The Volvo S70 was a compact executive saloon built from 1996 to 2000 as an updated version of the 850 saloon. It brought more rounded styling and a redesigned interior, and it was replaced by the S60.
Volvo S70 at a glance
| Production | 1996–2000 |
|---|---|
| Introduced | Europe late 1996 as a 1997 model, United States as a 1998 |
| Based on | Volvo 850 saloon |
| Changes | 1,800 according to Volvo |
| Built | 243,078 saloons (against 319,832 first-generation V70 estates) |
| Trim levels | base, GLT and T5 in the United States |
| Performance versions | T5 and R |
| All-wheel drive | S70 AWD from 1998, 2.4 turbo of 193 PS |
| Safety update | SIPS-BAG II in 1999, enlarged to protect the head |
History of the Volvo S70
The S70 was introduced in Europe in late 1996 for the 1997 model year and later in the United States for 1998. It was an updated 850 saloon with more rounded exterior styling: a redesigned front with new lights, fully colour-coded bumpers and side trim, clear rear indicator lenses and a redesigned interior. Volvo counted 1,800 changes in all.
Standard equipment included remote central locking, heated and electrically adjustable door mirrors, anti-lock brakes and electric windows, and four airbags were standard on American cars for 1998. Trim levels varied by market; the United States had base, GLT and T5 versions, while Britain combined specification levels, equipment packs and optional extras, with the T5 and R as the high-performance models.
Year by year
For 1999 the S70 received minor exterior updates, including a revised Volvo badge on the grille and side indicators on the front wings of American cars, along with more extensive mechanical changes. Volvo introduced its second-generation SIPS side airbag, enlarged to protect the head as well as the chest, gave turbocharged petrol engines new management with electronic throttle control and added Stability and Traction Control to front-wheel-drive T5 models, using both brake intervention and torque reduction. ABS went from three to four channels, automatics got adaptive shift logic and manual cars a starter interlock.
For 2000 a new five-speed automatic with adaptive shift logic arrived for naturally aspirated front-wheel-drive cars in North America, the 10-valve petrol engines were phased out in some European markets in favour of lower-output 20-valve units, and non-turbo engines gained electronic throttle control. Volvo’s WHIPS whiplash protection system became standard for 2000.
Police work and AWD
The S70 served as a police car in several countries, with T5 saloons used by British forces; in Canada, VehiTech built police-package versions of the S70 and V70, and the California Highway Patrol evaluated the S70 in 1999. The S70 AWD, announced in 1998 and sold until 2000, used the viscous-coupling all-wheel-drive system of the V70 AWD and a turbocharged 2.4-litre five of 193 PS, with a four-speed automatic or five-speed manual.
Design and features
- 850 heritage: the same body and mechanicals, restyled and refined.
- T5 and R: the sporting versions of the range.
- SIPS-BAG II: head and chest side protection from 1999.
- WHIPS: whiplash protection standard from 2000.
- Police service: used by forces in Britain, Canada and America.
Volvo S70 versions
- S70 base and GLT: the volume models.
- S70 T5: turbocharged performance saloon.
- S70 R: the top performance version.
- S70 AWD (1998): 2.4 turbo with viscous-coupling all-wheel drive.
- Bi-Fuel and diesel: gas and diesel versions in some markets.
The S70 was an updated Volvo 850 saloon and was replaced by the Volvo S60; its estate sister was the Volvo V70. More cars are in the Volvo collection.
Sources
- Volvo S70, English Wikipedia: overview, changes, year updates, AWD, police use
