Bill: When one thinks about Volvo safety is usually the first thing that comes to mind, and until that all changed in the mid-nineties, that was about all one could say when talking about Volvo. While Volvo’s are far from sexy, they are somewhat voluptuous and the 2008 C70 Convertible is no exception.
Cathy: Bill, you might not find the Volvo convertible sexy but I think it has great looking lines and curves. If you look at the C70 from the side it reminds me of a woman of sophistication strolling through the park and then zap the top goes down and that old-money, black dress and pearls woman turns in to a whole other type of driver.
Bill: Cathy, that wasn’t a sexist remark, just my personal opinion. The C70 is Volvo’s four-seat convertible coupe that returned to the lineup for 2006 with a new folding hardtop. The C70 debuted for the 1998 as coupe in hard top and soft-top configurations. It also ushered in a new model-naming group for Volvo with the “C” designation for Coupe, while 70 represents the car's relative position in the company's product line. The Coupe was dropped in 2003 with the convertible taking a hiatus in 2005 before returning in ’06 with a retractable hardtop.
Cathy: The interior was interesting with its new look; much like the furniture at an IKEA store. I thought that was perfect since they both have Swedish roots. The light oak on the center console and the wood trim on the shift knobs and door trim added to the clean lines of the leather wrapped steering wheel. The light oak was so different from other luxury vehicles we’ve tested.
Bill: Driving the C70 is where it can get a bit dicey with Volvo. Because it’s front-wheel-drive and the torque band starts at 1500 rpm, it’s pretty easy to unintentionally spin the front tires, which can be a bit annoying. This is not intended to be a hot-rod and certainly doesn’t have the power to be so squealing tires is not very cool. The car is heavy and can feel a bit unwieldy at times but the electro-hydraulic steering is precise and has a very nice feel.
Cathy: The entertainment features, besides Bill’s driving habits, included AM/FM cassette in-dash 3 CD player, CD-controller stereo with 400 watts stereo output. There are a total of ten speakers and still not a distraction for one of the world’s safest cars, even topless.
Bill: Bottom line, the C70 convertible has quite a bit to offer in the mid 40K range. It has the heralded standard Volvo safety systems including the ROPS system for Roll Over Protection. It’s smooth on the highway and gets decent mileage so unless performance and handling is a big issue, the C70 may be just the convertible you’re looking for.
Cathy: Unless of course it isn’t sexy enough!
Specifications:
Engine: 2.4-liter Inline 5 Cylinder
227 horsepower@5000rpm
236 lb-ft torque@1500rpm
Pricing: Base $39,240, As Tested: $46,805
EPA EST: 18/27
Base Warranty: 48 months 50,000 miles
Powertrain: 50,000 miles
