Tomorrow’s Heroes
The spiritual successsor to the P1800 turned out to be well worth the 25-year wait WHY YOU WANT ONE
Volvo C70
The styling alone should have you sold on the C70, but it’s more than just a looker because you also get typical Volvo levels of safety and comfort and seating for four adults. The coupé is decently refined and while the convertible isn’t quite as quiet, it’s still pretty good. An electrically operated three-layer roof is standard along with a heated glass rear window. All C70s come with climate control and a superb Dynaudio hi-fi with ten or 14 speakers, making it the world’s first car to feature Dolby Surround Pro-Logic.
PICK OF THE BUNCH
Volvo didn’t offer a dieselengined C70 MkI, so all have an all-aluminium five-cylinder petrol engine that drives the front wheels via a five-speed manual or four/five-speed automatic gearbox; most survivors are manuals. Engine choices include a 163bhp 1984cc (2.0T, from December 1999) or 240bhp 2319cc (T5, from launch in June 1997) turbocharged powerplants, or there’s a 2.4-litre engine (from April 1999) in various naturally aspirated or light-pressure turbo forms with 165-193bhp depending on spec. Most have the 2.0-litre turbo engine. Coupés may be rare – most of the cars we found for sale were convertibles, which suffer from scuttle shake – but are far better to drive. The manual gearbox is nicer to use than the auto, too, though the latter does allow for rather more relaxed cruising.
ESSENTIAL CHECKS
Poor access makes fixing an oil leak from the main rear seal between the engine and gearbox a pain. You can fix it yourself – the part costs just £18.25 – but a specialist will charge £300-£500. The positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) system clogs up, leading to a build-up of pressure in the crankcase, blown seals and an engine management warning light coming on. Likewise, the crankcase breather pipes go brittle then break, leading to uneven running and a reduction in power. It’s worth replacing the pipes – which are hidden under the intake manifold – every 80,000 miles or so; a kit costs £100. The timing belt must be replaced every 80,000 miles/eight years (1997-99 cars) or 90,000 miles/ ten years (2000 onwards); the engine isn’t worth saving if the belt breaks. The convertible’s electric hood mechanism can fail due to hydraulic leaks, pump failure, blocked drains, a misaligned frame or faulty sensors. Effective repairs can be costly.
WHAT WE’D PAY
These cars are disappearing at quite a rate now that they’ve been around for two decades. Parts availability is currently pretty good but won’t remain so forever. That’s why you should buy the best C70 that you can, invest in it while the bits can be bought, then hang on to it. Values aren’t generally affected by spec, body style or engine – even the mileage doesn’t make much of a difference, unless it’s barely turned a wheel since it was new; condition is all, with tatty examples available for as little as £600. Expect to pay double that for something reasonable, with a really nice car fetching up to £2500. £3500 bags a superb low-miler with a load of options, but they’re rare.