hurrah Comes and Goes In A Hurry

It isn't very often that we drive a new car that's already out of production, but that's exactly what has happened with this 2013 Volvo C30. After just five years on the North American market, the last C30 quietly rolled off the assembly line back in December. But before that happened, Volvo decided to send its compact hatchback out on a high note with a little added performance and exclusivity courtesy of this R-Design Polestar Limited Edition model.

The term "hot hatch" is admittedly tossed around a lot these days, but the combination of an R-Design styling package coupled with a good number of extra ponies under the hood should be more than enough to put the C30 in the mix with the likes of the Volkswagen GTI and its not-too-distant cousin, the Mazdaspeed3. The chief problem with the Polestar Limited Edition, though, is that it's priced against sportier all-wheel-drive compacts like the Golf R and Subaru WRX STI, so we decided to spend a week with the Polestar to see if its exclusivity and performance are enough to make up for its higher price tag.

Continue reading 2013 Volvo C30 R-Design Polestar Limited Edition [w/video]

2013 Volvo C30 R-Design Polestar Limited Edition [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 28 Feb 2013 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Volvo takes final orders for C30, production ends this December

Jonathon Ramsey — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 16:31:00 EST

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Hatchback, Volvo

According to an Autoblog reader with access to Volvo's internal dealer site, the Swedish automaker has officially notified its dealers that North American production of the C30 will cease in December. It's not exactly a surprise - the C30 disappeared from Volvo's Swedish website months ago and C30 forum users have been discussing the end of the hatch in various markets all summer. This only makes it official that Volvo is pulling the plug on a car that only sold about 4,500 units per year for the six years it was here.

The bulletin notes that while the "C30 successfully achieved its goal to attract new customers to the Volvo brand, pulling a high percentage of customers from brands like Mini, Mazda and Volkswagen," its end is necessitated by the need to develop "high volume products to better sustain our brand health and network viability moving forward," presumably in the U.S. market. Autoblog reached out to Volvo for comment, and they confirmed the news, remarking "...we have made the decision to discontinue C30 production to better position Volvo for the future and the next stages of our model portfolio." (Their full statement is available by scrolling below).

We've been hearing about this transition for years, but frankly, we still don't know what those products might be. The effacing of the C30 leaves the S60, S80, XC60, XC70 and XC90 in the U.S. lineup - the C70 convertible is expected to bow out early next year. From everything we've heard out of Volvo, we're not getting the excellent new V40 or V40 Cross Country, but there have also been rumors of a C90 and an S100 luxury flagship that aren't anything like high volume. We've also heard that company CEO Stefan Jacoby is contemplating a Mini rival, but isn't that what the C30 was supposed to have been?

Perhaps the C30's biggest problem is what it costs to get in one. According to the company's consumer website, there are only two models offered, the base T5 starting at $25,500 and the R-Design at $27,850. The C30s were well equipped, but the Mini Cooper starts at $20,400. For those volume buyers fixated on the bottom line, that stat led to some open minds slamming shut on the C30. The little hatch also could have used a lot more advertising. While we wait for something to take a spot under the S60, the dealer bulletin suggests that the C30 Polestar Limited Edition promised for the U.S. will figure into dealers' final allocations.

Here's hoping that an eventual C30 successor will make a better go of it.

Continue reading Volvo takes final orders for C30, production ends this December

Volvo takes final orders for C30, production ends this December originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 12 Oct 2012 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2013 Volvo C30 Polestar Limited Edition heads to U.S., only 250 available

Steven J. Ewing — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 18:21:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Hatchback, Volvo

Volvo is adding a bit of exclusivity to its C30 hatchback for the 2013 model year by offering a special Polestar Limited Edition model in the United States. And we do mean limited - only 250 of the Rebel Blue hatches will be offered, boasting upgraded performance (sort of) and a whole host of standard kit.

We say "sort of" because, well, the Polestar power kit for this special C30 isn't any different than what you can spec on the standard car. Still, it offers an additional 23 horsepower and 27 pound-feet of torque, bringing the turbocharged inline-five's output numbers up to 250 and 273, respectively, paired to either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission.

Aside from its new blue hue (that we really like, by the way), the Polestar Limited Edition is set apart from other C30 models with the addition of unique 17-inch Styx matte black alloy wheels, as well as a color-coordinated R-Design body kit. Inside, standard equipment matches that of the C30 Premium Plus model, meaning all of the Limited Edition cars are fitted with a sunroof, power seats, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, LED daytime running lights and Xenon headlamps. Of course, if you're feeling spendy, you can option up for the Platinum model, which adds navigation and a premium sound system to the mix.

All of this limited-run goodness comes at a price, though - the front-wheel-drive Polestar Edition retails for $32,445, including $895 for destination. Ticking the Platinum option will no doubt increase that cost by a few grand, and while it'll certainly be a hoot to drive, it's far more expensive than loaded competitors like the Mazdaspeed3 and runs into all-wheel-drive Volkswagen Golf R territory.

We've asked Volvo to pass along more images aside from the one poorly cropped, low-res shot you see here, and we'll be sure to update you if more photos surface. In the meantime, scroll down to read all of the details in the official press blast.

Continue reading 2013 Volvo C30 Polestar Limited Edition heads to U.S., only 250 available

2013 Volvo C30 Polestar Limited Edition heads to U.S., only 250 available originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 11 Sep 2012 18:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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