Volvo C70
THE NEW VOLVO C70:TWO CARS IN ONE
With its exclusive fully-retractable three-piece hardtop, the new C70, an offshoot of Volvo’s cooperation with Pininfarina, doubles as either coupe or convertible.
Following on its debut at the last Frankfurt Show, the new Volvo C70 will also be putting in appearance at Geneva. This modern coupe is the first model developed and produced by Pininfarina Sverige AB, the joint-venture between Pininfarina (60%) and Volvo Car Corporation (40%). The new Volvo C70 started to roll off the production lines of the Uddevalla, Sweden plant at the end of 2005. «This is our first joint venture with a auto-maker. An ideal form of cooperation for Pininfarina as both companies have an unerring passion for design and unmatched know-how acquired during many years of business. So far, we have always developed and produced cars at our own facilities; the C70 will be the first car built by Pininfarina on the customer’s premises in another country» states Andrea Pininfarina, Pininfarina CEO.
Starting from the design defined by Volvo, Pininfarina first of all carried out all the engineering phases at its Cambiano plant (Turin, Italy) with an almost 100-strong team dedicated for close on three years to product and process engineering, followed by the actual production phase at the Uddevalla plant in Sweden.
With its exclusive, new-generation, three-part fully-retractable hard-top, the new Volvo C70 offers customers two cars in one: simply touch a button and the C70 transforms in less than 30 seconds from a sporting coupe into an equally elegant convertible and vice versa.
Prior to production, Pininfarina also played a major role in converting the plant from the old “satellite” type system to the conventional assembly line. The C70 will be sold on markets all over the world, in particular in the USA which is expected to absorb more than 50% of total volumes planned.
«The car is produced using state-ofthe- art technologies such as laser welding of the body and we also registered 4 major patents: energy absorbing blocks, high suv impact protection, hydroformed A-pillar, door crash beam engagement system» stresses Renato Bertrandi Pininfarina Sverige AB CEO.
As highlighted in the international press following its driving presentation in Dubai, the vehicle boasts a highly advanced structure: the chassis features a network of bars which contribute to increase safety standards, more than doubling torsional rigidity compared with the previous Volvo model.
Great attention has been paid to the interior which, despite the hard top, can seat four adult passengers in complete comfort.
Starting from the design defined by Volvo, Pininfarina first of all carried out all the engineering phases at its Cambiano plant (Turin, Italy) with an almost 100-strong team dedicated for close on three years to product and process engineering, followed by the actual production phase at the Uddevalla plant in Sweden.
With its exclusive, new-generation, three-part fully-retractable hard-top, the new Volvo C70 offers customers two cars in one: simply touch a button and the C70 transforms in less than 30 seconds from a sporting coupe into an equally elegant convertible and vice versa.
Prior to production, Pininfarina also played a major role in converting the plant from the old “satellite” type system to the conventional assembly line. The C70 will be sold on markets all over the world, in particular in the USA which is expected to absorb more than 50% of total volumes planned.
«The car is produced using state-ofthe- art technologies such as laser welding of the body and we also registered 4 major patents: energy absorbing blocks, high suv impact protection, hydroformed A-pillar, door crash beam engagement system» stresses Renato Bertrandi Pininfarina Sverige AB CEO.
As highlighted in the international press following its driving presentation in Dubai, the vehicle boasts a highly advanced structure: the chassis features a network of bars which contribute to increase safety standards, more than doubling torsional rigidity compared with the previous Volvo model.
Great attention has been paid to the interior which, despite the hard top, can seat four adult passengers in complete comfort.
THE FACTORY AT THE SEASIDE
The Uddevalla plant, located on the shores of the North Sea just a few kilometers from Goteborg, has a long and complex history behind it.
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Set up after the war to build ships, it started to construct cars only in 1996. Pininfarina contributed to complete the conversion of the “satellite” type system used previously to the assembly line approach.
Today, it has a total surface area of more than 490,000 sq. m of which 95,300 sq. m of buildings, with more than 700 employees and a production capacity of 20,000 vehicles a year. In December 2005, “resident personnel” (long-term transferees forming the platform and stemming from the Quality, Logistics, Production, Product and Process Engineering, Purchasing, Validation functions) comprised around 60 persons, – explains Gianpiero Mayer, Senior Vice President Human Resources and Organization – which dropped to 28 in February, up to the final releases at the end of March 2006. To these must be added around 15 persons who provide support both in Sweden and Italy.” The various production phases of the C70 are carried out at Uddevalla: assembly and painting of the body and roof; installation of the mechanicals and trimming of the cabin; tests on the finished vehicle on an in-house track and release of the vehicle ready for delivery to the customer. The standard tooling of assembly line production is used, suitably adapted to the plant and with wide-scale use of laser welding when constructing the bodyshell. Carry-over components are furnished by the Ghent Belgium plant; Volvo Car and Body Components, around 400 km from Uddevalla, furnishes bodyin- white parts and external panels; other minor suppliers operate in other European countries. Pininfarina Sverige is responsible for final quality.
