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Volvo planning Golf rival, 'breathtaking' C60 coupe

Despite just having refreshed nearly its entire portfolio, Volvo is still in the middle of a big product offensive. Vehicles like the C30 hatchback and C70 convertible have been given the axe, but a brand-new platform is being developed in addition to the Scalable Platform Architecture (SPA) that will underpin larger vehicles. According to Automobile, this means some very interesting newcomers may be on tap for the brand.
Volvo, in collaboration with Geely, is said to be working on a new platform about the size of a Volkswagen Golf that will likely spawn both a sedan and hatchback. Automobile reports that while the automaker's new scalable architecture is quite flexible, it cannot be stretched (or rather, shrunk) to accommodate a smaller vehicle.
Instead, SPA will be used for the company's larger offerings, starting with the V40 on the small end. (Though to our eyes, the current V40 looks plenty Golf-sized to us.) A new XC40 is apparently in the works, as is an S90 flagship, and new versions of the XC60, XC90 and S60 will all be coming based on this new flexible architecture.

How does a massive Volvo truck compare to a Koenigsegg on a track?

Volvo Trucks thinks that its latest FH semi truck has a little sports car DNA mixed in with the ability to haul heavy loads thanks to its novel dual-clutch gearbox. And the company's marketing department certainly has an intriguing strategy to get the word out about the big rig's sporty traits. First, it staged a prank on an unsuspecting valet on the Italian Riviera, and now the FH has lined up a track battle around the Knutstorp racetrack against Sweden's ultimate supercar - a Koenigsegg One:1.
Fifth Gear host Tiff Needell takes the reins of the big Volvo and spends a little bit of time talking up its I-Shift Dual Clutch gearbox. However, the real fun is seeing the FH taking on the One:1. Of course, a head-to-head battle would hardly be fair against these extremely mismatched opponents. Instead, the challenge is for the 1,360-horsepower Koenigsegg to lap the track twice in the same time or less than the semi can do it once.
You just have to watch the video to see how if the big rig rises to the challenge. Also, scroll down to read Volvo Truck's press release touting the new gearbox, and check out the company's YouTube channel for more views of the race and a behind-the-scenes look.

Future Classic: 2008-2013 Volvo C30

Volvo has a storied reputation of building cars that are safe and solid – vehicles that are as cherished for their function-over-form designs as they are their mechanical longevity. But Volvo is also low-key cool. The Swedish carmaker is beloved by enthusiasts for its commitment to offering wagons, and for its many motorsports efforts. Flying brick, anyone? That coolness doesnÂ’t always trickle down to VolvoÂ’s road cars, but every now and then, the company gives us something a little weird. And in the mid-2000s, Volvo introduced the C30: a two-door hatchback geared towards younger, hipper buyers. Was the C30 a luxury compact? A hot hatch? Nah, it didnÂ’t really fit either vibe. Still, the C30 was nevertheless cute and quirky, and compared to other Volvos of the era, it was truly one of a kind. Why is the Volvo C30 a future classic? The C30 rode on the same platform as the S40 sedan and V50 wagon (as well as the contemporary Mazda 3 and EuropeÂ’s second-generation Ford Focus), but had way more personality than both. VolvoÂ’s hallmark tall taillights flanked a huge piece of glass that extended from the roofline to the bumper, serving as the C30Â’s hatch. Of course, this expansive window also meant the items in the cargo area were readily on display, making them an easy target for smash-and-grab thefts. A range of powertrains were available around the world, including diesel engines and even a super-limited-production electric variant. In the U.S., however, we only got the T5 gas engine, which in its standard form produced a 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-5 with 227 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque (more on the not-so-standard form later). You could get a six-speed manual transmission, which wasnÂ’t a terribly engaging gearbox, but was still more fun than the five-speed automatic. With the C30, Volvo put an emphasis on the hatchbackÂ’s ability to pump up the jams. An optional Premium Sound package had 10 Dynaudio speakers, an Alpine subwoofer and Dolby Pro Logic II surround. This setup could even play CDs with MP3 and WMA files, and included an AUX jack for things like iPods. Archaic technology by today's standards, but in the 2000s, this was clutch. 2013 Volvo C30 R-Design Polestar Limited Edition View 12 Photos What is the ideal example of the Volvo C30? One word: Polestar. In 2012, Volvo introduced a limited-edition C30 Polestar, only 250 of which were sold in the United States.