Cars - Volvo V70

	Cars - Volvo V70

The Volvo V70 is a full-size station wagon. There have been two generations of the car: 1998-2000 and 2000-present. Stylised 4x4 versions of the V70 have been sold as the XC trim line and as the XC70 model.

Background

The original V70 was a development of the 850 station wagon / sedan series. The new name reflected Volvo's new strategy of naming vehicles depending on size and body style. Thus, the 850 was deemed to be a relative size 70. The name is then appended with the type of vehicle. So the station wagon adopted V (for Versatility), S (for Sedan) and C (for the new Coupé and Convertible). These cars are retrospectively known as V/S 70 Classic.
There were some minor improvements in the design from the original 850, including better handling and an uprated specification, but otherwise this was the same car. As already mentioned, Volvo introduced the Coupé and Convertible ranges as the Volvo C70. The convertible outlasted the original car and remained on sale until 2005. In 2000 (2001 for North America), Volvo released the all new V70 (together with S60 sedan variant) based on the new P2 platform that had already been employed as the Volvo S80 sedan in 1998.
This new car dispensed with the boxy shape of Volvos before it to take on a curvy profile with a new aggressive front end. The 2001-2006 Volvo XC70 is very popular in New England.

Engines

2.0litre 2.4litre 2.5litre

Models

Classic (last models in year 2000) S, SE, CD, R

Technical

The V70 is available as front or all-wheel drive (AWD) with manual, automatic or Geartronic gearboxes. As before, there is a AWD only variant with raised suspension, plastic body cladding and an interior grab handle. This version was known as V70 XC (Cross Country) for the older cars, but was renamed XC70 for the new models.
Also following on from the previous generation was the use of 5 cylinder, 20 valve inline transversly mounted engines. All but the bottom range 2.4 employ turbochargers with either low or high pressure depending on the model. The most powerful vehicle in the regular range is the T5 (popular with UK police forces) with 260 bhp but there is a super quick V70R offering 300 bhp for the demanding driver. The V70R also comes with Volvo's 4C multi-mode suspension, developed in conjunction with Öhlins, to allow the driver to vary the cars handling depending on driving style and conditions.

Comfort

Comfort is a major consideration on the V70. The seats are orthopedic design to provide maximum support and comfort (although the RHD driving position is slightly offset). Dual-zone climate control is found on most models. High end audio equipment with Dolby pro logic and sub-woofers are available too.
Leather seats are standard on most models, with some gaining extra soft luxury leather too.
Recent models are available with genuine wood trim in place of the tacky fake plastic wood used in the past. Years 1998 through 2000 models featured real burled walnut trim as standard equipment.
The front seats are very comfortable, in the 2001-6 but the rear seats are tight, some people think that the stereo controls are hard to use. Most new models have a unique grocery holder in the back.

Safety

As standard, the vehicle is equipped with driver, passenger, side and curtain airbags. Also featured is the WHIPS whiplash prevention system on the front seats. The S60 (sedan version) scored 4 stars in the EuroNCAP safety testing, gaining particular praise in the side-impact tests.
Later cars have the option of the BLISS blind-spot sensor system, that can detect vehicles otherwise hidden from view of the driver due to being just off to one side of the car.
As is typical for Volvos, the headlamps are designed to be on continuously to provide additional visibility.
Latest revision of the V70 includes DSTC (standard on all models) - Dynamic Stability and Traction control, that combines the functions otherwise known as Electronic Stability Protection and traction control.

Criticism

This Volvo model range has drawn some criticism from fans of the Volvo marque due to the nature of Ford's involvement. Whether these are genuine Volvos or not is a matter of personal opinion. A major point of disagreement is whether this generation of cars has the same build quality of the earlier cars. Volvos of old were renowned for their durability, vehicles like the 240 series are still to be seen on the roads with 300,000 miles and more on the clock. The highest mileage recorded on a car belongs to a Volvo P1800 belonging to Irv Gordon - 2 million miles and counting. Some doubt that the modern generation Volvos are capable of such feats.
Many journalists and Volvo fans have also expressed disappointment that the interior space is not as large as it could be, although it is comparable to other luxury marques in the same class.

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