SEMA 2007: Volvo C70 Caresto Edition

Volvo is brining the customized C70 Caresto which we first showed you back in April (click here), at the 2007 SEMA Show. The C70 Caresto Edition, which is inspired from the vintage-styled Caresto T6 Roadster and V8 Speedsters, shown by Volvo at the 2005 and 2006 SEMA Shows, respectively, is the work of specialist car builder and customizer Leif Tufvesson.

The Caresto edition features a new front and rear-end, a new interior, 20-inch alloy rims, sports suspension and a two-tone blue paint job. Additionally, Leif used a BSR PPC tuning system to upgrade Volvo’s five-cylinder turbo engine from 220 hp to 278 hp and torque from 320 Nm (236-lbs/ft) to 441 Nm (325-lbs/ft). -Details and images after the jump

Press Release: The Caresto V8 Speedster brings its posh new C70 cousin along to SEMA

The Caresto V8 Speedster makes a comeback at the 2007 SEMA Show in Las Vegas - accompanied by its posh cousin, the stunning Volvo C70 Caresto Edition.

"The Speedster is a dream car that few people can afford, while the new C70 is the affordable distant relative. Two very different cars, but put them next to each other and you see that they dropped from the same family-tree," says specialist car builder and customizer Leif Tufvesson.

Leif Tufvesson is one of Sweden's most skilled specialist car builders and customizers. Many of his cars have received widespread international acclaim.

He is the man who built the Caresto T6 Roadster and V8 Speedsters, shown by Volvo at the 2005 and 2006 SEMA Shows, respectively, in Las Vegas. And now Leif is back again in Vegas with the V8 Speedster - plus a refined version of the new C70 convertible.

Inspired by the Speedster, Leif has put his own personal touch to Volvo's hardtop convertible with a new front and rear, a new interior and a beautiful two-tone blue paint job.

Shared colors and design cues

"I have used a lot of the same color combinations and design cues to make the C70 an attractive cousin to the Speedster. The C70 has been exhibited at a Swedish show and it was a great success," says Leif Tufvesson. He continues:

"Thanks to its already stunning looks, the C70 was a rewarding customizing object. My job was to refine the looks and make the car more personal. The idea is that this C70 should satisfy all Volvo's functional and safety requirements. In other words, it demonstrates what an individualized C70 might look like."

Leif used a BSR PPC tuning system to give the five-cylinder turbo engine a hefty vitamin injection. Power is up from 220 hp to 278 hp and torque has increased from 320 Nm to a massive 441 Nm.

The inlet pipes are made of polished aluminum and the engine cover is made of carbon fiber. Leif also used an Optiflow sport air filter.

The V8 Speedster still shines

The Caresto V8 Speedster also shines bright on the Volvo stand at SEMA.

The V8 Speedster, a mid-engine car with an ethanol-powered Volvo V8 powerplant, initiated the playful term "Sportrod" last year when it had its premiere public outing at the 2006 SEMA show.

"Actually, it's a sports car with a design idiom that is a further development from a classic Hotrod. My idea was to build a car that was as much fun to drive as it was to look at. Since driving dynamics have never been the hallmark of traditional Hotrods, the term "Sportrod" felt pretty good," says Leif Tufvesson.

The car is designed with just this in mind - excellent roadholding with an ideal 60/40 weight distribution. The V8 Speedster is built completely of aluminum and carbon fiber and has an advanced sports-car chassis featuring Öhlin shock absorbers all round.

The interior in leather is exquisite, with a nostalgic retrospective feel. The steering wheel, instruments and gear selector come from Volvo, as do the V8 engine, the six-speed automatic transmission and the car's electrical system. The engine is tuned with the environment in mind and has been converted to run on ethanol.

Two-year project

It took Leif less than two years to build the V8 Speedster. Leif and his company Caresto, a name also sported on the grille of the car, have two objectives in building the car:

"On the one hand the aim is, of course, to sell the cars and it is my hope to build at least six V8 Speedsters and even more C70s. On the other hand it is in fact for my own enjoyment because I love building cars. It's my hobby and at the same time, it's my job."

Leif Tufvesson previously worked for the Volvo Concept Center and for six years he was responsible for the development department of Koenigsegg, the Swedish sports-car manufacturer. He now runs his own business, Caresto, in Ängelholm in southern Sweden. In 2004 he won the prestigious "Hot Rod of the Year" award from Hot Rod Magazine.

Volvo C70 "Caresto Edition" - Technical Specifications:

Body:
Front:	Entirely redesigned front where the grille has been moved down and angled back, and the area underneath is recessed and painted the same color as the grille (anthracite gray) to give the impression of a larger grille with a hungrier, leaner look. The bumper section is moved ahead and pulled down to make the car look larger and a little less abruptly cropped at the front, particularly when viewed from the side. Newly designed foglight panels in polished aluminum.
Rear:	Newly designed bottom panel that has been moved down and shaped like a venturi tunnel to create a sportier aura. The sides of the panel are shaped and tailored to follow the contours of the new exhaust tailpipes.
Chassis:	Lowering kit: 25 mm lower and 15% stiffersprings compared with the original setup.
Wheels:	Twenty-spoke aluminum wheels (20 x 8.5) specially created for this particular car. Wheel hubs painted anthracite gray or hyper-silver. Wheel rim edges in polished stainless steel.
Tires:	Pirelli P Zero Nero 245/30ZR20.
Exhaust system:	3´- 2.5´ stainless steel full-flow exhaust system, catalytic converters and silencers with Caresto-designed tailpipes.
Interior:	Interior retrimmed in chestnut brown hide with a visible coarse double-stitched seam. All panels are retrimmed. Seats retrimmed in the middle with a visible seam. Head restraints also retrimmed.
Paint:	The car is painted in Caresto Blue Pearl. The roof pillars are in silver and the roof itself is in matt metallic dark-blue.

Caresto V8 Speedster - Technical specifications:

Chassis:	Custom-built tubular steel frame with front and rear sub-frames.
Suspension:	Front: Double A-arms of polished stainless steel. Öhlin's coil-over shock absorbers, mounted inboard. Rear: Double A-arms of polished stainless steel. Öhlin's coil-over shock absorbers.
Body:	Hand-crafted aluminum. Carbon composite. Removable roof panel/hardtop.
Paint:	The car is painted in Caresto Blue Pearl.
Interior:	Interior trimmed in chestnut brown hide.
Engine:	Mid-mounted V8, 4.4 liters, Volvo B8444S.Ethanol conversion by BSR, Sweden.Power output: petrol, 315 bhp at 5850 rpm.Ethanol, 340 bhp at 5850 rpm.
Transmission:	Six-speed Geartronic automatic transaxle with sequential manual shifting.
Brakes:	Anti-lock brake system. Brembo 4-pot calipers. Ø 355 mm (14") brake discs.
Wheels:	Colorado Custom Gunnison. Dimension front: 20 x 8.5". Dimension rear: 22 x 10".
Tires:	BF Goodrich G-force. Front: 245/35/20. Rear: 295/45/22.
Fuel tank:	Aluminum. Volume: 65 liters.
Curb weight:	1200 kg (2646 lbs).