I Just Love Our Parking Lot – One Strange C30
Stumbling into work the other day, this C30 begged to be photographed. Tracking it down, Andrew Gallagher, one of our product guys, asked what I thought of the interior.
Some years back, probably around 1982 when we all had to wear suits, Bob Deutsch put together an “Ugly Tie Day” event for employees. I won more times than most. As Bob pointed out to me: ”As I recall, most of the time you won ugly tie day without realizing it was ugly tie day”, thanks Bob. I truly had ugly ties. But they were different, bold colors, strange patterns, just weird. So asking me an opinion on interiors is, well, a stretch. I do love this C30.
I offered Andrew this forum to see what others might think. I know there are a couple thousand out there reading this … simple yes/no and/or comments would be great.
What you are looking at is actually a seat that is currently offered only in Europe. The orange material is a fine interwoven cloth, the black surrounding it is made out of T-Tec. T-Tec is the same material that is used in surfing attire, kind of like my 5/4/3 wetsuit, only much nicer. There is an ongoing investigation for offering an Orange Flame metallic paint exterior with this two toned orange/black seat interior.
Question 1:
If Volvo was to offer a special edition C30 with only Orange Flame metallic paint, orange cloth/T-Tec seat, Sirius Satellite, high performance sound (not Premium Sound previously branded as Dynaudio) a 17″ new rim, what are your thoughts?
Question 2:
Would you need an available automatic trans, climate package, or bi-xenons?
Don’t expect a surprise package of pickled herring for answering, just our appreciation for your taking time to comment.
dan
ps: I think around 1978 we launched one of rarest cars ever (second only to the P1900 that we made 58 of): a 244 California car. White trim, white paint, white grill, white interior. All it needed was ‘made by Amana’ on it. Now, not wanting to repeat ourselves, here’s your chance to chime in or we just might do this again 
Just found this review from 5th Gear out of the UK: (the engine she is testing is not our T5 with 227 HP and 236 lb.ft. of torque)
70 Comments
Maybe I’m cheating a little because I live in Germany and actually already own a C30 already that I love very, very much (red, bodykit, t-tech seats charcoal/white, diesel engine that would be magnificent in my mom’s XC70 in the States). The t-tech seats are great because they have a premium look and feel, but are more comfortable than leather. A rain sensor, cruise control, and automatic climate control are must-haves for me. If I were to buy a C30 again, I would probably go for the color combo you mentioned. I saw it at my local dealer with the white alloys, and it looks spectacular!
Hi Andy,
Yes…I know about diesels in our market. Maybe someday. Absolutely agree that C30 is stunning. Hey, no problem cheating
thanks for taking time to comment.
kindest regards,
dan
As a general rule, special edition model should always have the largest wheels offered, so in this case 18 inches. Sounds like a great package otherwise and yes, I think auto, climate, and bi-xenons should be optional. I’d have a hard time buying a C30 without the better lights and butt warmers.
Hi Stuart,
Thanks. Much appreciated.
dj
I think the bolder colours (exterior and interior) should definitely be part of the C30 strategy. You’ll probably never get S80 buyers looking for this kind of thing, but that’s kind of the point of making the C30 isn’t it? Make the thing as bold and youthful as possible without leaving the “Volvo” behind (ie: not flashy or showy or gaudy etc). It would be interesting to see the C30 program take on a strategy like Ford of Europe’s uber personalization options or the US Mustang’s many many special editions.
Hi Joel,
I agree. Make something that isn’t yet is Volvo. We did that in ’95 with our screaming yellow T5R and later with Saffron colored C70 Coupe. Give the unexpected yet expected. Thanks for your comment.
dan
Looks great. Definitely go with the options packages. Wonder if in keeping with the ugly tie concept you would conisder matching seat belts?
Thanks Bill,
For those of you old enough to remember and with enough brain cells to actually remember, we did a 140 series in bold blue or orange stripped fabrics. To put a positive spin on it, Sweden made neck ties from the fabric. I gave away my only one to our first winner of VCNA’s Ugly Tie day, well actually runner up because my tie won first place.
Where I live in New England the Climate package and automatics almost seems like a requirement and bi-xenons are a nice to have. The flame orange paint is really gets ones attention.
I very much like the idea of a special edition C30 w/ the orange flame metallic color and auto tranny, climate, and bi-xenons are must-haves. The only thing unappealing is the orange t-tec fabric on the seats. I don’t think those seats alone are worthy of a “special edition” name plate. How about a special edition with some famous designer or clothing line? Maybe a Puma Edition C30? All the Volvo Ocean Race stuff is already Puma, why not a Volvo car too? Bring back the designer clothing interior trend.
i love the orange exterior. why blend in with other hatches in black, white, silver and red? my work parking lot is right next to the mall parking lot and i walk by a sea of cars everyday. it’s always the cars with unique colors that gets attention. this interior looks like it just has enough color to give it a sporty, custom look without making it gaudy with orange accents all over the doors and dash.
as for options, i could skip the climate package since i live in southern california. but i’ll take the bi-xenons and manual transmission.
