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The Volvo C30 Project – targeting dynamic customers with a hectic urban lifestyle

4 January 2006

With the new Volvo C30 Design Concept, Volvo Cars gives the world a taste of the C30 Project – which has its sights set on giving a young, dynamic customer group its "own" Volvo.

"We know there are large numbers of fairly young, successful people who are attracted by our brand, but who still cannot find a model in our range that exactly matches their taste and lifestyle. The Volvo C30 Design Concept was developed precisely for this group," says Fredrik Arp, President and CEO of Volvo Cars.

During the evolution of the C30 Project, Volvo Cars organized customer clinics in several European countries. Young urbanites with accelerating careers and an intensive lifestyle were invited to give their views on the car’s design and technical content.

For an active life in the city
Volvo focused primarily on singles and on couples without children, who regard the car as a tool for pursuing their hectic lifestyles. When they buy clothes, decorate their homes or purchase home electronics, design and brand name are particularly important factors – and they choose their cars according to the same criteria. "These customers move in a fast pace between home, work, meetings, the gym and their favourite restaurants and nightclubs in town. Many of them describe their ideal car as a runabout – a nimble car to get them where they want to go. They focus on attractive design and entertaining driving properties and rarely go more than two people in the car," explains Håkan Abrahamsson, C30 Project Director.

Design inspiration from the SCC
The customer clinics confirmed that Volvo had chosen the right path. A sporty design with two doors, four individual seats and lines inspired by the Volvo Safety Concept Car, makes the forthcoming production model a keen contender in a segment where competition for customers is razor-sharp.

"At the Milan clinic, one of the participants said: ‘At long last an exciting new challenger in the segment, probably my first Volvo.’ It’s an excellent reflection of our ambition for the C30 project," says Håkan Abrahamsson.

Unveiling in Paris in 2006
The Volvo C30 Design Concept, which is being shown at the Detroit Motor Show, offers a taste of what’s to come in the forthcoming production model. The wraps will come off the new Volvo C30 at the Paris motor show in September 2006, and the car will be successively introduced throughout the world starting at the end of the year.

"The Volvo C30 plays an important role in the hunt for sales growth to 600,000 cars a year. It is vital that we broaden our model range so that customers with an active urban lifestyle can choose a Volvo with the right appeal as early as possible," says Fredrik Arp.

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