You may never have noticed, but in addition to crafting some of the safest vehicles on the market Volvo is also building some of the most stylish automobiles for sale right now, and the C30 Concept shown in Detroit is a harbinger of things to come. This slick little three-door hatchback will slot into the lineup under the S40 sedan and V50 wagon, creating a lower price-of-entry point to the Volvo brand. It will compete against the Mini Cooper and Volkswagen GTI, and to a lesser extent its FoMoCo stable-mate, the Mazda 3. The Volvo C30 Concept isn’t screwing around, infused as it is with a 260 horsepower five-cylinder engine that the company claims will accelerate the car to 60 mph in about six seconds. The C30 Concept is also equipped with 19-inch wheels, performance tires, and Brembo brakes – some or all of which could make it to production when the real deal debuts later this year at the Paris Auto Show. Expect to be able to buy one of these babies next year.

Photos courtesy of the manufacturers