Detroit Motor Show - Volvo

Another sexy Volvo
There's definitely something in the water at Volvo these days.

This striking C30 will go head-to-head with other small hatches like the Audi A3 and Alfa 147 when it goes on sale late this year.

Priced from around £15,000, the final version of the hatch will be almost exactly like this sporty concept, which points to how a range-topping 260bhp version, in particular, will look (around £25,000 for this one sunshine).

It will only be available as a three-door and, after many years of four-seat design studies being turned into cramped five-seater production cars, retain the concept's four-seater layout too.

The rear of the car sweeps in towards the tail quite dramatically, but there's decent-enough shoulder room for two adults to get comfortably on their individual seats.

Besides an entry-level 1.6- and top-of-the-range 2.4-litre petrol engines, the C30 is also likely to be available with a 125bhp 1.8-litre petrol motor, and as many as three diesels offering 110bhp, 136bhp or 180bhp.

They say
The styling of the C30 Design Concept is inspired by the classic Volvo P1800 ES and Volvo's recent Safety Car Concept.

Design boss Steve Mattin says of the 'horseshoe-shaped' light clusters: 'The rear light pattern is so unusual that you'll never be in any doubt about what car you have in front of you.'

We say
Okay, we like the C30 and get the SCC comparison, but we wouldn't want to meet the horses that use shoes like those light clusters, nice though they may be.