Volvo has announced that after a six-year run it has ceased production of its C30 hatchback.
The C30 formed an integral part of Volvo’s brand rejuvenation – moving the traditional focus from dowdy, yet practical station wagons and saloons to more daring styling and a two-door package that would appeal to the brand’s previously untapped youth market.
It’s unclear as to the exact reasons for pulling the plug on the C30, although it’s fair to assume that volumes were never going to be particularly high, but one of the theories placed forward by a Volvo SA spokesperson was that the market has become more conducive to 5-door hatchbacks due to the versatility they offer. There was also the consensus that a serious facelift to the C30 to accommodate a 5-door body shape would prove wasteful given the emergence of the V40 to fulfill such a role and would dilute the compact dimensions that formed part of the C30’s initial appeal.
The local implications of this move are that the C30 will still be available on run-out for at least another year. Volvo SA has not been able to confirm whether this run-out will bring with it price reductions as stock depletes, but a review of the figures in January could potentially see some specials at local dealerships.
The C30’s eventual departure will see the V40 filling the entry-level gap in the firm’s model line-up and while the C30 is headed for retirement, Volvo has not completely nixed the idea of an equivalent replacement further down the line.