Volvo C30 Concept Targets Younger Urban Drivers
 Volvo C30 Concept |
By Michael Collins
DETROIT, Jan. 9 (FCN) -- The Volvo C30 Design Concept, unveiled at the 2006 North American International Auto Show, signals a new direction for Volvo Cars – the desire to draw younger, urban consumers to the Volvo brand.
The concept evolved, in part, from a series of clinics and focus groups held throughout Europe recently.
"Volvo focused primarily on singles and on couples without children, who regard the car as a tool for pursuing their hectic lifestyles,” explained Håkan Abrahamsson, C30 Project Director.
"Many of them describe their ideal car as a runabout. They focus on attractive design and entertaining driving properties and rarely go more than two people in the car," he added.
The C30, which will be introduced as a production vehicle in September 2006 at the Paris motor show, will be the smallest vehicle in the Volvo line-up.
"We know there are large numbers of fairly young, successful people who are attracted by our brand, but who still cannot find a model in our range that exactly matches their taste and lifestyle. The Volvo C30 Concept was developed precisely for this group," said Fredrik Arp, President and CEO of Volvo Cars.
The C30 project is an example of a trend that is gaining traction in the automotive industry—targeting products to smaller consumer niches, according to Michael Bernacchi, marketing professor at the University of Detroit/Mercy.
"It's called 'marketing to one', and, although that literally is impossible, it speaks to the point that thanks to technology, it's easier to define the desire and needs of smaller groups of consumers," he said.
Shane Lavery, vice president and general manager of McKevitt Volvo in Oakland California, said the average Volvo customer has traditionally been the head of a family, seeking a reliable vehicle that has multiple applications.
"I'm really excited about the C30," he said. "We need to look for new markets and new demographics to expand into. Volvo made a great start with the S40, which is a 4-door and this is the obvious next step."
George Beatie, president of Volvo of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio, agrees. "To increase loyalty, we need to capture the customer at an early age. As they develop families and their careers grow, we will have the product line-up to fulfill their needs," he said.
But while the target consumer for the C30 is the young, urban professional, Abrahamsson predicts the vehicle will appeal to an even broader group.
"We know our target customer is very aspirational for other consumers," he said. "I expect there will be great interest from older consumers that have a similar lifestyle. The kids are gone and they may have a little more freedom."
