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From Swedespeed.com Events Coverage The Frankfurt IAA, a.k.a. the Frankfurt International Motorshow, is arguably the largest industry only auto show in the world. Spread over several convention halls that make up the Frankfurt show facility, as well as several purpose-built temporary halls that go up and down specifically for this event, Frankfurt is the show not to miss in the world automotive arena. Significant new models and the edgiest concepts are the status quo here in the heart of the European Union, so it’s no surprise when Volvo and its Ford Motor Company mates take the opportunity to introduce some interesting and important hardware.
From photos, it’s hard to guage the size of the car effectively. Seeing it in person, the car is immediately recognizable as larger than the S40 and not far off of the outgoing C70 in overall size. It’s shorter front to rear, but it’s actually wider than the first generation cars. Contrary to what we expected, the front of a C70 wouldn’t just interchange with the S40 or V50. The fenders are wider as you look at them from above and behind, jutting out further from the flat hood area. The hood itself is the only piece of sheet metal shared with the 40/50 ranges.
Many of the details of the C70 are thoroughly explained in the accompanying press releases published in our Frankfurt IAA coverage. However, we caught up with Art Battaglia, the C70’s North American product manager, to get some more details about the car and specifically about Volvo’s plans for it in the North American market. First and foremost is drivetrain availability and price. For the foreseeable future, the C70 will only sell as a T-5 and only with front-wheel drive. Transmissions will vary between a Geartronic automatic and a 6-speed manual, but structural packaging of the convertible make fitting the Haldex all-wheel drive system on the car unlikely. In the meantime, pricing is expected to start around or near $39,000. This cost is tentative, but a very educated guess.
The C70 will be available with choice of two interior materials in the USA. Of course there will be leather, but the base interior is a new material called Vulcaflex. Think of Vulcaflex as the next generation of T-tec, at least in the scope of the C70. It’s specifically designed for durable use in an open-top car and seems just as versatile as the 40/50-series’ T-tec. Inside, the interior is handsome, with many parts borrowed from the S40 and V50. Door panels for both front and rear passengers are deep and usable, and the front and rear center consoles feature sliding doors with cupholders below, just as the freshened 60/70 series cars introduced last year. Even better, each of these cubbies locks with the key fob or the valet lock on the glovebox. Lock the car with the top down, and those cubbies are secure.
Seats feature useful front/rear adjustment buttons near the seat release so that even more room can be made for passengers entering or exiting the back seat. The motors in the seat adjustment are now twice as fast as the ones in the older car, optimal for use in letting passengers in or out. Aluminum trim will be standard for the USA. For now, the only covers for the C70’s center stack like the one in the S40 are made of plastic or alloy. Faux wood wouldn’t cut it in North American cars, so VCNA has opted not to include it. An aluminum trim steering wheel and shift knob, accessories for the S40 and V50, are standard equipment in the C70. Other touches, such as aluminum trim for the main center stack knobs and aluminum-insert vent knobs finish the look, and look like a cool parts swap for S40 and V50 owners. Speaking of parts swaps for S40 and V50 owners, the C70 has some great-looking wheel choices. Cars shown on the Volvo stand had optional 18-inch wheels on two of them and some 18-inch Volvo accessory wheels made by German wheel manufacturer BBS on the third. A 17-inch wheel design will be standard equipment.
17-inch wheels will come with all-season Michelin tires, but 18-inch wheels will come with Pirelli P Zero Rossos, a summer tire. Opt for the 18-inch wheel design in climates where you’ll see foul winter weather and you’ll want to invest in snow tires for sure. The wheels themselves share the same bolt pattern as all other Volvos, but we were told the offset would be somewhat unique. Since the C70 is wider than the 40/50 cars, its offset will be more aggressive, sitting out further on a car with a narrower track like the S40 or V50, which could cause rubbing. A spare tire will be a no-cost option from what we here. The spare robs the trunk, which can grow quite small with the top stowed, of valuable space. Volvo believes most will option for the tire repair kit. It works well, and will be stored in the center section of the rear seat, where the ski pass-through enters the cabin to retain as much luggage space as possible.
Volvo is known for their impressive sound systems. The company has partnered with leaders in the business like Dolby in the past. This time around, Volvo has partnered with high-end Danish speaker manufacturer Dynaudio. Well respected in the industry, Dynaudio has been very selective in choosing automotive partners. Among them is Volvo with the new C70. We tested the system on the show floor and the result was very impressive. The sound was clear, but hit with authority. Look into the back seat when the bass is beating and you’ll notice the leather panels vibrating. Sound is great, and the massage chairs in cars like the Volkswagen Phaeton have nothing on the massage chairs by your favorite heavy-beat song, Volvo and DynAudio. In addition to the DynAudio sound, the C70 will also be available with other known Volvo in-car entertainment options such as iPod integration and Sirius Satellite Radio. Expect the C70 to being rolling out in the Spring or Summer of 2006. Elsewhere in the Volvo Stand The C70 was really the big news for Volvo in Frankfurt, but we found some other interesting things to see elsewhere in the stand. Check out our galleries from the day, and you’ll see some interesting things. The United States being Volvo’s biggest market, there aren’t a whole lot of things Europe gets that Americans don’t. Beyond bi-fuel and diesel models, our cars are spec’ed very similar to Europe, not leaving the typical cross-the-pond jealousy of some other European brands. Still, we found a few interesting things that either we don’t get, or haven’t gotten yet but is in the cards.
First and foremost is the XC90 Ocean Race Edition (ORE). The Volvo Ocean Race is happening again this year, and Volvo will commemorate the sailing event with commemorative edition XC90 and XC70 models. An XC90 Ocean Race Edition was on hand in stunning Ocean Blue with silver mouldings and silver accents on the roof rack. Inside, blue piping and stitching look great, though we’re still trying to determine if we like the bluish aluminum trim that adorns the inside.
Next to the ORE XC90 was an XC90 V8 with one of Volvo’s special Signature interiors. The handsome reddish hue really worked well with the cars Titanium Gray exterior. We have not yet learned if the USA will get this option or not.
The S40 in the stand included a new sharkfin antenna. Whether this is European market specific we were not able to ascertain, but current 40/50 models in the USA utilize a different, more pointed design.
The Growing Collection of Volvo Merchandise One of the unique aspects about Frankfurt, not seen as much at any of the other major industry auto shows, is the in-stand store for brand goods. For Volvo, this means that much of the same collection of Volvo merchandise sold in places like the the Gothenburg Volvo brand store can also be bought on the show floor. It’s a great way for the company to show off their goods, and we spotted everything from baby shoes and clothing to hip watches, jackets and skull caps.
Model cars are always a big favorite of the Germans and Volvo had plenty to choose from. The C70 has joined the comprehensive list of 1:43 scale models made by Minichamps. There’s also a remote control C70 and a remote control XC90 Ocean Race Edition is just one of many Ocean Race items. Stay Tuned… Look for further updates and photos later in the week. Swedespeed will be returning to the Frankfurt Auto Show to complete our coverage of the entire event. A summary of highlights of the whole show will be published soon, and we’ll be adding more photos of cars Volvo will assuredly add to the booth today in the space reclaimed following the press conference this morning.
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