Well this certainly clears the rumours that the C30 was on its way out along with the V50 and S40, both of which have been confirmed to be discontinued after this year.
Volvo has been pondering the idea of a 5-door version of the C30 ever since its inception and now we have proof that it is indeed in the works. However, what isn’t clear is what the smallest Volvo’s nomenclature will be. Since the ‘C’ in all Volvo alphanumeric names designates coupes only, it’s likely this 5-door C30 will bare the name of V30 as V’s are typically reserved for wagon types. Then again, the C30 isn’t a wagon, it’s a hatchback. All very confusing, isn’t it? Regardless, this won’t be the only iteration of the 5-door C30 as a jacked-up crossover variant (like the XC70) is also reportedly in the works. It stands to reason that it would be called the XC30.
This is likely a smart move on Volvo’s part if they are truely wishing to compete with the big boys such as the Audi A3, Lexus CT200h, the Mercedes-Benz B-Class and the BMW 1-series hatchback. Also, with rumours of Saab returning back to its hatchback roots (assuming Saab lives on long enough), Volvo will definitely need a competitor for its ultimate rival.
The 5-door C30 or V30 or XC30 or whatever you want to call it, is expected to debut in late 2012 or early 2013 along with a complete redesign of the C30 coupe.
[Autoblog]
