I was sitting in a cafe the other day with my wife and I watched a nice looking rear end go by the window. I had never really notice the Volvo C30 until then, mostly because I tend not to really notice Volvos, but this was a nice looking car. I like the look of the tail lights framing the glass hatch and all of that following a snubbed off pit bull face of a nose. How many horses does that bonnet conceal again? 227 of them, which puts it squarely between a VW GTI and a Mazdaspeed3 in terms of power and to 100 kph in 6.something (nobody seems to agree). It’s a hot hatch, therefore I like it. It has great lines, clearly marking it as a Volvo but moving beyond their norm, and I don’t see many of them on the road, which is also a plus. Am I just trying to fill the hole in my heart reserved for a VW Scirocco R? Probably, but who cares? I suddenly find myself wanting a Volvo.

Now I find out that Volvo just released a bunch of info on a face-lifted C30 with an additional transmission offered (a dual-clutch). For the most part, it’s just the current model with a heavy pinch of S60 concept and multiple exterior trim options. Gallery after the jump.

PS: Börk, Ikea, Meatballs. Sorry, I forgot that this was a Volvo/Saab article and that I was required by car writer law to make stupid Swede jokes.

[Volvo]