Instead of an orange theme how about C30 pricing more inline with reality. Say $2,000 less at the starting price.
How about the S60 T5 instead?
Hey Dan
You’re really dating yourself with the first hand knowledge of the 244 California car. Love that interior I haven’t seen one of those in awhile. For some reason the orange interior reminds me of the natural leather on the S60R, can we add some blue dial gages?
The latest 30 has a redesigned front end with new headlights,grille, and front body panels.The rest of the body has only minor changes and the engine and transmission choices remain the same.It’s a reliable car for me.
and i remember when company cars were 544s and 122s….
i think having all these extras would be gr8 but what volvo needs is a faster transmission on all of its models, having a faster transmission may chop down a minimum of 1 sec from 0-60 sprint! plz make that:)
i recomend also to do something with the gauges to make it feel more sporty
Make the exterior orange more similar to Porsche GT3 RS orange you got yourself a deal.
6spd manual only please, bi-xenons would be nice.
To polish it off a Giken LSD would be incredible.
First off, I agree with BNE. The orange in the photo above isn’t very interesting. It needs to stand out far more. I saw an orange Audi TT-S the other day. That car got my attention! So I would recommend finding a brighter shade of orange. The other thing that I wanted to say is that I have never been a fan of special editions that don’t improve performance. VW has been notorious for such special editions for the US market and I have hated all of them. It seems like a great way for a brand to make a little more cash but the buyer doesn’t really get anything for what is typically a much greater price. The Fahrenheit edition GTI is very much like the C30 being suggested. I would never buy that GTI (though I did buy a regular GTI) and I wouldn’t consider this special C30 as described either. At least give me a little more power. As it is, I’d rather just get a C30 with the R edition/line stuff. Give me some substance with a unique color change and I would be on-board.
Last fall I went into a Volvo dealership in Seattle specifically to see if I could get the C30 in the orange/orange combo, after having seen pictures on the web.
I was pretty disappointed that it wasn’t available in the US.
So yes on the orange special edition. It’s probably the only way I’d consider the car.
I would rather have a stick, and the top level stereo is a must, as is the climate package. It gets unpleasant in MT.
I say go for it. I am not too fond of that shade of orange and would prefer, like other have said, a brighter shade, but the interior is a go for me. Maybee also offer a blue version?
For me, it would have to be a manual transmission and the availability of climate and bi-xenon is essential.
These special editions are interesting, but a real hi-performance C30 and the availability of AWD are most needed.
[...] have a chance to buy such a C30 no matter how badly you want it, but Volvo product communications guru Dan Johnston is listening to all comments left over at our friends at Swedespeed. Check ‘em out by [...]
Yes, go with it…but not a fan of the expensive to replace headlights. As for the transmission….go with a new dry clutch twin clutch 6 speed auto/manual. Get a Direct Injection Turbo engine to go with the DSG type tranny. Should kick HP up to 270 or so. Or heck, put in the high pressure turbo. Lets rock n roll.
Heck the new Kia Sportage small SUV is coming with a 270 hp Turbo Direct Injection 4 with a dual clutch automatic. And you can also get it in Orange metallic with orange interior.
Seems to be catching on.
Yes, please! Whatever you do, though, PLEASE leave the option of a proper manual transmission.
The Volvo P1800 is one of my iconic cars. My first car was a Toyota Corolla SR5 Liftback, a poor man’s copy of the Volvo.
I love the looks of the C30. I wish it was a turbo direct injected four rather than a five cylinder. I just never liked the idea of odd numbers of cylinders and fuel economy isn’t as good as I’d like for the size of the C30 in the US. I had hoped that Ford would keep Volvo and that maybe the C30 would get the new Ford 2.5 liter I4 with a turbo. It’s still on my list because of styling. and I do love the C30 interior. My Lincoln-Mercury dealer is also a Volvo dealer. I look at the C30 every time I stop in for service. It’s still a head turner.
The two-tone exterior options and similar color splashes on the interior work for me.
I don’t know that orange is a color I’d ever spring for but Volvo should have a modern fresh design feel. Orange fits with the Scandinavian spare, modern look.
Yes, I like the colors and the options.
Xenon: NO – it’s expensive to replace
Automatic trans – NO – it’s heavy
Climate – YES – it’s convenient
(copied and pasted from my comment on AutoBlog)
Here’s the C30′s problem. It’s competitive in 2 areas:
Luxury (refinement, build quality)
Safety
It’s not competitive in 3 other areas:
Price
Performance
Fuel Efficiency
The problem is that those last 3 areas are the most important to the majority of hatch back drivers. I suspect Lexus will have the same problem with their hatch.
