Volvo facelifts the C30 (2009): first photos

By Tim Pollard

First Official Pictures

08 September 2009 10:42

The pace of previews for the 2009 Frankfurt motor show gathers pace. Today it’s the turn of Volvo to show off its new, gently facelifted-for-2009 C30.

The Swedes are trying to ‘sport up’ the C30, so there’s fresh front and rear styling, in line with the revised C70 and taking its inspiration from the S60 concept car. Think curvier lights, more rounded surface treatments and you get the idea.

There’s also a new Sports chassis with faster steering, 30% stiffer springs and recalibrated dampers, while Volvo’s even now calling it the C30 SportsCoupé. Yes, yes – we get the idea!

Those headlamps have been melted by oxy-acetylene torch, and the grille has a new honeycomb pattern sitting within what Volvo calls ‘an iron mask’.

Out the back, there’s a new colour-coded valance while you can pick the new vibrant orange flame colour depicted here. Inside is refreshed with some new colours, too, including some very un-Scandinavian oragnes, greens and blues. Very edgy.

• 1.6, 99bhp, 40.4mpg, 167g/km
• 2.0, 143bhp, 38.2mpg, 177g/km
• T5, 227bhp, 32.5mpg, 203g/km
• 1.6D DRIVe, 108bhp, 62.8mpg, 119g/km (72.4mpg, 104g/km with stop-start)
• 2.0D, 134bhp, 49.6mpg, 151g/km
• D5, 178bhp, 45.6mpg, 164g/km

Sales start in November 2009, after its debut at next week’s 2009 Frankfurt motor show

By Tim Pollard