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The Volvo C70: The Conservative Convertible
The Volvo group has always been known more about the safety of their cars than the kind of style that their vehicles sport around. The reputation comes from Volvo’s effort to increase the safety of their cars which they designed to have a boxy look. The boxy design is employed by early models of the car that is why the company is known not for the good looks of their cars.
The present though is different; the last decade has seen Volvo produce cool looking cars in an effort to catch the attention of younger buyers. An example of the Sweden-based outfit effort to produce eye pleasing design is their Volvo C70 convertible. The car is originally designed as a coupe and is converted to a drop-top which has the conservative styling of a Volvo but it still looks good.
The convertible does not offer radical designs but the drop-top configuration of this car surely commands attention. The car’s attractiveness mirrors the company’s drive to not only provide safe cars for the public but also good looking ones in order for them to have the younger consumers latch on – this is the group which the company is hoping will become their buyer base for many years to come.
The car employs a four-piece hardtop that gently tucks itself into the car’s trunk in under 30 seconds. The precise engineering of the mechanism enables the driver to lower the top and it also makes the lowering of the top quite a sight to see.
The convertible is a four-seater affair and offers good lumbar support to all its occupants. With the top up, it feels like a coupe from the inside, not only in its looks but the way you would feel when you drive it. The rest of the interior is also a good piece of work, from its floating console which is common with newly released cars from Volvo, to its easy-to-read analog dials; the car offers convenience and comfort.
It is also loaded with safety features that only Volvo can offer. The C70 is the only convertible that has side curtain airbags; this is a testament to the company’s dedication to providing safe cars no matter what the design may be.
The performance of the car is optimized by a wide array of high performance Volvo auto parts which are known for their reliability and long service lifespan. Its turbocharged engine can accelerate the car from a standstill to 60 miles per hour in roughly 7 seconds. The car’s acceleration is quite remarkable given its heavy roof, the added weight of chassis stiffening components, Boron steel windshield pillars and ballistic roll-over bars. What powers the car to that remarkable acceleration is its powerplant that is a transversely-mounted 2.5 liter turbocharged engine capable of producing up to 218 horsepower at 5000 revs per minute.
The problem that is common to all convertible though is that once the top is lowered, it cuts the luggage space in half, and the Volvo C70 is no exception to that. But efforts put in the design of the convertible gives the driver a mechanism that allows him to raise the top while it is inside the trunk to permit loading of luggage underneath it before lowering it again. While this does not solve the storage space problem, it is a clever way to make the best out of the situation. Overall, the convertible is a great ride, not only does it offer good aesthetic value but also great performance, with a healthy slice of safety thrown into the mix.
About the Author: Glady Reign is a 32 year old is a consultant for an automotive firm based in Detroit, Mi. she is a native of the motor city and grew up around cars hence her expertise in the automotive field.
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