This deep into September, it probably makes more sense to view the new C70 model from Volvo as a coupe that can turn into a convertible. When May arrives, we can call it a convertible that turns into a coupe.
However you view it, the new C70 converticoupe with the retractable hardtop roof should be a big improvement over the previous model to
bear the name, even though it was rather a treat to drive if you could get one. But the less said about that model the better.
Volvo and its Ford partner are hoping that the model that was designed and will be produced in conjunction with Pininfarina at a plant in Sweden using a lot of the running gear from the S70 sedan will catch the fancy of those folks who might otherwise be considering a similarly expensive four-seat ragtop from Audi, BMW, Mercedes or Saab.
The new C70 is said to have "classic proportions," which means slightly shorter and slightly lower than its predecessor, and in rough terms comparable to its chief competitors. This probably matters only if you ever actually have four adults in the car, which history suggests will be extremely unlikely; this is a car for a couple at most.
Like the other three European-built cars, the new C70 will be perfectly adequate for carrying two people and their luggage. In the summer, though, most of the trunk space will be filled with the three-piece hardtop roof, so they'll have to leave the luggage in the backseat and then take 30 seconds to deploy the top.
It's hard to screw up the style of a convertible (though BMW and Ford have done it, with the Z4 and T-Bird, respectively) so the real question is how does the car do as a coupe, and the answer is not bad.
The danger with a car like this is that it's neither fish nor fowl, but C70 project manager Patrik Widerstrand says, "We wanted to create two cars
in one, without compromise. We have succeeded in creating a car that is both an elegant convertible and a sporty coupe."
Apart from the flexibility offered by the retractable hardtop, Widerstrand says, "it also makes for a quieter, more comfortable coupe. The normal-sized glass rear window offers good visibility to the rear, and the hardtop provides extra rigidity (15 percent) for the body."
While the car will mostly sell to an older crowd (the radio should come pre-programmed to play 60s hits) the interior is supposed to have a style that suits a younger demographic, or that's what Volvo Canada says.
It's also marked by "Volvo's modern, innovative design features, inspired by Scandinavian tradition with clean surfaces, genuine materials and good functionality."
Fedde Talsma, the head of design for the new Volvo C70, says "We have chosen to give the new Volvo C70 a youthful, technology-inspired feel. Inspiration has been drawn more from Scandinavian product design than pure car design."
The super-thin, "floating" centre stack from the S40 sedan and V50 wagon has also been included in the new C70, and special upholstery has been developed. That would be Vulcaflex, a synthetic material with a skin-like surface structure and a high-tech feeling that will be used in combination with both textile and soft leather. Full leather is an option.
However you view it, the new C70 converticoupe with the retractable hardtop roof should be a big improvement over the previous model to
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| 2006 Volvo C70 (Photo: Volvo) |
Volvo and its Ford partner are hoping that the model that was designed and will be produced in conjunction with Pininfarina at a plant in Sweden using a lot of the running gear from the S70 sedan will catch the fancy of those folks who might otherwise be considering a similarly expensive four-seat ragtop from Audi, BMW, Mercedes or Saab.
The new C70 is said to have "classic proportions," which means slightly shorter and slightly lower than its predecessor, and in rough terms comparable to its chief competitors. This probably matters only if you ever actually have four adults in the car, which history suggests will be extremely unlikely; this is a car for a couple at most.
Like the other three European-built cars, the new C70 will be perfectly adequate for carrying two people and their luggage. In the summer, though, most of the trunk space will be filled with the three-piece hardtop roof, so they'll have to leave the luggage in the backseat and then take 30 seconds to deploy the top.
It's hard to screw up the style of a convertible (though BMW and Ford have done it, with the Z4 and T-Bird, respectively) so the real question is how does the car do as a coupe, and the answer is not bad.
The danger with a car like this is that it's neither fish nor fowl, but C70 project manager Patrik Widerstrand says, "We wanted to create two cars
 |
| 2006 Volvo C70 (Photo: Volvo) |
Apart from the flexibility offered by the retractable hardtop, Widerstrand says, "it also makes for a quieter, more comfortable coupe. The normal-sized glass rear window offers good visibility to the rear, and the hardtop provides extra rigidity (15 percent) for the body."
While the car will mostly sell to an older crowd (the radio should come pre-programmed to play 60s hits) the interior is supposed to have a style that suits a younger demographic, or that's what Volvo Canada says.
It's also marked by "Volvo's modern, innovative design features, inspired by Scandinavian tradition with clean surfaces, genuine materials and good functionality."
Fedde Talsma, the head of design for the new Volvo C70, says "We have chosen to give the new Volvo C70 a youthful, technology-inspired feel. Inspiration has been drawn more from Scandinavian product design than pure car design."
The super-thin, "floating" centre stack from the S40 sedan and V50 wagon has also been included in the new C70, and special upholstery has been developed. That would be Vulcaflex, a synthetic material with a skin-like surface structure and a high-tech feeling that will be used in combination with both textile and soft leather. Full leather is an option.