Volvo C70

Wednesday 16 September 2009
Volvo introduced the first generation C70 at the 1996 Paris Motor Show, following a European introduction as a 1997 model, and later as a 1998 model in North America — with both low-pressure (2.4L) and high-pressure (2.3L), 5-cylinder, turbocharged petrol engines and manual and automatic transmissions. Peter Horbury designed the exterior and Mexican designer Jose Diaz de la Vega led the interior design team.
The C70 broke Volvo's decades-long styling tradition of boxy, rectilinear designs. According to Peter Horbury, Volvo's design chief from 1991 to 2002, with the C70, Volvo threw away the box, but "kept the toy inside!" 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."
The model is ugly, as an early Hongwell. Why do I still have it? This was the first model in my collection.

Technical data:
- engine: 5 cylinders
- capacity: 2300 cc
- horsepower: 240 HP
- gearbox: 6+1
- top speed: 250 km/h