As evo’s 21-year-old new boy, I’m just the sort of person Volvo wants the C30 to impress. And after spending a good chunk of the month behind the wheel of art director Lang’s T5 version, I think I’m sold. Plenty of mates were fans too, and I was amazed by how many appreciative nods it gets in traffic.

I’m not sure how well it would work without the T5’s R‑design kit, though – or its 2.5-litre turbo motor, for that matter. Its smooth delivery may be at odds with the C30’s wild looks, but it made easy work of a 280-mile trek from Heathrow to home in Sunderland.