Volvo's current C70 hard top convertible. Image: Volvo
Back before the current Volvo C70 was offered in its present retractable hardtop configuration, it was built as both a coupe and convertible. Many (ourselves included) favored the smooth lines of the C70 coupe over the arched roof of the hardtop convertible, but the financial advantages of producing a single model instead of two ultimately won out.
The aging C70 won’t see a new version, and its demise may create an opportunity for Volvo to design a new, larger personal luxury coupe to tackle the likes of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe and the BMW 6 Series. As Inside Line says, the Volvo C90 model will likely form the basis for a new convertible, but it isn’t clear if the car will be designed from the ground up as such.
Look for Volvo to use its Scalable Platform Architecture layout, likely shared with the next Volvo S80. As the Swedish automaker has renounced six and eight cylinder engines, power would come from a forced-induction four, in both gas and diesel variants.
Also, don’t forget that you can get discounted new car pricing with a free quote through qualified local dealer partners.
If the C90 gets a green light for production, don’t expect to see it on the trade show circuit before 2015 or so, which means that a production model is still four or five years off.
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
