At its launch in early 2006, the Volvo C70 broke new ground as the world's first four seater convertible with a retractable hard top. Now, more than three years on, the new Volvo C70 coupe/convertible has been given a design refresh to give the car a new look, roof up or down. The new Volvo C70 retains the three-piece retractable roof, spacious seating for four adults, and class-leading convertible safety standards as the outgoing model.

"We have carefully redesigned the front and rear of the car so they harmonise more with the larger Volvo models. We have also increased the exclusiveness of the interior materials and trim details to enhance the feeling of luxury," explains Fedde Talsma, Exterior Chief Designer of Volvo Cars.

The new Volvo C70 is an extraordinary sports coupe that can transform itself into a full convertible at the touch of a button. The unique three-piece metal roof goes up or down in less than 30 seconds and makes the Volvo C70 two cars in one: a sports coupe that offers excellent performance and agile handling, and a convertible just fine for lazy days open-sky motoring.

The hard-top roof design is particularly innovative. Its three-piece - rather than conventional two-piece - design reduces folding bulk to improve style and increase packaging space.

Three trim levels - S, SE and SE Lux - are offered with comprehensive standard specification, including, ECC (Electronic Climate Control), cruise control and Trip Computer. There is a choice of three five-cylinder engines; a 2.4i 170 PS petrol, 2.4-litre 180 PS turbodiesel D5, the top-of-the-range turbocharged petrol T5 230 PS and a four-cylinder 2.0D 136 PS turbodiesel.

The new Volvo C70 retains the four individual seats to offer comfortable rear seat room for two adults. The interior cabin has also been given an update to create a more comfortable and luxury feel. Featuring a modern, innovative design, and distinctly Scandinavian feel thanks to its clean surfaces, use of genuine materials - including aluminium and wood-effect - and fine functionality. The interior also features Volvo's 'floating' ultra-thin centre dashboard that stylishly houses all the main audio, ventilation controls with a display for the car's menu system that allows locking and sound preferences to be individually customised.

It has also been engineered as one of the safest convertibles on the market with regard to both preventative and protective safety. The car has an advanced body structure and several solutions that are unique to convertible cars and the lack of a fixed roof has been compensated by structural reinforcements.

The Volvo C70 Is built in the Uddevalla factory in Sweden, in a collaborative effort with the legendary Italian coachbuilder Pininfarina.

• Design
• Driving dynamics
• Chassis, steering and brakes
• Interior design
• Quality and equipment
• Safety
• Security
• Environment