Volvo Shows C30 Polestar Performance Concept with 405HP

This is the first official photograph of the Volvo C30 Polestar Performance concept that was revealed today at the Gothenburg Motor Show (22-25 April, 2010). The hot hatch was developed in cooperation with Volvo's racing partner, Polestar Performance, as a road car version of their C30 racer.

According to the company, the C30 Performance Concept Prototype "was designed to evaluate what happens when a Championship-winning team of race engineers and designers get free-rein to design and engineer a car rather than developing it to fit very specific race regulations."

It features a heavily modified version of the standard C30's 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-five with a larger turbo and intercooler, and different pistons, conrods and inlet camshaft. The result is an output of 405HP and 510Nm or 376 lb-ft of peak torque.

The hatch uses a Haldex all-wheel drive system and a Quaife mechanical differential while Polestar's engineers upgraded the car's suspension, braking and steering wheel systems.

It also features an aerodynamic kit derived from the STCC race car, large 19-inch alloy wheels wrapped in beefy Pirelli P Zero 235/35 ZR 19 tires, and leather racing seats with four-point harness.

Polestar C30 Performance Concept Prototype Technical Specification

Engine:

Volvo T5: 2.5L Turbo with larger intercooler and KKK 26 turbo
Modified pistons, conrods and inlet camshaft

Power Output: 405 hp. Torque: 510 Nm

Drivetrain:
Quaife mechanical differential brake front and rear
Haldex AWD

Chassis:
Öhlins shock absorbers and springs
More responsive steering rack with 2,25 ratio

Brakes:
Front: Brembo 380mm discs with six piston calipers
Rear: Brembo 330mm discs with four piston calipers

Rims and Tyres:
BBS FI 19x8,75"
Pirelli P Zero 235/35 ZR 19

Interior:

Racing seats with Ternsjö leather and four point harness

Exterior:

Aerodynamics derived from the STCC race car

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Volvo's Racing Partner Teases C30 Concept with AWD and 400HP

Volvo has teamed up with its racing partner 'Polestar Performance', which handles the firm's championship-winning Swedish Touring Car Team, to develop the C30 Performance Concept Prototype.

The idea behind the project is to create the ultimate C30 without being halted by specific race regulations. The concept includes a 400-horsepower engine, all-wheel-drive, and aerodynamics based on Polestar's race car data.

"We love the Volvo C30 - it's a great car with huge potential for development with its low weight and low centre of gravity. It's also a fantastic road car. But now we go much further by combining the road car with cutting edge racing technology," says Robert Dahlgren, race and development driver at Polestar.

The 400HP-strong C30 concept car will have its world premiere at the Gothenburg Motor Show on April 22.

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Pure-Electric Volvo C30 to Debut at Detroit Show, Trial Runs Start in 2011

Volvo is the second automaker after BMW and its Concept ActiveE to announce the debut of a pure-electric model based on a production car at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show next January. And like BMW, Volvo plans to build a test fleet of at least 50 plug-in C30s, which will be used in real-life traffic from 2011.

The Swedes first showed us an electric C30 prototype in September 2009. Aside from being based on the facelift C30, the Detroit Show model has been further refined and now features both a complete interior and full instrumentation, as well as enhanced battery packaging.

"The first prototype helped us identify the main technological challenges, such as battery packaging and safety issues." said Lennart Stegland, Director of Volvo Cars Special Vehicles.

"We have addressed these challenges without compromising the C30's cool and fun-to-drive personality. I am very happy with the result. The electric C30 in Detroit is a much more complete product," Stegland concluded.

The latest plug-in C30 uses an electric motor fitted under the bonnet while the Lithium-Ion batteries (24 kWh) are installed in the propshaft tunnel and in the space normally occupied by the fuel tank, outside the passenger compartment and away from the deformations zones for safety reasons.

The Lithium-Ion batteries that can be recharged via either a regular household power socket or special roadside charging stations. The Swedes said that a full recharge takes about eight hours

The three-door hatchback has a top speed of about 130 km/h or 81 mph, while Volvo said that it can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph (96km/h) in less than 11 seconds. The car's driving range is up to 150 km or 94 mile, which Volvo claims covers the daily transport needs of more than 90 percent of all motorists in Europe.

Aside from the special graphics, colors and wheels, the electric C30 looks no different on the outside than a regular C30 while inside, the most obvious changes concern the new trim, revised instrument panel and the new gear selector.

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