Volvo C70 Range
As with most things in life, theres a right way and a wrong way to going about creating a modern coupe-convertible car and most manufacturers to date have got it horribly wrong. Think about it. How many cars with folding hard tops are elegantly proportioned? The Mercedes SL and SLK models score on that count but beyond that, its tough to think of a car with a folding tin top that doesnt possess a hugely distended bottom. Volvo have realised that the novelty of a folding hard top is now no longer enough to guarantee sales.
They want good looks too, which is why the latest C70 seems set to clean up.
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Cue the latest car, priced from £25,750. Unveiled at the 2005 Frankfurt Show, this C70 retains the sleek good looks of its predecessor, but augments the offering with a folding hard top and improved driving manners.
"This C70 looks set to eclipse the success of its fondly remembered predecessor"
Fedde Talsma, design manager for the C70, points out that "putting together harmonious lines both with and without a roof is no easy job. We decided to start with the coupe design. When we were satisfied with the result, we made the necessary adjustments to create a convertible out of the coupe lines, which our experience tells us is the best way of going about it." Hes got a point. With the hood in place, you probably wouldnt guess that the C70 is capable of flipping its lid. The rear deck isnt overly long (the usual giveaway) and the roofline is smooth and beautifully integrated with the rest of the bodywork. The old C70 coupe used to sell within five seconds of customers clapping eyes on it and theres no reason to think this car wont be any different.
After all, many of the basic ingredients are much the same. The stance and proportioning are similar, itll still sit four adults in comfort and it still adheres to Volvos impeccably high safety standards. Volvo has developed the C70 to offer new standards of preventive and protective safety in the convertible market, the car includes an advanced body structure, greater torsional rigidity and several innovations that make it unique among open-top cars. An example of this is the door-mounted Inflatable Curtain (IC), part of the C70's integrated Side Impact Protection System (SIPS). As the IC cannot be fitted in the roof, as with the rest of the Volvo range, it has been innovatively fitted in the door to inflate upwards instead of downwards. Volvo's safety engineers have also fine-tuned the IC to be extra stiff, so it can stay upright and help protect the head more effectively. In addition, the curtain then deflates more slowly to provide additional protection if the car rolls over. Also adding to the safety of the car is a torsionally rigid body. Improving the driving experience is another benefit of a stiff chassis and the C70 is stiffer than its predecessor by between 10 and 15 per cent.
"A torsionally rigid body was an important criteria for the new C70s driving behaviour," says Volvo C70 project manager Patrik Widerstrand. "It makes the car more stable, easier to control and therefore safer but also makes the all new C70 more dynamic and fun to drive." In the UK, the C70 is being offered with two in-line, five-cylinder petrol engines the range-topping, turbocharged T5 producing 226bhp and torque of 320Nm, plus a normally aspirated, 2.4-litre unit producing 170bhp. In addition, theres a five-cylinder, 180bhp D5 diesel engine on offer, plus a four cylinder 136bhp 2.0D unit.
Volvo claim the C70 to be the only four-seater premium convertible with a folding steel roof and as such, the Swedes believe theyve stolen an important march on any perceived competition. Indeed, top brass reckon that it will double the sales of its predecessor, which shifted 7,000 units in 2004 its best ever sales year with 1,500 of those being accounted for by the UK, the C70s second biggest market after the US. Its fascinating to look back on how we summed up the old C70. "Its crucial for Volvo to pitch this car correctly. They have a task on their hands. Mercedes CLK Convertible and Audis A4 Cabriolet both put a firm squeeze on the Volvo from above and below, levering it into an ever smaller niche. You want to see Darwinism at work in the convertible sector? Watch this space.
" The C70 has evolved and its made an evolutionary leap forward that will temporarily elude the chasing pack. Going about things the right way does, after all, have its benefits.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Volvo C70 Convertible range
PRICES: £25,750-£33,250 on the road
CO2 EMISSIONS: 161-217g/km
INSURANCE GROUPS: 15E-18E
PERFORMANCE: [T5] Max Speed 150mph/ 0-60mph 7.5s
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [T5] (urban) 21.6mpg / (extra urban) 42.2mpg / (combined) 31mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front, side and IC airbags, ABS, SIPS WILL IT FIT INTO YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height, 4720/1820/1410mm [est]
