by Richard Yarrow (23 February 2006)
There's a theory among motoring journalists that where the car is being launched - and the type of roads that are available there - gives a good indication of how it will perform. It's a slightly cynical attitude, but it's amazing how often you're right once you've got behind the wheel.
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 . . .
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.
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.
Roof up, there's 400 litres of boot space - enough for a weekend away - but with the top down that's halved. There's a handy button in the boot that raises the stored panels slightly so you can get bags under it, before clicking it back down.
Three petrol engine options are available from launch. All are 2.4-litre capacity, but the 140bhp and 170bhp are naturally-aspirated, while the 220bhp is a turbo. A 180bhp diesel will arrive in showrooms later. I drove the turbo, and while it's impressive enough it's not a car to really put a smile on your face. The 220bhp engine accelerates the C70 to 60mph in 7.6 seconds, and while it doesn't feel like a sports car, it's an excellent cruiser that rides well. Fuel economy is 31mpg.
The six-speed manual gearbox is a pleasure to use, and there's little to really criticise. As well as having a lot of straight roads, the desert town of Al Ain were we drove to does have a lot of roundabouts - it's like Milton Keynes with palm trees - and there I discovered the steering and handling are very good. Sadly, for me, there was a little spark of character missing that would make this a much more involving car to use.
The C70 feels very solid and well put together. The stiffening of the chassis to compensate for the lack of a permanent roof has been done well. As you'd expect from Volvo, the car is packed with safety features, including an semi-rigid inflatable curtain that fires upwards out of each door.
The idea is to boost protection if you've got the roof down and roll over. It will stay inflated for longer than normal airbags, because that type of accident can last longer than a head-on smash which is over in a split-second. Pop-up roll bars mounted behind the rear seats are also standard.
The stereo has been specially designed by speaker firm Dynaudio to sound great with the top up or down. It works well, and there's a choice of three different systems. Sat-nav is included in the optional Communications Pack, which also features an integrated telephone.
In this segment that's dominated by cars such the convertible versions of the BMW 3-Series and Audi A4, it's less about value for money and more about image and prestige. Volvo's C70 is a stylish contender, but may not have the badge cachet that buyers are looking for.