A transverse-mounted turbocharged, all-aluminum engine inline-5 drives the front wheels through the four-speed automatic. Based on the T5 engine that comes in the Volvo S70, the 5-cylinder engine delivers 190-horsepower at 5100 rpm. That's a solid number, though not as seductive as the Coupe's 236 horsepower. Volvo says the Convertible's task is to seduce more with grace than brute power. To that end, the Convertible delivers nearly 200 foot-pounds of torque from just 1800 rpm and maintains that output all the way to 5000 rpm, which results in robust throttle response at any engine speed. Punch it, and the Convertible quickly and smoothly accelerates away. And there's no time spent waiting for the turbo to spool.
Base price for the 190-horsepower Volvo C70 Convertible is $43,970. Volvo's new convertible competes with other European convertibles, including the $39,600 Audi Cabriolet (which comes with a 172-horsepower 2.8-liter V6), and the $42,070 BMW 328iC Convertible (which comes with a 190-horsepower 2.8-liter inline-6). (Prices include $575 destination charge.) C70 Coupes range from $37,570 to $39,970. Next Page