Background: For years, automotive aficionados generally assumed the name Volvo was Swedish for the word "box." While Volvo automobiles excelled in areas of safety and engineering, outwardly Volvo boxed itself into a corner with rather uninspired styling. For 1998, Volvo began thinking outside the box. When a bright red, midsize, C70 coupe arrived for a week-long test drive, it's exterior resembled more of a snappy-looking Honda Accord coupe than anything in recent memory generated by Volvo. The new, four-seat, 1998 C70 began rolling off Swedish assembly lines in the fall of 1997. A few months later, Volvo introduced the S70 and V70 series, which replaced the 850 sedan and wagon. Volvo's revised product name nomenclature is based on platform designations denoting model type and series lineage. For example, "S" denotes sedan, "C" represents convertible and coupe while "V" designates versatility (station wagons other multi-purpose vehicles). The higher the number after the letter designation, the bigger the vehicle ( a 70 series is larger than a 40 series.) Marketed in one well-equipped trim level, the two-door, front-wheel-drive C70 is the first coupe offered by Volvo in seven years. Through September, 14,999 C70 coupes have been sold this year. It's also available as a convertible. Volvo cars of North America, based in Rockleigh, New Jersey, is wholly-owned by Volvo Car Corporation of Gothenburg, Sweden
Safety features: In the Volvo tradition, C70 includes many safety equipment standard including driver and passenger front air bags, bucket-seat mounted side-impact air bags, anti-lock brakes, remote keyless entry and daytime running lights. Traction control is a $450 option.
Engine: Volvo's C70 offers one powertrain choice, but it packs a wallop. The in-line, transverse, five-cylinder, 2.3-liter, turbocharged engine delivers 236 horsepower and a ton of driving excitement. Zero to 60 miles an hour takes 6.9 seconds according to Volvo. Volvo's S70 and V70 stablemates offer a selection of three engines including the turbo five-cylinder, the most potent of the trio. A turbo-engine whine is somewhat audible at lower speeds.
Price: Volvo's well-equipped, C70 coupe with automatic transmission includes a manufacturer's suggested retail price of 39,970. With a sprinkling of options including traction control, upgraded sound system and heated front seats, the bottom line totalled 41,845 with the $575 destination charge factored in. The two-door C70 with manual transmission starts at $38,995.
Standard equipment: The luxury-appointed C70 includes numerous features standard including power glass sunroof, manual transmission, cruise control, power door locks, power windows and locks, automatically dimming rear-view mirror, heated power outside mirrors, power assist rack and pinion steering, dual-zone climate control and front and rear fog lights come with the price of admission. A three unit, in-dash compact disc player with cassette player, AM, FM and 10 speakers is also standard.
Options: Heated seats, multi-spoke alloy wheels, full leather upholstery and traction control round out major options.
Interior: The instrument panel includes three circular analog gauges for speedometer, tachometer and gasoline level. Digital odometer, outside temperature, miles-to-empty and average miles-per-gallon readings are found here too, as is the digital clock. Interspersed walnut trim provides an elegant touch. Volvo places trunk and fuel door release levers on the driver's door in the map pocket area. Plastic dual holders slide forward from the flip-top storage bin between front bucket seats. The hand-operated parking brake, heated seat buttons, power outlet and coin corral are also in this area. Dual climate control dials locate above the intricate stereo system. Cruise control functions are placed on the turn signal stalk while windshield wipers activate from a right-hand side steering column stalk. Headlights activate from a dashboard dial left of the steering wheel. Right of the steering wheel are traction control, window defogger and sun roof buttons. Power window, power lock and chrome interior door handles are found on both doors. The driver's door is the exclusive home for outside power mirror controls. In future models, Volvo may consider adding secondary steering wheel radio controls. Many luxury competitors include this feature. Also, since Volvo's thinking outside the box, the glove box needs a bit more room. Considering its a coupe, the C70 provides decent side-view perception with relatively thin rear C-pillars. The rear window's angle and large rectangular brake light, positioned at the window's bottom sometimes hide the headlights of close-following vehicles when peering into the rear view mirror.
Seating comfort. The C70 seats four. It's designed for four riders from the get-go. Many mid-size two-door competitors claim five can squeeze in, but the middle back passenger better be small boned. Back row seats in C70 are separated by a floor console with built-in power outlet and fold-down arm rest. Maneuvering into the back depths of any coupe is never fun, but Volvo makes this chore a bit easier with front bucket seats that motor forward electronically once the backrest moves forward. Both front buckets seats include three programmable memory position buttons and 8-way seat settings. Headroom is decent in front, even with the standard moonroof, but in back, riders more than 6-feet tall may feel squeezed.
Exterior: A slopping front hood and aggressive stance provide the C70 with a very unVolvo-like exterior. One familiar aspect remains; Volvo's distinguished front grille with its series of vertical bars and a centralized, square Volvo logo. The mini headlight wipers add a touch of elegance and help keep snow from blocking the light beam when the white fluffy stuff begins accumulating. Body-colored, strap door handles open easily and the doors are not as heavy as some competitors. The left rear fender is home to a retracting radio antenna while the locking, circular fuel door is positioned on the right rear fender Seventeen-inch, five-spoke alloy wheels and 17-inch tires come standard while an 18-inch tire and alloy set are optional. Exterior colors include black, coral red metallic, saffron metallic or cassis metallic.
Trunk: The trunk includes a very generous 13.1 cubic feet of cargo volume. A temporary spare tire houses under the flat-floored bottom. Every Volvo C70 includes a trunk-area tool kit at no extra cost. A rectangular pass-through door, located in the middle of the back seat cushions, allows longer items, including skis or lumber, to be transported.
Dimensions: Wheelbase: 104.7 inches Overall length: 185.8 Overall width: 71.7 inches Overall height: 55.1 inches Front headroom: 37.4 inches Rear headroom: 36.6 inches Ground clearance: 5.5 inches Curb weight: 3,408 pounds
Fuel mileage: Volvo C70's with automatic transmission average 18 miles per gallon in city driving and 25 m.p.g. highway. With 4,500 odometer miles, our test-drive vehicle averaged 21 m.p.g. in combined traveling. Manual transmission editions also average 25 m.p.g. on the highway, but city driving averages 19 m.p.g., one mile better than the automatic transmission. The gas tank holds 18.5 gallons of recommended 91-octane fuel.
Final thoughts: Kudos to Volvo designers for an appealing exterior design that turns heads. Minimal body sway during hard turns enhance its stable environment. It's a firm ride, not the floaty variety. The C70 stands up well against the competitors including the Mercedes-Benz CLK and Lexus SC400 The biggest drawback may be the $40,000 plus price tag, a hefty chunk of change in a coupe segment where sales are stagnant across manufacturer lines and the competition is hot and heavy. |