Los Angeles is a bastion of automotive tradition, particularly on the subject of uncommon and obscure stuff. I’ve seen every part from Bugatti Divos and Jaguar XJ220s to Ferrari 250 SWBs and Maybach G-Class Landaulets driving down the road or parallel parked like a traditional automotive, so it’s not typically that my somewhat-jaded self spots one thing that genuinely surprises me. When on a stroll in my neighborhood the opposite day I got here throughout one thing that received me extra excited than any supercar or basic in current reminiscence: a super-rare 2007 Volvo C30 Boston Red Sox Special Edition.
Now whereas I really like scorching males who play sports activities I’m not precisely a Sports Guy, however I am from Boston, which signifies that by legislation I used to be introduced up as a Red Sox fan and I have to stay one till I die. I vividly bear in mind the 2004 season, when the Sox reversed the curse gained their first World Series since 1918, and the Sox went on to win once more in 2007. The latter yr is what this limited-run Volvo hatch was constructed to have fun.
It would possibly appear to be an odd alternative for particular version inspiration, however the Venn diagram of Volvo house owners and residents of New England is principally a circle. A Popular Mechanics report from 2015 found that in Massachusetts the Volvo XC70 bought at 305 p.c of the nationwide common whereas 4 different fashions had market shares greater than double the typical, and people numbers had been even larger in different states in New England.
Volvo solely constructed 107 of the Boston Red Sox Special Editions, with every unit representing one of many Sox’s wins within the 2007 season. For reference, McLaren constructed 106 F1s (race vehicles included), and I’d wager that much more F1s are nonetheless on the highway than Red Sox C30s. That additionally makes the Red Sox C30 5 occasions rarer than the Bugatti Chiron and 13 occasions rarer than the Ferrari F40.
These C30s received Passion Red paint with the R-Design physique equipment and silver exterior accents. A small Red Sox badge was added to the entrance fenders, and the rear glass received a big clear Red Sox brand, although it appears to be like like this specific C30’s glass was changed in some unspecified time in the future. The inside received ground mats with the Red Sox brand and a numbered plaque on the sprint. Each Red Sox automotive was powered by a turbocharged 5-cylinder engine and might be had with both a 6-speed guide or 5-speed Geartronic automated.
To actually attraction to the baseball die-hards, each Red Sox C30 was authenticated by the Major League Baseball Authentication Program, and each got here with a certificates of authenticity that was signed by the President and CEO of Volvo North America and the President and CEO of the Boston Red Sox. Commemorating the ultimate sport that received the Sox the win, automotive quantity 107 was donated to the Red Sox Foundation for a charity raffle. When new, the Red Sox C30 began at $30,210, about $7,000 greater than the bottom worth of a C30.
I lived in Massachusetts till I graduated highschool in 2011, stayed at dwelling on my vacation breaks and moved again for a few yr in the course of school, and I don’t assume I ever noticed one in every of these C30s exterior of an auto present. Honestly, if it wasn’t for this one’s mismatched entrance bumper and the bumper stickers on the rear catching my eye, I most likely would have simply walked previous it. There’s by no means been one on Bring A Trailer or Cars & Bids, and there are barely any present and even previous for-sale listings which can be Googleable. I wouldn’t be shocked if I by no means see one in every of these once more — perhaps, if I’m fortunate, one will pop up on the Pebble Beach Concours in 30 years.
Source: jalopnik.com