| Launch Report Volvo C70 |
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A Solid Contender
So when I got to Dubai to drive the all-new Volvo C70, and realised the sunny Arab Emirate has lots of fast straight roads and not many corners, I wasn't expecting a great handling car. Was I right? More on that later . . .
It's a coupé, and slightly shorter than its predecessor but the same width. But then, hey presto! Push a button and the metal roof folds elegantly into the boot in 30 seconds. Arguably it's the best thing about this C70 - it's an amazing thing to watch the three panels elegantly tuck away.
It's a proper four-seater, and Volvo has taken the familiar lines of its S range of saloons and created a car that's high on style. However, there's not masses of space for those in the rear. The flat bench seat of the original has been ditched in favour of two sculpted chairs, and it's comfortable enough provided you're not too tall. The dashboard has been borrowed from the S40 and V50, with the now-trademark floating centre console housing most of the cabin controls. A few extra touches of chrome detailing have been added to make this feel like a more luxurious place to be.
One traditional danger with drop-tops is the lack of security if you want to leave the roof down, but Volvo has thought of that. A number of the storage bins are linked to the car's central locking system. What's more, the wind deflector, which stores in the boot when you don't want it, cleverly features zips in its horizontal section so you can put stuff on the back seats and not get it stolen. |
There used to be a C70 coupé and a separate canvas-hood convertible. Both proved surprisingly successful, and when the hard-top was axed in 2002 the cabrio carried on for another three years. But technology has moved on, so instead of two replacements there's just one.
