Five-door hatchbacks are a big deal if you sell cars in Europe, native home of the Volkswagen Golf, the Audi A3, the BMW 1 Series 5-door and other cool cars. Volvo doesn't have a 5-door hatch -- just the sharp-looking, but slow-selling C30 3-door and the V50 wagon.
We already knew the Swedish automaker was working on a compact, 5-door hatch, as we were shown a top secret illustration of a heavily restyled, 5-door C30 at a product briefing for the S60 back in February -- before the sale to Geely was final.
This week, new Volvo CEO Stefan Jacoby confirmed that getting this hatchback to market for the 2012 model year is the automaker's top priority. But we have a feeling Jacoby has asked recently-returned Volvo designer Peter Horbury to take another crack at styling this very important car.
"Simplicity is the key," Jacoby told Correspondent Richard Bremner. "We need to stop copying the Germans. We should express what Scandinavia stands for -- high values for human beings, strong social security and welfare. We don't have to be the same size or have the same package."
Although the new five-door hatch will likely still resemble the C30, Jacoby told Bremner, "A new face is something we are looking at. We need a more distinguishing front end, and this will be the first step in our new models."
lautomobile says:
04:43 PM, 10/15/10
A more attractive mug and two more doors would certainly make me take a closer look at this car. I want to like this car, but its looks and the practicality of being a 3-door are hard to get past.
firstwagon says:
09:36 PM, 10/15/10
I like the looks of the 3 door but the price is hard to get past.
huyracing says:
08:18 AM, 10/16/10
sounds like they have the right idea, but they need to bring back AWD to differentiate the car. FWD crowd is tough and it cannot compete due to its soft tuning. i was interested until i saw AWD was taken off the list.
ed124c says:
09:12 AM, 10/16/10
I suppose that saying the C30 front end looks better than a Mazda3's is damning with faint praise. But, I think the car is quite good looking-- from any vantage. I would hate to see the 5-door turn out to be just another anonymous looking car like an Impreza or Matrix.
I guess, if I were going to change the C30, I would lower the MSRP. Too bad we can't get a Swedish Volvo at (presumably lower) Chinese pricing.
jscion says:
10:29 AM, 10/17/10
The C30 is a very attractive car but the price is a problem. If there was a less expensive model, it may give those who otherwise would turn to a VW Golf, Scion TC, and Mini Cooper a very convincing option.