Volvo planning C30 SUV, five-door

[alin89 9]

With MINI’s Countryman now out in the open, reports have surfaced that Volvo is readying a small soft-roader of its own. Based on the C30 hatchback, the compact crossover is tipped to surface sometime in 2012.

Volvo is apparently renewing its earlier commitment to build a 5-door CUV on the C30 platform. The C30 hatchback hasn’t been the smash success Volvo had hoped for, but the Swedish automaker is planning a model expansion to open up the line to more buyers. First on the docket will be a small soft-roader – dubbed the XC30 – which is set to take on MINI’s new Countryman as well as future models like the BMW X1 and Audi Q3.

Set to bow in 2012, the XC30 will slot beneath the XC60 and XC90, but should adopt the XC line’s design language. The XC30 will feature all-wheel drive, as well as gas and diesel powerplants.

“There will be some further expansion of the XC range in the near future,†Volvo executive Lex Kerssemakers said. “Naturally you would go down at this moment because we’re rather well filled with XC60, XC70 and XC90.â€

In addition to the XC30, Volvo is also developing a five-door version of the C30. Although the three-door body style of the current C30 allows for a sleeker shape, Kerssemakers admits that its limited interior space turns off some buyers. As a result, a five-door version of the C30 should hit the market sometime in the next few years.

Sursa: http://www.leftlanenews.com/report-volvo-planning-c30-suv-five-door-models.html

[Andreos 47]

se face..

http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle/AllCars/254585/

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/carreviews/firstdrives/203592/volvo_xc30.html

Hotnews.ro:

"Volvo a dat prioritate proiectului de dezvoltare a unui SUV compact bazat pe platforma lui C30, masina urmand sa iasa pe piata in 2013 si sa concureze cu Audi Q3 si BMW X1, scrie revista britanica Autocar. SUV-ul ar urma sa aiba circa 4,35 metri lungime si va ajuta producatorul suedez sa-si creasca vanzarile in Europa si China. Volvo a vandut circa 380.000 de masini anul trecut cand a fost preluata de holding-ul chinez Geely, iar obiectivul este atingerea unor vanzari anuale de 800.000 de unitati in 2020.

SUV-ul s-ar putea numi XC30 ai va avea la baza o versiune a platformei utilizata in prezent la C30, cel mai mic model al gamei. Masina de cinci locuri ar urma sa se adreseze mai ales clientelei tinere si va concura atat cu BMW X1 cat si cu viitorul SUV Audi Q3 dar si cu un SUV compact ce va fi lansat si de Mercedes, numit probabil GLC.

Conducerea Volvo da unda verde proeictului XC30 in detrimentul noului S40 care a fost pus in stand-by, managerii considerand ca XC30 va fi un model mai profitabil care va ajuta cresterea rapida a volumelor de vanzari ale marcii. E foarte posibil ca pentru piata chineza sa existe o varianta diferita ca dimensiuni si dotari a lui XC30.

Volvo a fost preluata anul trecut de chinezii de la Geely care vor ca intr-un deceniu vanzarile anuale sa ajunga la 800.000, dublu fata de situatia din prezent. Suedezii au anuntat ca angajeaza inca 200 de oameni la fabrica de langa Goteborg unde productia va creste de la 48 masini/ora, la 52 masini/ora."