Beneath the alluring skin of the C30 Design Concept lies a powerful, in-line five-cylinder turbocharged engine that has performance to support the C30's dynamic looks. The 2.4-litre powerplant develops some 260 horsepower at 5500 revs per minute, as well as a maximum torque of 350Nm produced between 2100 and 5000rpm. That this huge amount of torque is delivered at low engine speeds means that the C30 Design Concept's performance is easily accessible: the driver has no need to frantically change down gears to find meaningful acceleration. Equipped with a six-speed manual gearbox, the C30 Design Concept is capable of accelerating from 0-62mph in just six seconds, while its top speed is electronically limited to 155mph.

To match its exceptional performance, the C30 Design Concept is fitted with 19-inch alloy wheels with wide, low-profile Pirelli Corsa 225/35 R19 tyres, giving the car outstanding levels of road holding. The brakes, meanwhile, are top-of-the-line, 330mm ventilated discs front and rear, with four-pot aluminium callipers from performance braking specialist Brembo.