Ehrm, so where does that leave the V50??? In the Volvo nomenclature:
C = Coupe
S = Sedan
V = Wagon
So they want to build a 5-door coupe now…

I was thinking the same thing. The 3-door looks cool enough. a 5-door version of the C30 would look kinda like a V50. Hey i wonder if they will give it mad ground clearance and start something new like a Cross 4×4 Hatch thingie…

I to destroy a smartly designed three-door? Make it a five-door!

“I” should be “How” above.

what about a rear half door like the RX8

good idea sucide door’s would be a bonus a help develop the potential of this car

Half-doors wouldn’t be a bad idea, could shorten up the front doors a bit then so they lose that “oh right, this wagon I’m driving is also a coupe” sensation when you open the door. I do like the idea of a 3-door hatch a lot, wish my Protege5 was. 3-door gives you the functionality of a wagon without looking like a wagon

I wish they made a C30R or at least offered enough “R” accessories such that I could make it handle like a Mazda (i.e. like the platform-mate Mazdaspeed3) while keeping the AWD and the refinement of the Volvo (obviously losing the comfort to make it handle well though.

V50 is the 5-Door C30 for all necessary purposes. No need for the 5-door.

I think a 5-door is a good idea. I would consider buying a 5-door. A coupe lacks the needed practicality for those of us who wants sporty, but also an occasional people-hauler.

I say nay to the suicide rears on a C30/50, though. It works on an RX-8, because that just makes the RX-8 a more practical sporty coupe. On cars that actually profess to be a five-seater, they’re less successful and sometimes just annoying (think Toyota FJ Cruiser).

A short wheelbase, dual suicide-door hatch would be great competition against the Audi A3, Mini Clubman, and VW GTI. Then keep the V50 for people who need more interior capacity. With the product overlap, however, it may make more sense to discontinue the V50 since it’s Volvo’s slowest seller.

i like it just the way it is as a three door. it would look unproprotional as a five door

I love it, Volvos first inclination is to make a boring ugly 5 door. Great way to keep Volvo an old geyser brand.

5 door coupe = Mazda3.

Volvo is realizing now what Mazda has known all along – hot 5-door hatches sell well. They might as well make it, they’ve got co-ownership of the Mazda3 chassis.

Volvo’s……….and Saab’s have sales figures ????

I don’t think that a compact 5-door hatchback is a bad idea for Volvo. I do think they need to separate it from the C30. The “C” designation signifies a two-door coupe configuration in Volvo’s lineup (C30 & C70). A 5-door hatchback definitely doesn’t justify a “C” designation. I think it will cause confusion in the market. I think they definitely should create this product, but give it a different designation (S30, V40, or utilize an entirely new designation).

Now that I own an S60, I have to admit Volvos aren’t what they used to be. A V30 would be nice if they can keep the weight down, the V50 is pushing 3500 lbs.

First make the C30 handle then add more doors. I drove one and they are cool, but the car has no feedback…

That’s right, make it even more boring.

You know what else…I still have not seen one of these on the road in the USA.

Depends where you are. Here in DC I’ve seen a handful. I believe Volvo isn’t planning on selling a lot of these, they’re more ‘image’ cars. Their bread and butter cars continue to be the S60, V70, and V90.

still think it should remain a three door

I still don’t see a point to this.. has anyone ever tried sitting in the back seat of a C30? Absolutely NO head or shoulder room, so how do they plan to add another door on each side and manage to squeeze normal-sized people through it?

I like it.

I read in C&D that 2 people can sit in C30 for some time. It is more comfortable then Mini. Most likely rear seat passengers are children. Although in Scandinavia they can get long legged.

Autonutt, have you ever sat in the rear of the C30? I have. Being of average heigth, I had no problems being in there. And there was plenty of room for two back there. A suicide door would give this car even more style.

How about a one-door? Still a “C?”

Ecky, yes I have.. with another person.. and for two the back seat is uninhabitable, not to mention trying to get back there through the door opening under that low roof! Don’t get me wrong, I loved sitting in the front, and the C30 is one of the top candidates for becoming my next car! I’m just saying a five-door seems to be an odd choice for such a low-slung coupelike vehicle.

autonut, what isn’t more comfortable than the Mini? I watched my friends climb in and out of the Clubman rear seat at the LA show.. there was no way I was trying that!

Clubman, 128, C30 and A3 are my choices for my next car… a 4-door C30 would help that car’s chances.

I just read a new mag in dutch or german that compared all of the models from Audi and BMW. Suffice to say that Bimmer becomes the preferred choice most of the time including when they compared the A3 and the 1 series.

And how, exactly, does this fit in with their recently announced strategy to turn Volvo into a true luxury brand? OK, so let me get this straight – they are going up-market by shrinking their flagship S80 down to S60 size; the cheapen the brand by putting out a 3-door hatchback; then they further cheapen the brand by announcing they will bring out a “booring” 5-door version of their 3-door. And can their execs find anymore stupid things to say? “Yah, it will be booring, but we need to sell more stuff,” says Magnus Jonnson… If Mulaly has any brains he’ll clean house in Sweden and Irvine before these idiots devalue yet ANOTHER PAG brand!

ToZO:
The one door would be on the roof, or you’d power it like Fred Flintstone

The current one is horribly ugly, I don’t see much hope for the 5-door.