| For the past ten years, Volvo has been | | | | headspace for anyone sitting on the |
| moving away from their reputation of | | | | second row. |
| making boxy cars. While the original | | | | While the design of the car has been |
| design is an effort of the company in | | | | given much attention, the performance |
| relation to their "safety first" | | | | has also been given the same thought. |
| philosophy, competition have upped the | | | | The coupe's powerplant is a turbocharged |
| ante in terms of designs in an effort to | | | | five-cylinder engine which can provide |
| attract younger buyers that will remain | | | | up to 218 horsepower and coupled to |
| loyal to them. The logical step | | | | either a six-speed manual or a |
| therefore is for Volvo to design stylish | | | | five-speed automatic transmission |
| car in consonance with today's | | | | depending on what the customer opts for. |
| standards. But the effort to alter | | | | Both transmissions facilitate the |
| their tried and tested design must be | | | | smooth transition of power from the |
| done while still keeping the safety of | | | | Volvo plug-induced combustion in the |
| their customers in mind. This evolution | | | | souped up engine to the wheels. The |
| in the design of Volvo cars is apparent | | | | engine can power the car from a |
| in its first entry to the compact luxury | | | | standstill to 60 miles per hour in 6.6 |
| car market which is the Volvo C30. | | | | seconds and can further give it a top |
| The car's exterior, designed by Simon | | | | speed of 146 mph. Suspension comes in |
| Lamarre, is a testament to the company's | | | | two settings which are the Comfort and |
| effort to connect with the younger | | | | the Dynamic which allows the driver to |
| generation of car buyers. The Volvo C30 | | | | adapt the suspension to the terrain he |
| is a combination of modern styling and a | | | | is driving his over. |
| touch of past styling evident on the | | | | Safety is once again emphasized by Volvo |
| coupe's glass tailgate. The designed | | | | in the development of the car; after |
| penned by the Canadian-born designer | | | | all, the Ford Motor Company subsidiary |
| relies on the long rear side windows, | | | | is known the world over by their |
| rear side panels, and the rear window | | | | safety-first attitude towards car |
| with upright taillights on each side to | | | | production. The coupe has the standard |
| catch the attention of its prospective | | | | airbags and safety belts which are the |
| buyers. The interior of the Volvo C30 | | | | most advanced in any vehicle in the |
| is designed to impress, with its | | | | market. It also carries with it two |
| floating center stack as the first thing | | | | safety systems just recently developed |
| that anyone will notice upon entering | | | | and employed by Volvo on their cars. |
| the vehicle. | | | | One of the systems is the BLIS |
| The car is essentially a four seater but | | | | technology or Blindspot Information |
| the compact design of the coupe makes | | | | System which uses cameras to alert the |
| access to the second row of seats a | | | | driver if any car has entered his |
| little bit hard. But the car is | | | | blindspot. Another system being |
| intended by Volvo to be used as a two | | | | employed by the car is IDIS or |
| seater with extra luggage space. With | | | | Intelligent Driver Information System |
| this in mind, the second row of seats | | | | which will suppress text messages and |
| can be folded down to increase its | | | | non-critical warnings when it senses |
| luggage capacity to 32 cubic feet from a | | | | that the driver is working the car hard. |
| meager 10 cubic feet with the second row | | | | The system does this with the aid of |
| of seats in an upright position. The | | | | sensors that checks the steering, |
| sloping roof of the coupe limits the | | | | throttle, and brakes and turn signals. |
| view to the rear and decreases the | | | | |