Tag: Volvo C30

Seems like every two years there’s one of these quirky Volvo C30 T5 R-Design unicorns with the somewhat rare (and fun) manual transmission at CarMax, and here’s another one. Wrote about this one in 2019 priced at $13,599 with 88,000 miles, and this one in 2021 with 50,000 miles at $18,998. Hard to tell anymore what’s a fair price for used cars. These little guys were sold in the USA from 2007 to 2013.

The C30 T5 R-Design got uneven reviews when new but over the years gained a loyal following and in 2020 hotcars.com considered it a “hot hatch” with some nostalgia, although the six second 0-60 mph time hardly makes it hot. I asked my colleague and more knowledgeable auto enthusiast Chad Jeepty what was so special about the manual C30 T5 R, and he noted, “The 2012 Volvo C30 T5 R-Design with a manual transmission was a special edition model only available in limited numbers. The R-Design version of the C30 was already a sportier and more performance-oriented variant of the car, but the addition of the manual transmission made it even more appealing to driving enthusiasts.”

The manual transmission version of the C30 T5 R-Design was powered by a turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-five engine that produced 227 horsepower and 236 lb-ft of torque. This powertrain was mated to a six-speed manual transmission, which provided a more engaging driving experience compared to the standard automatic transmission. This car has seat heaters, BlueTooth and navigation and gets a “9” (out of 10) rating for features by CarMax, noting it is “loaded” and that baffled me. Dug deeper and CarMax’s definition of loaded is “8-10 Loaded – More premium features than other cars like it.” Pretty scientific if you ask me.

This 2012 Volvo C30 T5R is here in Puyallup, Washington, although I just got an update that it’s out for a test drive. MaxCare is available up to 125,000 miles but only 48 months. Not sure I’d bother – pretty reliable car.

Stock No. 23578885 VIN YV1672MK0C2284519

I remember well years ago seeing a Volvo C30 T5 R unicorn for the first time. As I noted in the last review of a C30 I did here two years ago, it was the sleekest Volvo I could remember since I spotted a 1979 262 Bertone back in my Army days. Didn’t know much about the C30 when it was introduced by Volvo in the US as a 2008 model. Automotive expert Wiki tells us the C30 draws on the rear hatch lines of the P1800 ES in the late sixties and early seventies. Perhaps. Here’s another 2011 C30 T5 R with a manual transmission spotted by my bud Hans.

The six-speed manual transmission should make this a fun hatchback. Mated to the 2.5 liter turbocharged five cylinder motor, pumping out only 227 hp, the C30 is only good for a six-second 0-60 mph run. The Volvo has more horsepower than a VW GTI of the same era but not as much as the four bangers to follow. Oddly, Car and Driver was not terribly enamored with the C30 T5 R when reviewed in 2011 here, complaining about the harsh ride, rubbery shifter, and lack of cargo space compared to the VW and the Mini. But HotCars.com in 2020 gushed over the car in a look back at unusual hot hatches in 2020 here. I think for cars like this there will always be a 50-50 crowd that loves-hates them. Hell, there were even people that don’t think my ’77 Gremlin was hot! (Hmmm – check out the Gremlin-C30 mug shots at the bottom? That won’t help sell this car.)

The Volvo is pretty spartan with features – Bluetooth and a USB port but no rear view camera or seat heaters. The C30 I covered two years ago was $5,000 cheaper than this one (but with 60 percent more miles) and seemed like more of a bargain.

The car sold new for maybe $32,000 and over a decade later is available here in Oxnard, California for almost $19,000. It’s a low mileage, one-owner, accident free car. As with more and more old European cars I’m seeing CarMax is limiting MaxCare to 125,000 miles and 60 months. But the reviews suggest these motors are good for 180,000 miles without missing a beat. Not a fast car, but a bit unique and certainly has Scandinavian style!

The first time I saw a C30 T5 R unicorn I thought it was the most badass Volvo since the 80’s chop top Bertone Volvo.  Since then I’ve learned the little two door coupe has quite a following, especially the more hard to find manual transmission model.  This model sold for upwards of $30,000 new with the preferred package, seat heaters, and with 88,000 miles methinks it’s a bit high priced, but it will run for many more miles trouble free.

The 2.5 liter five cylinder turbo is good for only 227hp, and the 0-60mph is only about 6 seconds, so the car ain’t that fast, but the R-Design stiffens the suspension presumably making it a far better handling coupe. 

It may not be the fastest small coupe out there, but it does have that Swedish style and you probably won’t see many others around.  Here’s a review from Left Lane News, and another from New Car Test Drive.  This three owner C30 is available here in Dallas, Texas.