Should Volvo Make a Convertible? Yes!
By Gunnar Heinrich
HOW I adored the original Volvo C70.
Perhaps it was Pininfarina’s masterful tailoring that silkened those Swedish curves. Or, maybe, it was Porsche’s rumored influence behind the spirited, turbocharged Inline-5 cylinder motor.
No, it had to be the polished scent of Volvo leather as it was tanned and oiled circa 1999.
Or – and this really could be it – it was summertime. In SoCal.
The weather was warm. And the coral blue on cream just seemed so perfect. When we pulled up to the Shutters in Santa Monica, the valet paid our ride an honest compliment after just tending to the tutto rosso F355 that had preceded us.
The C70 really was Volvo’s masterful coup.
And no one bought it.
Well, that’s not quite true. You do see a few of the 1st gen. C70s on the road, de temps en temps. But truly, between BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and even Saab, few considered putting $40K down on a Volvo convertible 10 years ago.
You bought a Volvo for safety. For family. For utility with comfort. Not for fun-in-the-sun. And so it was: the C70 languished in anonymity while BMW took orders for the 3er drop top.
The C70 -gasp- wasn’t even perfect.
Based on the original 850/S70, Volvo suffered engineering setbacks from the start; pulling on the convertible’s launch time and again like a seized caliper.
The power roofs failed. Often.
Those five pot engines leaked oil.
And despite the “Drive Safely” marketing, the loss in structural rigidity meant the C70s weren’t that safe.
Add salt to the wound, a decade on, there are so few examples that aren’t dog-eared from hard use. Generally, the first generation C70s lived thankless lives as rough ‘n tumble commuters.
Thankfully, neither poor sales nor defects stopped Volvo from producing a second generation C70 convertible and now a third.
Both penned by Pininfarina and constructed by Pininfarina’s unit in Sweden; the latest hardtop-droptops improved on previous foibles while reminding us that, yes, Sweden’s other car company is versatile, dynamic, luxurious and not just for hauling kids ‘n gear to practice.
Given the choice that people have in spending $40-$55K on a 2+2 topless tourer (would you like German or Japanese?), it’s right that Volvo makes a convertible.
About the Author: Gunnar Heinrich is publisher of Automobiles De Luxe online and is executive producer of the Automobiles De Luxe Television series on PBS member station CPTV.
Jim | Feb 1, 2010 | Reply
As I recall the C70 was savaged by the automotive press, for what it wasn’t (or intended to be), a sports car and for its defects, lack of body rigidity, buzzy, weak 5 cyl motor and plain Jane styling. That said I always thought the complaints packed extra venom due to inchoate Volvo hatred. After all it wasn’t BMW.
G | Feb 1, 2010 | Reply
I liked the styling, personally. And that’s just it – the C70 wasn’t a Bimmer, therefore, etc., etc.
Used Volvo Trucks | Feb 15, 2010 | Reply
A convertible is a type of automobile in which the roof can retract and fold away, converting it from an enclosed to an open-air vehicle. Many different automobile body styles are manufactured and marketed in convertible form. Roof designs vary widely, but a few characteristics are common to all convertibles. Roofs are affixed to the body of the vehicle and are usually not detachable. Instead the roof is hinged and folds away, either into a recess behind the rear seats or into the boot or trunk of the vehicle. Contemporary convertibles are known and marketed under several different terms due to the convergence of body styles over the years. A soft-top convertible may also be referred to as a cabriolet or cabrio, although two-seater soft tops often retain the name roadster, referring to their body style.