Nov. 3, 2006
ON THE ROAD: C70 Volvo Convertible Tops in Tops
By Richard Williamson
Scripps Howard News Service
Looking at the Volvo C70 with the roof up, you might never guess that it's a
convertible.
Retractable hardtops have come a very long way since Mercedes-Benz made the
concept work in the SLK roadster of 1996. In fact, automotive designers have
been tinkering with retractable hardtops since 1922.
Ford had an awkward two-year affair with the retractable roof beginning with
the 1957 Ford Fairlane Skyliner. Cadillac had an ill-fated encounter with
the removable metal roof in the 1991 Allante. Mitsubishi broke some new
ground with the 1994 Spyder's automatic top. Until recent years, however,
the power retractable metal roof has seemed somewhat experimental.
With the Volvo C70, we have not just a tiny roadster with a retractable
roof, but a true four-passenger coupe that converts effortlessly into a
convertible. The three-piece hardtop folds away quickly and smoothly into
the trunk.
Hardtops are preferable to traditional ragtop convertibles for some fairly
obvious reasons, safety being the foremost. A hardtop also provides a
quieter interior than a traditional convertible.
As always, you can count on Volvo to make safety a primary concern.
In addition to the protection the hardtop provides when it's in place,
engineers added a margin of safety typically reserved for luxury cars, a
category for which the C70 certainly qualifies at a base price of $38,710.
Introduced as an all-new 2006 model the C70 offers minor changes for the
2007 model year, including auxiliary audio input plus MP3 playback
capability from the in-dash CD changer. Sirius Satellite Radio is a new and
belated option.
Of the C70's 16,000 annual sales, about 50 percent happen in the U.S.
Despite Volvo's ownership by Ford Motor Co., the C70 is a true European
import, built in Gothenburg, Sweden.
In the United States, the C70 comes standard with the turbocharged T5
engine. The 2.5-liter light-pressure turbocharged power plant produces 218
horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 236 foot-pounds of torque from 1,500 to 4,800
rpm. The flat torque curve sends power to the front wheels evenly and makes
the car highly responsive.
With a six-speed stick, the C70 can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 7
seconds, moving toward a top speed of 150 mph. From 60 mph, the power disc
brakes with antilock system and electronic brake force distribution can
bring the C70 back to 0 mph in a space of 123 feet.
You can get an automatic transmission in the C70, which might be advisable
if you spend a lot of time in stop-and-go traffic. With plenty of open road
in front of me, I really enjoyed the C70's smooth-shifting stick. But on a
congested freeway, operating the clutch and downshifting can become
tiresome.
The power-adjustable front seats and tilt-telescoping steering wheel adjust
well to most body sizes. The addition of audio controls to the steering hub
also improves the ergonomics. Unlike some of its rivals, such as BMW, Volvo
did not create excessively complicated controls for the audio and
ventilation systems, sticking with traditional knobs in intuitive positions.
In keeping with Scandinavian tradition, the interior features uncluttered
surfaces and clever functionality. The thin center stack was adopted from
the Volvo S40 sport sedan and V50 sport wagon. Special upholstery, called
Vulcaflex, is a synthetic material with a skin-like surface and a high-tech
feel. Leather seating surfaces are available with the Premium Package.
Convertibles can create some problems for sound engineers, but Volvo did a
good job of providing high-quality acoustics with the retractable hardtop.
The standard stereo has 160-watt amplifier and eight speakers. The optional
Dynaudio Premium Sound system has 910 watts of power with Dolby Pro Logic II
Surround Sound and 14 speakers, including dual eight-inch woofers.
Ergonomically, my only complaint was the rather small side mirrors, though
they are heated and show the turn indicators.
The two rear seats have comfortably angled backrests and ample width across
the supportive cushions. A button on the front-seat backrest slides the seat
forward to allow access to the back seats. The electrically operated seats
move forward twice as quickly as the previous C70.
Safety features include rollover head protection, front air bags and
inflatable side curtain. The curtain has an extra stiff construction that
allows them to remain upright and offer effective head protection even with
the window open. The curtain deflates slowly to provide protection should
the car roll over.
WHAT'S NEW: Auxiliary audio input plus MP3 playback, optional Sirius
Satellite Radio.
PLUSES: Styling, four-passenger seating, performance, safety.
MINUSES: Small side mirrors, diminished trunk capacity due to automatic roof
gear.
BOTTOM LINE: Four-seat hardtop convertible with nice performance -- a
rarity.
Richard Williamson writes about automobiles for Scripps Howard News Service.
