In a way, Volvo’s new hardtop convertible is the polar opposite of the typical super model. Both have seductive, smooth shapes on the outside, but unlike the salad-eating blonde from Australia who doesn’t have the stamina to ride an elevator up six flights, the 2006 C70 is built to be just as pretty at its electronically-controlled top speed of 150 mph as it is sitting under mood lighting in your local dealer’s showroom.

This 3,772-lb. front-driver draws its motivation from a 2.5-liter, dual overhead cam five-cylinder engine pushing 218 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and churning 236 lb.-ft. at 6,500 rpm, while running on premium fuel. A six-speed manual transmission gets things done with the base sticker price, but for an extra $1,250 a manually-interactive, five-speed Geartronic automatic takes the hassle out of shifting gears with a clutch. Volvo estimates 0-60 mph times to be between 7.6 and eight seconds for the manual and automatic, respectively, while top speed is electronically limited to 150 mph.

Even at that quick pace, the MacPherson strut front and multi-link rear suspension systems, both aided by stabilizer bars, are designed to keep the 2006 Volvo C70 hunkered down and in control. A speed-sensitive power rack-and-pinion steering system aims to keep the driver in tune with road conditions, while the four-wheel antilock disc brake setup with electronic brake-force distribution brings things to a quick halt, hauling the car down from 62 mph in just 123 feet.

Engine and brake stats are important, but what separates the C70 from the pack is its innovative three-piece retractable hardtop, which is part of the reason this convertible offers twice the torsional rigidity of the previous model that departed with the 2004 model year. With the vehicle stopped and the driver’s foot on the brake, a button on the center console signals an electric motor to activate a hydraulic pump that stacks and then lowers all three sections – two steel roof panels and the rear glass – into the cargo area, with the decklid folding down on top, providing a nearly seamless final appearance. A top-up button reverses the process. All told, lowering the roof takes a lengthy 29 seconds, and raising it runs about 30 seconds. That may not sound like a lot, but when Hawaiian raindrops the size of nickels are being fired from above, each successive second takes on significance.

Another issue relevant to this segment is cargo room, and the C70’s designers have done a nice job of making the most of what they had to work with. When the top is up, there’s 12.8 cubic feet of space available for storage, and its wide and fairly low height make it easy to load up. With the top down, the roof panels and rear glass are stored atop one another below the lid, so a button inside the trunk lip raises all three and then a plastic partition can be tilted up to access six cubic feet of space. It’s not a lot, but is comparable to other convertibles.