SLEEPER Volvo V50 T5 meets C30 T5, Little Brother

Gentle reader,

This will be brief. In July, 2014, I bought my first Volvo, a 2005 V50 T5 with a Six-Speed manual transmission. I wrote about it here:

The Robb Collections: Bought the ultimate SLEEPER car: Volvo V50 T5. Yes, a station wagon!

While I would not choose grey (or is it gray, I never can remember) as a car color finding any Volvo wagon with a manual transmission is hard enough, let alone the V50 model that I sought. Yet the color which I dubbed: Anonymous Grey works to further the sleeper-ness of this car.

 

But, the reason I write is that I finally came across a parked Volvo C30 T5, my car's little brother. This one may be newer, but they didn't change them much. It too has the Six-Speed.

So, I took the opportunity to photograph them side-by-side for comparison. They are indistinguishable from the front, so I did not shoot the front view.

NOTE: If you click on any picture, an overlapping window will open showing the photos in a much larger size.

Above, the rear view is the most different. The C30 was the spiritual successor to what many consider Volvo's most beautiful car, the 1800 ES of the early 1970's. Note the body on both gets narrower towards the rear, but the C30 more so. The back window is also narrower, and echoes the 1800 ES' large glass hatch. Thus the taillight assemblies are quite different. 

While both have the same engine: 2.5 liter turbocharged five-cylinder, the exhaust tips of the C30 are more prevalent. The V50's more subtly aimed somewhat downward below the bumper. 

C30 features a small spoiler above the back glass (called "back light" in the car business). The V50 offered an optional spoiler that mimicked the larger 300 horsepower V70R T5 model's rear spoiler, but mine lacks it. Someday I may buy one for it.

I aimed to park mine exactly lined up with the C30. By the looks of this one's front end it is one of the later models which gained a more unique front end look.

To my surprise, they are virtually the same length. Yet due to the extreme slope of the C30's roof, back seat headroom and shoulder room suffers. Both cars have defroster elements on the rear side windows. I assume coming from Sweden, they have a need for that.

I have a 1/24th scale diecast of a C30 and it seemed too large to me. But I now see the major extremities are about the same. 

I also wrote about my 1/43rd scale diecast Volvo collection which can be seen here:

The Robb Collections: Volvo Station Wagon (Estate) 1/43rd Scale Die-Cast Collection 

That's it for today, just thought you might be interested. Thanks for looking,

Scott