A dream car
Before I begin with my 'how I got here' story let me lazily gain your attention with peak Top Gear and Jeremy Clarkson.
If you watched the video until the end you may have taken note that Polestar's take on Volvo's C30 never actually made it into production. But...
Volvo still sold a C30 badged the T5 R Design, Polestar did the tune amongst other enhancements and it still came out in rebel blue. Plus no moleskin. How many of these made it to Australia? No clue, but I hope they all came with the six speed manual gear box.
** Update 20 rebel blue Polestar tune cars for Aus, 10 of each transmission - Auto/manual.
I was walking home from work on a thirty degree day, cutting through a super market car park when I saw this;
I was melting as I wandered around, taking it all in. This was my dream car and I had forgotten it even existed. I only probably spent 4 months wishing I drove one but it felt like a year of my life. And in a random moment 3 years later I felt a total shift in desire as emotions and thoughts were pulled from the back of my mind.
I got into the back of his navy blue Volvo 850 sedan. Nothing special but it was comfortable and no doubt safe. I'm not sure why, but the 15 minute drive home and gesture would be saved in my memory for later.
And later eventually came after I got my provisional license and was driving my Mums Mitsubishi to work in winter. My access to her car was revoked when my brother got his provisional license and a prefect role at school. This was a true first world problem because I was working full time and had no excuse not to just buy my own car. So I did.
Not a great photo but sitting nicely was my 2008 Volvo S40, low kilometres, one lady owner, good condition. Next to it is my other brother and his mate which at the time were musical two-piece Tonix. Present day, a three member band. You can find their music HERE.
I bought the car for eight grand from a small dealer in Goolwa. This was during Covid-19 pricing where people needed cars so I overpaid. I did sell it for eight grand a year later to the first person who looked at it. I loved the car but it didn't take long before the impracticality of a sedan caught up with me. I did all the research on it during which time my preferences for things like the facelift, hatch, more power and manual box developed. This car by far had the best build quality of any vehicle I've owned - something I learned after selling.
Ignition and indicator stalk on the left. Radio and HVAC conjoined at the hip. To most these are very bad things but in the end I actually really liked the setup. The display was quick, the graphic depictions cool looking, factory speakers great, and I spent an afternoon programming every FM and AM radio station to a number. Despite this I didn't listen to the radio much. What I did do was buy blank CD's and burn my music. I even figured out how to rip NTS Radio sets.
Gangster rap in the Volvo before work. You can listen to that set HERE.
During ownership I enjoyed much about the car so I looked at the manufacturers other cars like the S60 R and eventually the C30 T5 R. These were the select performance examples from Volvo and something to aspired to own once I acquired my full license. Plans changed... but after seeing one in the flesh for the first time feelings were reawakened. I'm not kidding I used to pretend my S40 was this car.
From rough research the car was available new as a 2012 and 2013 model before being discontinued. In a previous post I remarked how I think of 2013 as a very significant year for changes to not just the car making landscape but technology in general. Even today I have a 2012 MacBook Pro that I use as my sole laptop and a 2013 Mac Pro as my desktop. Technology has improved but it doesn't mean high quality goods from the 'tens' should be bundled with the post COVID nonsense and enshitification we see happening now.
Back to Volvo, known for safe boxy cars. Yet many forget it's always both been at the forefront of integrating practical technology, and having a crack at motorsport. Take for example the 1979 Repco Reliability Trial. What does history remember? Probably Peter Brock coming first place and a 1-2-3 podium finish for the Holden Commodore.
What was forgotten? The Volvo 240 came fourth but first in class and was relatively similar to the road going car. As opposed to XU1 Torana engines/boxes fitted into gutted and significantly stiffened/braced Commodores. Oh and you know what else people forgot (or aren't aware of);
Brock raced a Volvo 850R in the 1996 Aussie Super Tourers.
And endorsed it in an advertisement that gives you the impression he has a gun to his head and a script to follow:
The 850 T5 R will continue to be the most iconic, best looking sedan and wagon Volvo ever produced, especially in yellow.
That friend from school who gave me the lift home in his 850 drove it until the motor popped. His name is Nick and he also posts for the site, like this one HERE. After the navy 850 died Nick did the right thing and bought an 850 R, it can be seen HERE. Getting back on track while a yellow T5 R is peak Swedish pride the flag is also blue.
That's where the C30 comes in. Because I personally believe the car I saw parked up is the best Volvo hatchback even if it isn't as iconic as the 850 T5 R.
2/3 of these badges I was aware of but the third, Heico, with the Viking helmet - news to me. What is it? Rather than copy paste the companies history you can read it HERE. But the short answer is a Volvo performance business. And this C30 had a few bits & pieces.
I believe a good formula for modifying a street car is the best OEM bits plus ten percent. That way you don't take away too much from the greatness of the original car but still enhance it. And with that statement I lead into this one; which is the choice of wheel is perfect. From the history of Heico to the significance of this car - a downplayed road going version of the absolute animal Polestar created and Volvo caged. They look like the wheels on the T5 850 R - the kinda 10 percent I like.
There might be a touch of wear to em and that's being polite but I hope that the owner chose to run these not just as a look and performance choice but as a way to preserve the original wheels.
As time goes on I fear these will become collectable (rebel blue 100%) not for an enormous price tag but certainly one hard to justify. And of course you won't make money collecting or owning one. You may have read this far waiting for me to justify liking a newer looking front wheel drive euro hatch and unfortunately I don't have one. When I fell in love with this car I knew very little about cars, I just knew this was the best possible version of the car I had and therefore it's what I wished my car was. I wasn't even aware they existed in Aus let alone Adelaide (Polestar tuned ones).
This photo sourced from HERE comes to a consensus that in 2020 what looks like a great example would be worth about fifteen grand at best. Which sounds fair if not reasonable.
Because this is a street sighting I usually rattle off what kind of song I would listen too had I wound up owning or driving the respective car. When I had my S40 I was going through an Aphex Twin phase so if dreams really do come true I would insert Jean Michel Jarre's Oxygène CD most famous for track Pt. 2 and leave it in permanently. It does still have an aux cable.
I would drive this car on a cold rainy winters day as far as Deep Creek just for the drive. Please if you ever see one of these for sale, contact me. I don't have the prerequisites to be a good owner but that's not going to stop me from trying.
- MQN8R
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