Road Test: 2010 Volvo C70 T5 Geartronic

One man of medium build, poor lighting and more than a tipple or twelve, presents one with the ultimate opportunity to test the ease of access and egress from the rear of the all-new Volvo C70. Verdict? Not a swift exercise by anyone’s measure.

Volvo has rendered the perfect melding of equal proportion: one part coupe with one part convertible; producing sleek lines with sporty appeal – lovely to look at.

Perhaps the most distinctive feature worth noting on the C70 is the three panel retractable roof. Rather than the usual two, the three panel option is a sight to behold. Whilst perhaps not the quickest of its kind, clocking up a full thirty seconds to achieve the desired result, it is no doubt a feat of engineering.

But what one gains in roofless abandon one must inevitably sacrifice in stowage space and the C70 is no different.

Touted as the safest vehicle brand on four wheels, Volvo has in recent years begun to extend its scope beyond necessity, to meet purchasers’ desire for enhanced creature comforts. Superlative finish and gadgets a plenty, drivers of the C70 have what they require at the tips of their fingers.

Beneath the bonnet, the T5 houses Volvo’s familiar 169 kW, 2.5 litre turbo engine, which when put through its paces proved somewhat lacking. At home on a straight stretch, the C70 is undoubtedly a coveted cruising convertible but venture off the trusted tar and subtle shortcomings in the body structure become abundantly clear.

The somewhat unnerving shimmy and shake would no doubt prove too much to handle for those suffering from lumbar displacement, earning the C70 the reputation as every struggling chiropractor’s greatest hope.