Autoblog

Click above to view high-res gallery of the Volvo C30 R-Design

Following up on our story about the Volvo C30 R-Design at the New York Auto Show, Volvo announced pricing today for its sporty hatchback tunerish trim level. MSRP will be $25,700, plus destination charges of $745. Doing simple math, you can put one of these hot turbocharged Swedes in your garage at a base price of $26,445. Of course, most of you will want to add available goodies such as the DVD-based navigation, bi-xenon headlights, or the Dynaudio premium sound system...and they'll cost you extra, which will balloon the price into what many consider too dear for a Swedish hatchback.

If a cosmetically-enhanced C30 is just your thing, however, we suggest you act fast. With a production run limited to just 400 examples, the exclusive R-Design will probably roll quickly out of showrooms starting in April.

[Source: Volvo Cars of North America]

Click above to view high-res gallery of the Volvo C30 R-Design

Volvo directed its efforts at the New York Auto Show toward debuting the XC60 SUV for North America, but quietly standing sentinel at the front of the display was the C30 R-Design. There's not much to complain about when you gaze upon any C30, though the R-Design trimmings offer sprinkles on the cupcake. The cars will be exclusive, with oly 400 hitting showrooms in April for a base price of $25,700. The easiest way to spot the special Swedish hatches will be the metallic mirror housings, grille and grille crossbar. There's also a subtle R-Design badge affixed to the grille to identify the car as something just a little special. Special paint colors will also set off the R-Design cars, and the body kit-equipped car we photographed shined resplendently in Black Sapphire. Interior changes consist of blue-faced gauges like the actual high-performance S60R (RIP) and R-Design logos embossed into the leather inserts on the seats and metal accent bits around the cabin. The R-Design cars are more style than substance, but the exclusivity will be of value to buyers who like to have something special, and the T5 powertrain that all U.S.-bound C30s carry offers snappy performance already.

click above for more pics of the 2008 Volvo C30 R-Design

Volvo has just announced a the C30 R-Design trim for its newest model. The package is comprised of only exterior and interior mods, so no additional go fast parts have been added to either the turbocharged 5-cylinder engine or suspension. What buyers will get is a few matte-silver finished pieces on the outside, including the side view mirrors, grille surround and Volvo's trademark grille "strap", as well as an R-Design badge on the grille. The C30 R-Design also gets the sport body kit, a tailgate spoiler, 18-inch Atreus wheels, larger diameter exhaust tips and your choice of Black Sapphire, Titanium Grey, Orinoco Blue or Passion Red paint.

The interior is gussied up with a new finish for the center console, seats upholstered in off-black Flex-tech and creme-colored leather, blue-face gauges, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel with aluminum inlays that bear the R-Design logo.

Though it will be the top-of-the-line C30, the R-Design model is still a C30 and will therefore still have plenty of options to push its yet-to-be-determined price even higher. These include a 5-speed Geartronic transmission, DVD-based navigation system, even better Serapis alloy wheels and plenty else. What's more, only 400 R-Design models will be sold in the U.S., which is just about one for every Volvo dealer in the country. Considering that C-30 sales have cooled off considerably since Volvo moved 811 units of its new hatch last September (it's first full month on sale), it will probably take at least two months for the limited edition C30 R-Design to sell out, if not more.

[Source: Volvo]

Volvo's limited presence in Detroit will be punctuated by the expansion of its in-house customization line with the release of the XC90 Sport R-Design. Volvo connoisseurs can R-ified their 'ute with either 19- or 20-inch matte wheels, dual exhaust pipes, brushed sill moldings and the removal of the CUV's roof rails. Inside, a blue-lit instrument cluster joins some additional badging, a leather wrapped steering wheel and an aluminum center stack to boost the premium feel of the XC90. They're all nice touches, but we still maintain that anything sporting the letter "R" should involve upgrades to both the visual appearance of the vehicle and its performance.

Volvo's press release is available after the jump.

Click for a gallery of the R-DESIGN components

We recently reported on the forthcoming Volvo R-DESIGN component packages that will be offered in lieu of the performance "R" models going forward (sniff, sniff), and Volvo's UK division released some official information and photos. The R-DESIGN option will be available on the C30, S40, and V50 models. The cars receive new grilles, the requisite badging, aero kits, matte silver accents and unique 5-spoke alloy wheels. Inside, the cabin is given a great-looking black-and-cream two-tone look with contrast stitching, blue gauges, an R-DESIGN wheel, revised trim for the center stack, sport pedals, custom floormats, and R-DESIGN badging and embroidery. The whole deal looks quite nice, really, and it's available on cars in Sport or SE Sport trim.

[Source: Volvo]