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DRIVEN: Styling Upgrades Raise Volvo Convertible
Retractable-hardtop C70 gets a new look and premium features for 2011.
Bob Golfen  |  Posted April 26, 2010   Phoenix, AZ
The Volvo C70's slick three-piece retractable hardtop folds neatly into the trunk in less than 30 seconds. (Photo: Volvo)
This is a great time of year in Phoenix, with a blaze of wildflowers in the desert and temperatures that are just about perfect. This is before the notorious summer heat makes such things as cruising around with the top down at midday seem almost suicidal.

A 2011 Volvo C70 hardtop-convertible made a timely visit to my driveway recently, and we were able to take full advantage of its open-air accommodations for some long drives in the glorious sunshine.

The C70 gets expressive new styling for 2011 with a bolder look up front. (Photo: Volvo)
C70 receives a dramatic facelift for 2011, with huge streamlined headlights, a more-prominent nose, grille and Volvo badge, and a rear that better reflects the Swede’s styling theme. Actually, the rear treatment is the best upgrade that does away with a stylistic clinker in the outgoing version.

Anyone who still labors under the misconception that Volvos are boxy and dull-looking hasn’t paid attention to the marque’s design renaissance of the past decade. Volvos still have a look all their own, but now in a good way.

Sleek and distinctive were not words used in the past to describe Volvos stolid cars, but today’s coupes, sedans, SUVs and convertibles definitely fit the description.

The new C70 borrows some of the design elements of the highly regarded S60 introduction that made the auto-show rounds last year. The idea is to make the upscale cruiser look richer and more exclusive.

With the top up, the C70 becomes a snug coupe for improved comfort and security. (Photo: Volvo)
“What we have done is to carefully redesign the front and rear so they harmonize more with both today's and tomorrow's Volvo models,” said Fedde Talsma, exterior chief designer at Volvo cars. “We have also increased the exclusiveness of the materials and trim details to enhance the atmosphere of luxury and enjoyment inside the car."

The interior also gets some upgrades, with more-refined gauges and textures, and softer leather seating. One of my favorite Volvo interior-design elements – the uniquely slim center fascia with space behind it for a cubby hole – remains intact.

The back seat is tight but usable.

The three-section retractable hardtop is a cool piece of engineering, automatically folding like a jackknife into the trunk. Unlike some other hardtop-convertibles, the rear deck does not look abnormally long or out of proportion.

The folded top does take up a considerable amount of trunk space, although you can still get groceries or some overnight bags back there. Also, the weight of the top transferred to the rearmost position adds a heavy feeling and somewhat compromises the handling.

The rear styling of the 2011 C70 is much improved over that of the outgoing model. (Photo: Volvo)
But that’s the well-known cost of a retractable hardtop – weight and balance issues – which is why some of the sportier brands have continued with fabric tops or give consumers a choice.

The advantage is obvious: Top up, the Volvo is as snug a coupe as you’d ever ask for.

Being a longtime leader of safety systems, Volvo has all the expected structural and technological advances to protect the C70’s occupants, plus a real ace in the hole. Volvo is the first manufacturer to design a side-impact airbag that pops up from the tops of the doors in the event of a side-impact collision.

There are also heavyweight hoops that shoot up behind the rear seat to support the car if there is a rollover, activated by a gyroscope. With the top up, the hoops must break through the solid-glass rear window, so each hoop has a hardened metal spike that smacks the glass to bust through.

Though the C70 is a decent driver with good performance, it is in no way a sporty car for driving enthusiasts. With its soft suspension and modest steering response, the Volvo is just not very engaging to drive. Best to just lay back and enjoy the ride.

The interior gets some upgrades for 2011, with sharper-looking gauges and more-refined materials. (Photo: Volvo)
Power comes from a turbocharged, 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine that generates 227 horsepower, plenty of pull for this heavy 3,800-pound car. It includes the sonorous exhaust sound typical of a five-cylinder mill. Unlike most turbo engines, this one runs on regular gas.

The new Geartonic five-speed automatic operates with precision, and it includes a manual-shift function.

C70 is not cheap but certainly competitive at about $40,000 for a premium convertible that is loaded with standard features, safety advances and head-turning style.

The test Volvo arrived with an optional package that includes an awesome surround-sound audio system with 12 speakers, subwoofer and triple amplifiers, plus navigation, for $2,600; paired dynamic and climate packages with active headlights, sport steering wheel, heated front seats, headlight washers and rain-sensing wipers, $1,900; and a handy blind-spot system that warns you if someone is in the adjacent lane, $700.

With shipping, the bottom line was a hefty but reasonable $46,550.

With its retractable hardtop versatility and luxury features, the updated C70 should appeal to anyone more interested in style and comfort than sporty performance. Drive anywhere in any weather, and enjoy.

Details

Vehicle type: Five-passenger, two-door hardtop-convertible, front-wheel drive.
Engine: 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-5, 227 horsepower at 5,000 rpm, 236 pound-feet of torque at 1,500 rpm.
Transmission: Five-speed automatic with manual shift.
Wheelbase: 103.9 inches.
Overall length: 181.7 inches.
Curb weight: 3,837 pounds.
Fuel mileage: 19 city, 28 highway.

Bob Golfen, Automotive Editor for SPEEDtv.com, is a veteran auto writer based in Phoenix, Arizona, who has driven and evaluated essentially every new vehicle sold in the United States. A lifelong car enthusiast with a passion for collector cars, car culture and the automotive lifestyle, he annually attends and writes about Arizona's famous January collector-car auctions, focusing on Scottsdale’s monumental Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Event. SPEEDtv.com fans email veteran Automotive Editor Bob Golfen at

The opinions reflected herein are solely those of the above commentator and are not necessarily those of SPEEDtv.com, FOX, NewsCorp, or Speed Channel

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