I'm Convinced
by David Morgan (13 Jun 06)

According to Volvo, one in five of the all-new C70 coupé-cabriolet will be diesel-powered. That surprises me. It should be more. The Swedes have an elegant diesel winner on their hands. The finely-crafted C70 will sell 20,000 petrol and diesel units a year and is a hedonistic and accomplished four-seat coupe with a three-piece electric folding metal roof that boasts one of the most graceful folding mechanisms in its sector.

I was apprehensive when I heard Volvo was dropping a more powerful version of its five-cylinder D5 turbo diesel into this refined package. It seemed perfect for petrol power - a relaxed 167bhp 2.4i five-pot or a lusty 2.5-litre unit with the same number of cylinders and a turbocharger boosting it to 218bhp. Why risk poor refinement and sluggish performance in such a fine chassis?

Volvo's Uddevalla-based C70 car line product manager Kent Johansson put me right. "Because we knew there was a market for a diesel C70 and we were confident our revised D5 with more power would suit the car perfectly," he told me. "The D5 has been specially modified for both the C70 and the latest XC90 SUV. It's smoother, more powerful and well suited to a refined luxury car."

I was unconvinced until I drove it. Initially my scepticism remained. Start-up proved to be a typically clattery diesel affair with the ever-present heavy compression ignition beat exacerbated by the engine's five-cylinder design. But warm-up is quick and once on the move this combination of grace and oil showed its true colours.

The revised 2.4-litre D5 has a bigger turbo than before and the injectors have gained two extra delivery ports with seven tiny outlets spraying fuel under high pressure into the chambers. The result is smoother delivery, cleaner burning and, most importantly, incredible throttle response.

There's no manual transmission offered, but coupled to a superb six-speed Geartronic transmission the D5 adds a new dimension to the excellent C70. It is as lively as its petrol sisters with performance falling mid-way between the 2.4i and the turbocharged T5. But it delivers two major advantages over both - incredible economy and shedloads of torque which turn it into a relaxed long-distance cruiser.

More . . .

More Volvo C70 Photos
Volvo Gallery
Back to Volvo Launch index
Back to main Launch index