Beating out even the futuristic BMW Vision EfficientDynamics as the most anticipated debutant appearing at this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show is the refreshed 2010 Volvo C70 hardtop convertible. Largely unnoticeable to the untrained eye, the new C70 arrives for 2010 sporting the same subtle cosmetic revisions first introduced on the XC60. The headlights and fog lamps have been sunk into the deep grooves of the C70′s chunky, V-shaped hood, drawing the eye inward to the significantly larger Volvo badge displayed prominently on the grill. Perhaps an unspoken testament to their renewed dedication to maintaining their segment dominance, the “HEY, THIS IS A VOLVO” badging is carried to the rear of the open-top 2-dr where VOLVO is scrawled in massive block letters across the decklid. “The face of the new C70 is clearer, more pronounced,” says Fedde Talsma Exterior Chief Designer at Volvo Cars. “The natural elegance of the car has been modernized.”
Structurally, aside from the rounded edges and non-too-subtle badging, little has changed with the ought-ten C70. The retractable hardtop still folds discreetly into the perfectly proportioned rear, and the interior is still fashioned using the “form follows function” design philosophy. The center stack remains barren of any gaudy infotainment system, featuring instead a simple, small LED screen. The optional retractable navigation screen is hidden inside the dash, a handy theft-deterrent that fits with Volvo’s “Safety First” mentality.