I think that it is probably hard to speculate right now what Volvo is planning with their next generation of small cars. Ford says that the C1 technologies program will spawn a little over 15 new vehicles, which is quite a lot IMHO. This could mean that Ford, Mazda, and Volvo will get around +/- 5 vehicles each. <P>It is my guess that Volvo will use this new chassis for the S40, V50, V50 XC, H30, & C40 Coupe/Convertible. I think that Volvo learned a hard lesson with the current C70 series, in that there are not a lot of people who will shell out $45-50k for a C70 convertible or coupe.<P>I think that entering a C40 convertible at a lower price point than the 3-series, A4, 9-3, and CLK convertibles will be a smart move, as long as they load it with everything, meaning few options. The example I am trying to get at is the Acura 3.2TL, as it has basically blown away the competition in sales numbers. It is basically a loaded car, with only DVD Navigation as an option, at a price well below the competition. Thus, the C40 would offer brand cachet and safety at a reasonable price, just like Acura markets the 3.2TL over the Accord EX V6.<P>This is what I speculate is going to happen since Volvo has already made such a big deal about the S60 being inspired by coupe design elements. That is why I think that the S60 will never be used for the basis of a coupe/convertible. To me at least, the C40 coupe/convertible just makes more sense.<P> <IMG SRC="http://freehost.baypal.com/images/DrewSRX/c60convert.jpg"> <P>Some observations, look at the a-pillar and dashboard. The passenger side of the dashboard on the S60 does not slope up like that and the a-piller is rendered with only a 3-pixel line. Also, the cutout for the back of the passenger front door has been blurred out. Plus, you can see the artificial 'fuzzy' looking light on the top of the convertible fabric.<P>-Drew<p>[This message has been edited by InDy (edited 10-12-2001).]