2008 Volvo C30
At 167.4 inches long, C30 is Volvo's smallest offering and with a zero to 60 time
of 6.2 seconds, it's also Volvo's fastest.

Volvo is chasing every automaker's dream audience: twenty- to thirty-something urbanites with money to burn and a statement to make, a group Volvo PR's James Hope calls "a new breed of Volvo customer." With the 2008 Volvo C30, the manufacturer is trying to transform its image from safe and conservative to sporty and stylish, with what Hope labels "our most dramatically styled vehicle."

While the 2-door hatchback is all new, it might look a little familiar. The 2008 Volvo C30 shares its basic design with the company's S40 sedan and V50 wagon and is 8.5 inches shorter and 320 pounds lighter than S40. It traces its heritage back to the 2006 Detroit Auto Show's C30 Concept, further back to the 2001 Detroit Auto Show's Safety Concept Car, and back several decades more to the 1971 to 1973 Volvo P1800 ES.

2008 Volvo C30 Prices
Version 1.0: $22,700
Version 2.0: $25,700
plus $745 destination fee.

At 167.4 inches long, C30 is Volvo's smallest offering and with a zero to 60 time of 6.2 seconds, it's also Volvo's fastest. C30 seats four passengers, each with their own bucket seat. Two versions will be offered. Both Versions 1.0 and 2.0 use a 227-horsepower 2.5-liter turbocharged inline 5-cylinder engine and five-speed automatic or 6-speed manual transmission. Version 2.0 adds an upgraded sound system, satellite radio, rear spoiler, sport suspension, and 18 inch wheels and tires that replace Version 1.0's 17s.
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While Volvo's aspirations of significantly lowering its audience's average age (currently 49 years old) are lofty, the automaker is starting small with C30. Volvo aims to sell only 8,000 units of C30 during its first year. Look for C30 at dealerships in early October.

2008 Volvo C30
C30 seats four passengers, each with their own bucket seat.