After seven years of production and almost 210,000 units sold, the Volvo C30 has reached the end of the road. Launched in 2006, the C30 hatchback sported an daring design that made it instantly recognizable in its class and beyond.

We’re talking mainly about the rear end, of course, which featured an all-glass hatch that was a tribute to its predecessor, the 480, itself a car inspired by the LCP 2000 concept which turned 30 this year.

Volvo’s Advanced LCP 2000 Concept Turns 30 Years Old

The quest for advanced safety and efficiency-boosting methods has been a very powerfully driven one in recent years, with the noticeable shift in climate often being attributed to our reckless use of putrefied and liquefied dinosaur bones and trees.

However, while most manufacturers have jumped on the green train in recent years, many times for the sake of image than anything else, it was Volvo yet again that showed us the efficient way forward, more than 30 years ago.

2014 Could Spell the End for Mitsubishi, Volvo and Road&Track in the US, Says Report

The modern business world is so competitive, that it is no longer an advantage to be one, or eight, steps ahead of the competition – it is a survival requirement. According to a report from financial news publication 24/7 Wall St., ten important brands may disappear from the US scene in the coming 18 months, three of which are automotive-related.

They say that Mitsubishi, Volvo and the Road&Track publication could bite the dust in the States due to “the brutally competitive nature of certain industries and the importance of not falling behind in efficiency, innovation or financing.”