The Most Affordable Way To Get A Turbocharged Five-Cylinder Convertible

For a country in an area known more for reindeer pulling a bearded old man in his sleigh than for its sunny days, Sweden does have a long tradition of open-top cars. Remember the classic Saab 900 and 9-3 Convertible? Saab's bigger brother in Gothenburg, Volvo, also had a soft spot for open-top driving. Its very first car, the OV4, was a convertible.

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2009 Volvo C70 Convertible

But perhaps the most memorable model is the modern C70, which was produced over 12 years and two generations around the change of the century. The C70 could be considered one of the first modern Volvos under Ford's stewardship that forged a new design and marketing route for the Swedish company, fleshing out its portfolio to become a true global player.

The C70 - 25 years young

But there's something else that's unique - and intriguing - about the C70: its 5-cylinder turbocharged engine the Swedes incorporated at the time. With the Big C70 today nearing 25 years in age, some real bargains can be had if you're looking for executive-style open-top driving. Here's a short background of the C70, and things to consider before buying one.

A bargain bubbling under the radar: The rising star of the C70

2006 - 2010 Volvo C70 - aerial view

After a bit of a hiatus regarding convertibles, Volvo entered the open-top market again in 1996 when it showed its new C70 coupe at the Paris Auto Show, followed by the convertible at the following year's Frankfurt Show. Designed by Ian Callum, the big Swede was supposed to provide an easy-driving, open-top experience for families and couples alike. The C70 was immediately a breath of fresh air in the Volvo lineup as it broke the tradition of square, boxy designs with its softer lines and smooth edges.

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Two models became one

Testing the market, Volvo started out with the coupe and soft-top convertible, but by the time the second generation came round in 2006, these were merged into one single model with a retractable hard roof. Development started early in the 1990s, using the outgoing 850's platform, and took 30 months to be completed. Production was located at Volvo's Uddevalla plant in Sweden. With safety being one of Volvo's big selling points, the convertible debuted a unique roll cage system called ROPS (Roll Over Protection System) where two hoops behind the passengers would pop up if the central controlling system sensed the car rolling over.

Volvo "kept the toy, and threw away the box" with the new C70 - Peter Horbury, head-designer, Volvo

At the time, the C70 convertible was Volvo's most expensive model. But their prices have decreased dramatically since then. Considering you're buying a premium badge executive car, the early models' current price range of between $5,000 and $14,000 offers great value. It's only with the late models, 2003 to 2004, that prices easily fetch $16,000 today.

A closer look at the C70

cropped-Volvo-C70_Convertible-2001

Key things to know about the C70

• Three out of four C70s sold were convertibles
• Pininfarina set up a factory in Sweden to build the C70-soft-top
• The first-gen used the 850's platform, the second-gen the new S40-platform
• The metal foldable roof consisted of three pieces that lay on top of each other in the boot when stowed

As the late 1990s and early 2000s were a bit of a transition period for Volvo, a series of engines overlapped with each other, which may create some confusion. For the first generation, two engines were offered, all of them turbocharged-inline-5s. There was the easy-going 2.4-liter-turbo dubbed the LPT (low-pressure turbo), and the range-topping 2.3-liter-turbo which had the T5 moniker. The latter had a high boost pressure, which meant it gave more power even though it had a slightly lesser capacity than the LPT. Only the 2.3-liter though, was offered for the first (1998) model year.

Our vision was to design a convertible that would meet the needs of a family of four looking for comfortable blue-sky motoring in a vehicle also providing stylish looks, performance and faultless driving and road-holding - Peter Horbury

The 2.4-liter (190 hp, 199 lb-ft) was available with a choice of a 4-speed auto or 5-speed manual gearbox, while the range-topping 2.3-liter produced 237 hp and 243 lb-ft of torque, with also a choice of 4-speed auto or 5-speed manual to choose from.

2006 - 2010 Volvo C70 - front 3/4 angle

Second generation (2006 – 2013)

It's important to note that there was no 2005 model, as this was the changeover to the new shape, second generation of the C70. For the new version, Volvo kept the 2.4-liter LPT as the base engine, but this time without turbocharging (168 hp, 170 lb-ft). The 5-speed manual was kept, but the four-speed-auto gained another cog. The new T5-model received the PAG group's new 2.5-liter-inline-5-turbo, producing 217 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque. Gearbox selection was a new 6-speed-manual or a new tiptronic 5-speed auto, called Geartronic. In 2010, the T5's engine got a slight power increase to 227 hp, with torque staying the same as previous.

In 2011 and 2012, Volvo dropped the LPT, with only the T5 remaining in the lineup.

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Key features of the gen-2 C70

The convertible featured an electrically heated glass rear window, an automatic (pop-up) rollover hoops system, and front and side airbags. The cloth convertible top was fully automatic. A key thing to keep in mind is that with the second generation using a retractable hardtop, the first-gen offered more loading space.

The second-gen C70 used the foldable hard top, and had more angular lines, especially towards the rear. It went on sale in the States in spring 2006. A novel safety system for the second-gen was a curtain airbag mounted in the door panels. In 2010, a slight update was given, with only the front (new bumper design) and rear ends (new LED-lights) receiving visual updates. An Inscription model went on sale in 2012, available only in black (solid and metallic) and white, with LED daytime running lights, contrasting stitching for the interior, and "Inscription" embroidered on the headrests and carpets.

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2012 Volvo C70 Convertible

Buyer beware - common problems of the big Swede

2010 Volvo C70 - front 3/4 angle

As with other convertibles, the folding roof - cloth or metal - can be a major bugbear for owners.

Apart from squeaks and rattles, the roof can also jam while in use, requiring it to be removed, repaired and then refitted. This takes time and could prove to be expensive. Some owners recommend one should check the first-gen's cloth roof so that it fits snugly over the windows. If that is not the case, water could infiltrate and make the window drop into the door.

Smaller wheels for bigger comfort

Some owners also prefer the smaller 17-inch rims, as they provide a higher rubber profile which gives the Swede a softer ride than the bigger 18-inch rims with their low-profile tires.

Conclusion

2010 Volvo C70 - front 3/4 angle

The big Swedish convertible was maybe more Benny Anderson than Agnetha Faltskog. At least in performance, as even though you had the power of the turbocharged inline-5's to propel you forward, the big body's 3,300-lb weight saw to it that no fireworks were delivered. High pressure turbo or not.

Classic as an Abba hit

But, fitted with the right-size tires and if you're in a relaxed mood, this C70 would reward you with a balanced, neutral driving style and a classiness matched only by Mercedes-convertibles. Early models can be caught for the cheap, but look out for classic folding-top issues and old-car engine niggles. The interior was all classy, coming with climate and cruise control, power windows and high-end stereo all standard. Now you only need to brush up on your Abba songs, and don that white bodysuit.