2006 Volvo C70: First Look

Motoring Channel Staff - 15/9/2005

Swedish car maker Volvo has unleashed its new convertible, the C70, at the all-important Frankfurt Motor Show in Germany.

The company says that thanks to a unique 3-piece retractable hardtop, customers of the second-generation Volvo C70 can enjoy life without compromise – whether the top is up or down.

"We've succeeded in creating an attractive convertible which, at the mere touch of a button, converts into an equally elegant coupe. The customer gets two cars in one. Both with space for four adults," said Hans-Olov Olsson, Volvo Cars President and CEO.

The Scandinavian automotive company has revealed that the swanky-looking Volvo C70 is about the same size as its predecessor (also called the C70), where the forward-thrusting nose section gives the car a powerful profile.

"Putting together harmonious lines both with and without a roof is no easy job," says Fedde Talsma, design manager for the all new Volvo C70.

"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. Our experience tells us this is the best way of going about it."

The development and manufacture of the all new Volvo C70 is the result of a joint venture with renowned Italian company Pininfarina and, like its predecessor, the car is built in Uddevalla in Sweden.

Other standout features of the classy new European convertible include its 5-cylinder engine range, which is topped by the turbocharged 2.5-litre T5 that produces 162kW (220hp) and offers maximum torque of 320Nm.

There are also two naturally aspirated 2.4-litre engines in the 2006 model C70 line-up, producing 125kW (170hp) and 103kW (140hp) respectively. Volvo will also introduce a high-flying 2.4-litre, 5-cylinder diesel engine, producing 132kW (180hp), which will become part of the C70 range later in 2006.

Volvo has always had a love affair with safety, and the automaker asserts that the body structure not only contributes to the car's high safety standards, it also gives the body extremely high torsional rigidity – twice as high as that of the previous C70 model. Furthermore, with the roof up torsional rigidity increases by a further 10-15 percent.

"A torsionally rigid body is important to the car's driving behaviour," said C70 project manager Patrik Widerstrand. "It makes the car more stable and easier to control. It also makes the car more dynamic and fun to drive."

Volvo says that the all new C70 was developed to offer new standards of preventive and protective safety in the convertible market; the car has an advanced body structure and several solutions that make it unique among open-top cars.

The lack of a fixed roof has been compensated for by reinforcements and sophisticated technology. One unique example is the door-mounted Inflatable Curtain (IC) - a new feature, which is part of the enhanced protection system for side impacts. Since the IC cannot be fitted in the roof like other Volvos, it is fitted in the door and inflates upwards when it is deployed.

Volvo's safety engineers have fine-tuned the IC to be extra stiff. As a result, it can stay upright and help protect the head effectively. In addition, the curtain deflates slowly to help provide additional protection if the car rolls over, a feat which Volvo claims is a unique solution in the automotive world.

The first-generation C70 Convertible had its best year in 2004 with just over 8,000 cars sold, so hopes are high within Volvo that a big launch at the Frankfurt Motor Show can propel the new model to even greater heights. "Our all new C70 is one of the first open-top cars in the premium segment with both a steel roof and space for four adults. We believe this is a highly sought-after combination. That's why we expect to more than double our sales compared with the first-generation C70," says Hans-Olov Olsson.

Sales of the all new Volvo C70 will get under way in the first half of 2006.