The Volvo C30 has garnered one of the automotive industry's most prestigious awards - the German Das Goldene Lenkrad. This is the third time that Volvo Car Corporation has won this award.

Volvo Cars CEO and President Fredrik Arp accepted the golden steering wheel at a distinguished ceremony in Berlin on November 8.

"We are very proud of this award. It is proof that our cars hold a prominent position, even in the toughest competition," says Fredrik Arp.

The C30 won the "Compact Estate" class. The jury, which consisted of 25 automotive experts from different countries, put Volvo's smallest model in first place in six of the fifteen categories. The C30 took second place in five categories.

Das Goldene Lenkrad is organised by the Bild am Sonntag newspaper, which has a circulation of 2.3 million. Volvo Cars has previously won the award on two occasions - in 2004 with the V50 and in 2000 with the S60.

The C30 has also won a major design award in Germany: the Auto Bild Design Award. The automotive magazine Auto Bild asked its readers what they thought was the world's most beautiful car. The Volvo C30 won the "small and compact-size cars" class ahead of the Opel Corsa and Honda Civic. The Audi Q7 was the overall winner, with the Aston Martin V8 Vantage in second place.

The Volvo C30 has also achieved success in Italy. In the Italian poll for the world's most beautiful car, L'Automobile più Bella del Mondo, the choice went to the C30 in the "midsize two-volume saloons" class. In the same poll, the S80 won the category "midsize three-volume saloons."

The award will be presented in Milan in March.