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New car for new market

Mabuyane Kekana

Mabuyane Kekana

Auto Africa is over, but some of the media at the time had to cover the show and the international debut of the new Volvo C30 - and so they had to be on the Spanish island of Mallorca for the launch of the C30.

If you thought Volvo cars were made for old toppies with their old, tired fashion sense, wait until you see the new C30, which is coming here next year to compete in the B-segment of the market, where it will take on the likes of the Audi A3, the BMW 1 series and the Opel GTC.

The new C30, with its sporty design, two doors, four individual seats and a glass tailgate has, according to the folk at Volvo, been given a unique character to attract new buyers, especially the young.

Fredrik Arp, president and chief executive of Volvo Cars, said: "The new C30 is a cool car. A car that aims for a group of young singles, or couples, with an intense urban lifestyle. These people prioritise excitement in design and driving characteristics, and this car is designed to suit their taste and lifestyle."

The front of the new model retains its dynamic character with its angled headlamps and low, wide grille.

Viewed from the side, the distinct wheel housings and sloping roof give the C30 a fast silhouette, which is further enhanced by the extreme boat-shape of the side windows.

The shoulders at the rear are powerfully rounded and are accentuated by the horseshoe-shaped lighting pattern of the tail lamps, and the glass tailgate. The spoiler at the upper edge of the tailgate is available in two different versions.

The car's interior has been designed to meet the target group's taste for personal choices with, for example, upholstery in three attractive colours.

Hakan Abrahamsson, head of the C30 project, said: "The C30 is about 'customised functionality'. There are a lot of possibilities for personalisation and the car has all the right and cleverly designed solutions that the people who choose this type of car want."

Pricing has not yet been confirmed, but Volvo Cars South Africa public relations manager Deon Sonnekus said that the C30 will be priced about 6 percent less than the S40, which currently retails at R215000.

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