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Volvo 3CC concept
Volvo's latest cool concept car, the 3CC, actually broke cover late last year when it took five gold medals for its environmental performance and the prestigious "Best Overall Prototype Design" award at the Michelin Challenge Bibendum held in Shanghai. Not many show cars have such a distinguished pedigree before they are displayed to the public!
The 3CC is so much more than a pointless exercise in showing us how efficient an electric car could be. Yes, it does house lithium-ion cells (as found in any laptop battery), and has zero emissions, but Volvo is quick to point out that this is just one possible powertrain system. Interestingly, Volvo has placed as much emphasis on style, which let's face it is the main point of most concept cars. The Swedish company's models can no longer be described as "boxy but good", and the 3CC gives us a glimpse into the near future of the Volvo car range.
Indeed, at the Detroit Show, journalists were shown a 15 second teaser movie of the next new Volvo - a small sporty two-door to be called the C30. Details are of course still scarce, but taking the 3CC as a starting point, we expect the C30 to share much of the side profile, especially around the bluff nose and sculpted rear arch. The treatment of the rear hatch may be less radical, but hopefully the shapely lights will be retained.
A Volvo concept car wouldn't be a Volvo if it didn't feature all the latest safety systems, and the 3CC does not disappoint. Volvo's new 'Safety Ride Down Concept' debuts in the 3CC. In simple terms, the massive energy created in an impact is absorbed by allowing the whole interior to slide forward on adaptive dampers by a controlled distance and speed. A side benefit is that the dashboard can move out of the way to allow occupants in to the snug interior. Expect a form of this concept to reach the Volvo showrooms in the next five years.
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