My wife works as a business manager at a local Volvo dealership and is getting a unbelievable deal on a 2008 C70 with 7500km. I have never owned a Volvo and am somewhat apprehensive as both my wife and I are use to the higher hp vehicles (Infiniti, BMW). The stock 227 hp is rather on the low side, and the reviews I have read indicate that handling and suspension is not that fantastic either.

BUT, since the deal we are getting is just that fantastic which leaves some cash left over to bring it up to spec (my specs ), my questions are:

1. Without internal work, can boost and exhaust work be done to get this car into the high 200's for hp? If so, any good sources to look at?

2. Can anyone recommend suspension upgrades? I will probably end up throwing some quality 20" wheels with good rubber on the ride for summer time, but I'd like to stiffen up the ride enough to where I can actually "drive" it.

Any other thoughts would also be appreciated.

 

Understand this: A Volvo C70 IS NOT A BMW!!! Let me repeat that: A Volvo C70 IS NOT A BMW!! A C70 is a great touring vehicle and was never designed or planned to be a performance auto. BMW builds rear wheel drive performance vehicles (I have owned many and still do) and they do not compare in the least with a Volvo. Sure you can bolt on some performance but it is still a front wheel drive Volvo. They have no resale value such as a BMW and in these trying financial times they will lose even more value. What I am driving at is if you modify a new Volvo, try to find someone who wants to buy it down the road when they find that you have installed aftermarket parts that may well void any residual warranty. If you truly want to build a C70, find an older one such as a 98 and have at it. They are going for peanuts and you will find that any 're-purchaser' of it when you are through with it will probably not be discriminate.

r.

 

if you throw 20' wheels on it, they will rub bad when making full turns as well, the new C70's are extreamly nice vehicles, and with the 5cyl turbo they can be peppy. but they are that, peppy, not fast. If you want to mod a vehicle dont buy the volvo.. you'll ruin it..

 

There is a fine line between a sports car and a "sports" car.
If you want a realpreformance car....then go for something else.

You can always build up a Volvo to be a high preformance car, but thatwill take a little bit.
Coilovers and bigger swaybars will get the car to handle pretty damn good, but the porblem wiht the C70 is it's weight. BMW's are pretty heavy, unless you get the M3 or 3 series. Every other BMW...IMO...is a joke (Mydadhas a Modified540i and it is a pig, but still handles pretty good).

This is just my opinion, and I am not looking for a fight on who makes the better "sports" car.

Edit for my stupid talk and not thinking when posting.

But if you need to modify it....IPD swaybars, sport springs and KONI or Bilstein Struts, or Coilovers and IPD swaybars.
And the biggest I would go on the rim size for "preformance" is 18". Good Tires get pretty Damn expensive when you go to high in size.