Volvo isn’t going to make the C30 as affordable as other base hot hatches, but they can certainly up their performance and/or efficiency. Maybe offering 2 engine trims, a more traditional 4 cylinder turbo (for efficiency) and a larger displacement 4 cylinder or even 6 cylinder for the upper end model (for performance).
That’s how they should fix the C30. Not colored seats.
I’m a car fanatic. I’ve said time and time again – as recently as yesterday – that if I were in the market for a car my first choice would be the C30. It’s simply dynamic. The styling is to die for.
I’m also a fan of flashy styling nuances, and the color orange (I have on orange glasses and have been using an orange-ink pen for the past hour.)
So – #1: My thoughts? “Please offer this. If only for me to daydream.” #2: I would definitely go for bi-xenons and a climate package, but would stick with a manual transmission. I think if a person has enough ‘wild’ in them to purchase a bright orange car with bright orange seats and trim, they’re probably into more spirited driving (which to me means ‘manual transmission’).
Please make this package available! In New York City! For me to… watch scooting around town.
I would love to see lower body panels that match the exterior available directly from the factory as an option when ordering the C30 T5. Originally, the C30 was available with way too many color choices, too many options, etc. Now, the car is way too basic. Yes to other colors, brighter more options such as the climate, bi-xenon lights, auto-dimming mirror, home-link and alarm. Make the car more complete as it once was available. Volvo goes from too much too basic. Keep in mind: the lion share of buyers for this car are not the younger demographic which the car appeals to. Rather, the buyer is older and therefore able to afford the car. They want comfort, such as 17″ wheels and non-sport suspension. The R-Design is nice, but too over the top sporty for much of demographic that actually buys the car. I should know, I have been selling Volvo for the past fifteen years all at one store. Thanks for listening.
The exterior is actually more tasteful than I would have thought. I’m a big fan of orange, but not on my cars (I prefer darker grays). To have the interior as an option on a gray or silver car would be ideal, since it would spice up a currently-bland interior.
The auto should be an option, though it isn’t one I would want. If I could build my own, I’d go with a pearlescent gray with the orange/gray interior, 6MT, premium sound, climate package, sunroof, 17″ wheels.
[...] have a chance to buy such a C30 no matter how badly you want it, but Volvo product communications guru Dan Johnston is listening to all comments left over at our friends at Swedespeed. Check ‘em out by [...]
Yes, you’d need an auto trans option in North American and the climate package also. Probably don’t need xenons. But offering this variant or not won’t make much difference. The interior needs a re-work anyway –the dash, IP, green lighting, and materials need an update. Orange seats aren’t going to change that.
The C30 is a great-looking car that just doesn’t add up, at least in the US. The competition (e.g., GTI) is cheaper, handles better, and is fresher.
Question 1:
To me, it’s somewhat desirable… but it’s more addressing the symptoms than it is addressing the core question. Bright colors do not a desirable car make, but bright colors can certainly accent a higher-end vehicle.
Take a look at a vehicle like the Mitsubishi Evo when compared to its Lancer compatriot. The car is sportier, quicker and more aggressive looking, sure, but the real value comes from the enhancements for the “tuner” crowd. The same is true of the WRX when compared to the 2.5RS. It’s a touch quicker, sure, but its value is to the community of folks who are looking to modify and keep their cars. Heck, buy the STi and you get a robust gearbox and a wider chassis!
Adding orange seat accents and a bright new paint job to the car doesn’t address the desires of the community who would wish to buy such a vehicle. It’s a bit like having 12 shift knob options on a Scion that will never make more than 200hp – it just doesn’t appeal all the way. If you want bright colors and a more aggressive look to be desirable, the vehicle needs to have the beans to back it up.
Make it AWD 6-speed manual only, put a slightly larger turbocharger on it and do something that appeals to that crowd in a truer way. Maybe it’s a different chassis with wider front and rear fenders to support wider tires… maybe it’s LSDs all around… heck, maybe you build a closed-deck motor with foraged pistons and slightly higher compression. The sky is the limit.
My point is that the bright rally blue color you can get on a WRX wouldn’t be so popular if it was only available on the 2.5RS. The *color* is not what makes that color so popular! It’s the entire overhaul of the vehicle that people *advertise* by choosing that color.
I don’t want an orange car. I want a car that deserves to wear orange.
Question 2: No to the auto trans, possibly to the climate package, yes to the xenons.
Color seems good, nice that the seat inserts are cloth rather than slick leather.
Orange is a “hot-n-spicy” color, however, and without “hot-n-spicy” performance to go along with it, seems to be “all-show; no-go”. Nothing really wrong with that – there are Dodge minivans with stripes, alloy wheels and “Sport” badges from the factory – just would expect Volvo to have more substance.