Today, it has a total surface area of more than 490,000 sq. m of which 95,300 sq. m of buildings, with more than 700 employees and a production capacity of 20,000 vehicles a year. In December 2005, “resident personnel” (long-term transferees forming the platform and stemming from the Quality, Logistics, Production, Product and Process Engineering, Purchasing, Validation functions) comprised around 60 persons, – explains Gianpiero Mayer, Senior Vice President Human Resources and Organization – which dropped to 28 in February, up to the final releases at the end of March 2006. To these must be added around 15 persons who provide support both in Sweden and Italy.” The various production phases of the C70 are carried out at Uddevalla: assembly and painting of the body and roof; installation of the mechanicals and trimming of the cabin; tests on the finished vehicle on an in-house track and release of the vehicle ready for delivery to the customer. The standard tooling of assembly line production is used, suitably adapted to the plant and with wide-scale use of laser welding when constructing the bodyshell. Carry-over components are furnished by the Ghent Belgium plant; Volvo Car and Body Components, around 400 km from Uddevalla, furnishes bodyin- white parts and external panels; other minor suppliers operate in other European countries. Pininfarina Sverige is responsible for final quality.
BOOM IN VOLVO C70 SALES
Orders continue to soar on all main markets for the new convertible manufactured at the Pininfarina Sverige plant.
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Following its debut at the Frankfurt Show, sales of the new Volvo C70, the first convertible that can be transformed into a four-seater coupe thanks to its innovative three-piece fold-down hard-top, have got off to a flying start.
The brand-new Volvo is sold all over the world even though its main market will be the USA which, it is estimated, will corner 50% of vehicles produced.
Its other two major markets, the United Kingdom and Germany, together, will account for another 25% of sales.
The rest will be distributed mainly in Italy, Spain, France and Sweden. Initial reactions of the various markets following commercial launch have been highly positive with orders well above forecasts: to-date, more than 6,000 vehicles have been produced and distributed all over the world.
The vehicle scored its first success in Sweden and England, the first markets on which the car was available, followed by the United States and then Spain and Portugal. Sales have also started in Germany and in Italy in recent weeks with highly flattering results right from the word go.
The new model is constructed entirely at the Pininfarina Sverige facility at Uddevalla in Sweden which, after a complete overhaul, is able to achieve a production target of 20,000 vehicles/year.
The vehicle will be available with four engines, three petrol and one diesel, all 5 cylinder, with manual five-speed or automatic gearbox, with a large swathe of options that can be combined in many different configurations, with also a selection of internal and external colours.
The brand-new Volvo is sold all over the world even though its main market will be the USA which, it is estimated, will corner 50% of vehicles produced.
Its other two major markets, the United Kingdom and Germany, together, will account for another 25% of sales.
The rest will be distributed mainly in Italy, Spain, France and Sweden. Initial reactions of the various markets following commercial launch have been highly positive with orders well above forecasts: to-date, more than 6,000 vehicles have been produced and distributed all over the world.
The vehicle scored its first success in Sweden and England, the first markets on which the car was available, followed by the United States and then Spain and Portugal. Sales have also started in Germany and in Italy in recent weeks with highly flattering results right from the word go.
The new model is constructed entirely at the Pininfarina Sverige facility at Uddevalla in Sweden which, after a complete overhaul, is able to achieve a production target of 20,000 vehicles/year.
The vehicle will be available with four engines, three petrol and one diesel, all 5 cylinder, with manual five-speed or automatic gearbox, with a large swathe of options that can be combined in many different configurations, with also a selection of internal and external colours.
FROM THE PRESS
Auto (May 2006):
“The C70 dilutes Scandinavian DNA with a good dose of made in Italy. In fact, the design and movement of the original roof system and production at its Uddevalla plant in Sweden have been entrusted to Pininfarina”.
Business People (June 2006):
“In developing and producing this somewhat Italian cabriolet, the Göteborg engineers operated in a jointventure with Pininfarina. From the cooperation of these two class-beaters, the C70 has inherited the quality of Volvo’s tradition of safety, performance, roadholding and braking and the attention to frills-free, elegant design of the styling and interior”.
Motor Trend (April 2006):
“With or without the roof, the C70, created in cooperation with Pininfarina, seems sleeker, fresher and more attractive than the first generation”.
Avvenire (May 24 2006):
“Pininfarina’s Italian genius combined with Swedish precision: elegance and safety for the cabriolet that comes from the cold”.
La Repubblica (January 21 2006):
“The threesection hard-top is a real treat to be discovered. A conjuring trick of the Italian Pininfarina whose assembly lines also have the delicate task of constructing the vehicle”.
“The C70 dilutes Scandinavian DNA with a good dose of made in Italy. In fact, the design and movement of the original roof system and production at its Uddevalla plant in Sweden have been entrusted to Pininfarina”.
Business People (June 2006):
“In developing and producing this somewhat Italian cabriolet, the Göteborg engineers operated in a jointventure with Pininfarina. From the cooperation of these two class-beaters, the C70 has inherited the quality of Volvo’s tradition of safety, performance, roadholding and braking and the attention to frills-free, elegant design of the styling and interior”.
Motor Trend (April 2006):
“With or without the roof, the C70, created in cooperation with Pininfarina, seems sleeker, fresher and more attractive than the first generation”.
Avvenire (May 24 2006):
“Pininfarina’s Italian genius combined with Swedish precision: elegance and safety for the cabriolet that comes from the cold”.
La Repubblica (January 21 2006):
“The threesection hard-top is a real treat to be discovered. A conjuring trick of the Italian Pininfarina whose assembly lines also have the delicate task of constructing the vehicle”.
