It's not everyday that you get to see something new, neither is it every time that you'd go "oh, is that it?" when you do see it. Just this evening, I was enveloped in pub music, secondhand smoke, pretty showgirls and drunk salesmen as I was invited to Volvo's launch party for their new car - The C30. It's a rather "practical" 3-door hatchback that I've been wanting to see in the metal since it's first preview in Paris 2 years ago.




As I arrived at the far side Solaris, Mont Kiara, the banners of the C30 with their slogan of "C Things Differently" could be found almost everywhere. Venture deeper into the area and the launch party at the pub named Garage could be found. Three pearl white C30s took the centre stage of the party, and another sat at one corner showing off its special option of "vinyls" or "stickers" for the car, where you can put fancy designs like Zebra stripes and Butterflies onto the side of the car, which I doubt anyone sane enough to buy the car would do it.



Staring at the three pretty "ladies" in white after a few seconds had me drifting into a deep reverie, as they were just too beautiful. The cars donned in its special bodykit of some metallic "underlinings" (similar to the Mini Cooper's) and the 17" sports rims were more than mere eye-candy. Volvos for years revered as "the safest cars" lived up to their reputation once more as Volvo's trademark design of the "broad and bold" shoulders could be seen on the C30. Before I move on, let me stress that the the car looks way better in the metal rather than in pictures.


So far, the initial impressions were quite good, as the car in the metal itself seemed far larger than the pictures I've seen before, which indicates some plus points here as "practical" isn't something for cars like these. And guess what? The C30 only has room for 4 adults; not 5 adults, or even 4 adults and one child, let alone 4 adults and a dog. It's made in such a way that there are only 2 seats at the back, so they'd make more space for 2 passengers at rear.


Without losing the opportunity to get inside the white ladies, I waltzed across the main stage to have a look on the interiors. There, opening the doors for the first time would give you the feel of premium build quality, and value for money luxury too. Sit inside and the snug feel embosses you, together with the stylish and slim centre console which takes the car's centre stage. Look at the back of the car, and you'll see that it's airier than your granny's greenhouse, because the boot of the car is "totally" made of glass. Shifting around the back to have a look at her rear was purely orgasmic, as the C30's rear lights were as sexy as they can be, together with the ducktail spoiler and chrome tailpipes together with the "diffuser" design. The current 17" rims were not as good looking up close, but there's always the option to change them as you personalize your car upon purchase.


And then there's the bold Volvo C30 and 2.4i badge at the back, which reminds me, the C30 is currently only available in it's 2.4 litre form (similar to its sibling, the S40), and it paces together with a 5-speed Geartronic Automatic transmission, which propels the car to 100km/h in 8.8 seconds, on to a top speed of 215km/h. If fuel prices are on your "worry" list, the C30 averages out with a fuel consumption status of 9.0 litres per 100km, not bad indeed, considering the car runs on 17-inchers.



One last thing that I almost forgot to stress about the C30 is its high end audio system with 8 4x40W speakers, with a 6-disc changer up front and MP3 and WMA compatibility. iPod lovers and USB MP3 people would rejoice as well, as there is iPod connectivity and a USB interface too! From what I remember, Volvo's sound system has always been high fidelity, especially with Dynaudio's fiddling. So it's definitely something to enjoy if you're after this beauty.


The asking price of this beauty? RM215,500 OTR w/o Ins (On The Road, without Insurance). I know it's a bit steep for a car with only 170 horses, as there's more bang-for-buck with what Volkswagen has to offer in Malaysia (the Golf GTI, which retails for around RM198,888 OTR). But after a short argument with a salesperson, I'd believe that there are just too much charmless GTI's around in Malaysia, and you'd support Volvo's slogan of "C Things Differently" if you'd buy a C30 (to be different from others of course).


In my opinion, not many would have this car for their everyday use, especially for this price in Malaysia. But if you're a young and rich executive in your early 30s or late 20s, single as well with a good taste for stylish hatch backs, this is definitely something to go by. Considering that people who usually can afford this car are the executives in their mid-40s. As a second choice, you'd want a Volkswagen Golf GTI, BMW 1 series, Mini Cooper Sport or even an Audi A3, but if you're tired of German and British mainstreams, here's something Swedish! Cheers!


P.S. I think I've overdone this casual blog entry, and turned it into a car review instead. Nevertheless, it's here for a reason. Hope you'll enjoy reading it and check out them pictures! XD

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Add-ons: Here's a video of that funky vinyl option for the C30, just to show you the variety of choices available for the car. (Video from sonny@immerse.com.my, whoever the person is... Thanks!)

It's not everyday that you get special moments with your loved one, and when you do, cherish that moment and cherish him/her as well. Just last night, I decided to take my dearest out for a dinner and catch a movie as well, as I believe steps to a better relationship is to spend more time together.


Dinner at that Japanese Pasta restaurant was great, as the ambience and the food fitted the occasion. But what I didn't really fancy last night was the movie. We didn't really know what to watch, as "Kung Fu Panda" and "The Incredible Hulk" was already on our "it's soo yesterday" list.


So what did we watch? "The Happening" of course, with Mark Wahlberg as the main actor. Before I go on, please hear me out. If you're planning on watching a movie, DON'T WATCH "THE HAPPENING". Why? Because it's plain stupid, and a waste of your money and time.


Let me explain. "The Happening" claims to be something like a natural disaster movie (which both me and my dearest thought it would be), but it's actually a movie where plants release some sort of chemical to block a human's neuro-transmitters, when blown together with the wind and inhaled by humans, will make humans kill themselves with the fastest way possible.


Why do the plants do this? Don't worry, there are no spoilers here, because there's nothing to be spoiled at all. The movie was pretty much a rip-off, as no explanation was given at all as to why such a "disaster" happened, so it'll leave it's viewers hanging in suspense, really. But if you're in for thrilling parts of "suicide", the movie's full of it.


I know now I seem like some movie critic, so I shall come back once again and be myself. Both me and my dearest took the "centre stage" for last night's outing of course, not the movie. So it was time well spent, with a "romantic cruise" on the LDP and a "romantic walk" in One Utama, it didn't really matter. What mattered to me the most was being with her, and I believe you should do the same to your love too! Cheers~!