So – “No” to premium audio, Xenon, Auto-trans – “Yes!” to bigger/better brakes, stiffer suspension, and more power (however that gets accomplished; ECU, Exhaust, Bigger turbo, D.I.)
I would *love* a package like this. The C30 is already a uniquely sculpted car, and this just completes it beautifully. I agree with Joel above, that it’s youthful while still being true to Volvo. I really hope you make it, and this is not all just a clever ruse.
[...] have a chance to buy such a C30 no matter how badly you want it, but Volvo product communications guru Dan Johnston is listening to all comments left over at our friends at Swedespeed. Check ‘em out by [...]
Screw the eye candy Volvo and bring over some diesel engines into the USA.
Dan,
Thank you for pulling these comments together. There are a lot
of good ideas above in the list. My responses to your questions
are just after the most obvious missing feature on the car:
INTEGRATED CHILD SEATS
I would like an option to install the integrated
back-seat child booster seats like on the
V70 Summum. This is good for parents, uncles,
aunts, nannies, grand-parents, etc.
If it were for me, I would prefer the car to have a
really powerful engine – could be a turbo or an
electric assist if the engine is supposed to stay small
I would like an elegent interior, and little or no markings
that would indicate that it is anything other than
a standard C30 when seen from the outside – at least to
the casual observer. The Audi RS line could be a
good reference point.
Premium audio – just make a built in dock that would
use ( and charge ) my iPhone or iPod. If you are feeling
up to it, fit an iPad into the centre console dashboard and
build a custom app that would use it for the navigation,
climate control, etc.
Xenon Lights – yes
Xenon back-up lights – yes
Heated seats – yes
Heated windshield – yes
Heated rear window – yes
Volvo leather seats are some of the best out there – don’t screw’em up
Glass top would make that car feel bigger inside ( see Audi A3 )
I would like a button to soften the ride for long trips
Automatic transmission is fine but make it a good one – dual clutch with fast smooth changes
I would really like to downsize to a smaller car. The C30 still feels a bit cheap when in the driver’s seat. Would love to try it again.
I’d love to see you guys do another special color combo like this. My advice is that it has to stay rare and focused. It’d be following that list of the hallowed color combos: Cream Yellow T-5R’s, Saffron R’s and C70′s, Laser Blue, Flash Green, Sonic Blue, etc…
To still maintain credibility as part of that aforementioned lineup, do what you used to do, and resist the urge to do this sort of thing to every R-design car on the lineup. You can’t decide to roll this onto the XC60 R-design in a couple more years, for example, or else one starts to wonder if this is one of *those* colors, or just another color on the palette. With no R cars right now, the C30 is sort of the focus of the tiny but rabid Volvo performance fan base, and the S60 should add to that.
Any of the options would be fine, some are going to want to go enthusiast spec and others are going to want the plushiness. Climate control and Xenon seem to be competitiveness indicators when cross shopping.
Transmission? I’d certainly only be interested in the 6 speed, but you know North America…
I’d still love to one day see a blue and yellow rarity pop up, I think you know why
Something along the lines of the Sonic Blue/Gobi R’s.
I say yes, but not 17″. Do 18″ special Rim.
IMHO $2k is an insurance policy against other drivers. I doubt others can make the above claim as well as we can.
dan
Interesting…very interesting.
dan
Uping HP would be interesting. I suspect it might overpower the FWD and putting in AWD would really add to $$$. Swapping engines and/or modifying them gets expensive and we’re then bumping into other vehicles with non-competitive pricing. We do understand your comment. Thanks.
Also, I’ve asked our product guy for couple of better photos. Blackberry Curve does have it’s limits.
dan
wow, yes yes yes. twin clutch with DGI would be sweet. Just takes about million dollars to make it US EPA legal and then have certification testing. THATS the problem, cost vs sales. It’s very tough line to follow/find.
dj
AnalogDan (cool name)
Yes points well taken. Thanks.
dan
Hi Ron,
Good points. Appreciate you taking time from work to comment.
thanks,
dan
yes, points well taken. It should deserve to be orange.
dan
when we approved an engine family for this market, diesels were a very small part of what our total volumn would be, maybe just few thousand, maybe at best four thousand. Since our US Government EPA rules manadate particulates not CO (as does rest-of-world) we would have to build an emission system for this market. Not going to happen considering our current small scale volumns. The best way, in our opinion, is to regulate CO, get under that magic 120 grams per kilometer feeling. We should have diesels but we will not. Our future transition will be more electrifying.
dan
there seems to be, much like in Europe, a trend to add luxuary to smaller cars. I think it’s good, we all should think smaller. Good points. Thanks.
dan
Hi Joe.
I too am a fan of special love it or hate it colors.
dan