Get sporty look for no extra cost
IT’S not very often that a car manufacturer offers you something for nothing.
But that’s exactly what Volvo is doing with its R-Design Sport package on a variety of models.
Take the entry level C30 for example. You can have a C30 in standard trim with the choice of diesel or petrol engines or you can go for the sporting image by opting for the very comprehensive R-Design Sport package without paying a penny extra.
The package means you get a look which will definitely ensure your car gets noticed. It includes a special bodykit with sideskirts, flaired wheel arches and front and rear skirts.
In addition there is a rear spoiler, alloy wheels, and an R-Design logo on the grille.
The sporting theme is continued inside too with cream leather and off-black T-Tec fabric, aluminium sports pedals and eye-catching blue instrument dials.
Volvo did offer a sports package on this model before but it was not as extensive – and you had to pay extra for it.
The R-Design Sport package has been introduced in a bid to attract younger buyers to the brand and there is little doubt the new look has a lot of appeal. I’m not quite sure about the rear spoiler but the rest of the kit makes the C30 look a lot more grown up.
It may not make the car go any faster but it certainly leaves it looking as if it should and I can see potential buyers of VW Golfs and Audi A3 models being tempted by the new no-cost look.
The introductory model in the C30 range, which has a 1.6-litre petrol engine, is priced at £14,995 on-the-road with or without the R-Design Sport package.
I tried out a 2.0-litre diesel C30 with the R-Design Sport package but this one had an added £140 optional extra – the new Powershift automatic gearbox now being offered by Volvo.
Unlike a conventional automatic, Powershift uses two clutches, one controlling the gear you are coming out of and the other the gear you are changing into.
That means you get super fast gear changes with no drop in power. In fact on this system – which is similar to the DSG sy-tem on VW/Audi models – the changes are not only fast but seamless and are operated quicker than a driver could change using a manual gearbox.
I also found the kickdown particularly responsive on the C30 and drivers have the bonus of being able to operate the gearbox manually when the mood takes them.
The added bonus with this gearbox is you don’t use anywhere near as much fuel as with a conventional auto box. In fact the 2.0-litre diesel model that I tried averages almost 48 miles per gallon.
This car is priced at £18,270 plus £1,400 for Powershift.
While the R-Design package is purely cosmetic on the C30 series it comes with handling improvements on the Swedish company’s big off-roader, the XC90 so on this model the package will cost you.
Changes to the standard model which has the Sports package on board include a specially tuned dynamic chassis, stiffer anti-roll bars, firmer shock absorbers and sport tuned speed-dependent steering.
On the road there a noticeable difference in handling, with the big 4x4 able to take bends in almost sportscar style. Forget the traditional roll of an off-roader, this one is pin sharp and tight on corners with a tremendous amount of grip of the road.
Visually you get 19 inch alloys, quad exhaust pipes, a silk finish to the rear view mirrors and the absence of roof rails - to make it look sleeker.
Inside you get leather faced sports seats in contrasting cream and black as well as aluminium sports pedals.
On the D5 diesel version of the XC90 the R-Design model is £37,645.
Also new from Volvo is a new 2.0-litre turbo diesel and a 2.0-litre petrol engine for the V70 and S80 models, both boasting low emissions and impressive fuel economy.
The diesel, while being no road rocket, is certainly lively enough and has a hefty amount of torque. In the S80 it has a top speed of 124 mph and takes 10.4 seconds to reach 60 mph. But best of all it averages almost 50 mpg and has a Co2 figure of 151g/km. Prices start at £24, 345 for the SE model and £25,845 for the V70 version.
Petrol engined versions are priced from £23,495 and £24,995 respectively.
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