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Posted: 10/17/06
05:16 AM
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Do you guys think the new Volvo C30 is going to be a formidable competitor to the GTI? Do you think it will be a competitor to the Mini Cooper, or is it a totally different buyer?
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nonkey
New User
| Posts: 8
| Joined: 11/06
Posted: 11/14/06
02:03 AM
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The behaviour of Volvo C30 T5 in limiting modes is reliable and safe, but accuracy of reactions that is present at Mini Cooper here is not present.
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Vladimir
http://drivechannel.blogspot.com
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Volvofank
New User
| Posts: 2
| Joined: 05/07
Posted: 05/19/07
11:04 AM
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Having test driven the 2.5 engined C30 already Volvo's C30 is far away from a GTi compeititor and is marketed towards a confusing trend of niches held by "young" aspiring drivers. Quite how Volvo have managed to get away with it is beyond me. Here in the UK the C30 is priced fairly expensive for all that it is a shortened S40 with three doors and doesn't look particularly individual in a range which has recently been updated, but no less classy than ranges from Volvo's past. Take the S80 for example, blink and you'll think it was the last BMW 5 series saloon before the horrible Bangle designer cuts across the flanks; the C30 is a mix of Ford Focus with a sloping rear hatch which is supposed to mimic the 1800 ES fastback but looks more like a squat more modernised version of the Dutch built 480 ES from the 1980's. Sadly for all that Ford owns Volvo, the Focus ST is a far better proposition, more power, better handling and feel and a lot more direct contact with the road than the C30 which runs on the same platform and donates the same engine. The Focus has more usable space too.
Whilst the quality and design colours are supposed to emulate the style of BMW's Mini Cooper, the C30 is a poor Swedish interpretation of driving fun and drivers looking for a GTi based model should consider Ford's Focus rather than the C30. C is supposed to stand for Compact and that's what it most certainly is but Volvo need to rethink their position in their market for niches which it would like to think it re-creates. Take away the novel sloped rear and spoilers and you're left with a car which could so easily be made by another company. Volvo could have given the 3CC concept coupe instead of this mainstream model which has little individuality apart from quite literally being seen from the rear.
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