I have always been somewhat ambivalent about driving a convertible in South Florida. The Volvo C70, one of the latest hard top convertibles to find its way to the showroom floor, may have changed the way I view the topless style that tourists clamor for at airport car rental counters.

The Volvo C70 with its retractable metal roof gives the Swedish marquee, here-to-for known for its boxy look, a couple of svelte sexy entries in the market. Add some horsepower to the equation and you have a near perfect four-seater South Florida sports car. Joe and I both found a comfort level in a convertible we have rarely seen in a rag top.

Even when the roof of a rag top is up, the wind noise limits normal conversation and if you have ever been in a rain storm in a cloth roofed auto you know how deafening it can be. With the roof stowed we were able to talk normally and listen to the first class audio system as we topped 80 mph on I-595. We were also able to ID the garbage dump, site un-seen.

The C70 comes only in the T5 trim level, which is Volvo speak for a turbocharged 2.5 liter five-cylinder engine that throws down 218 horses. This is a front wheel drive car so there is more weight in the bow and it does handle admirably with the top up. However it felt a bit better balanced with the top down and the weight of the roof was distributed to the rear.

It is a gamey performer, quick and spirited, especially when the turbo kicks in which is around 3000 rpm. Because it is a Volvo, which by the way is owned by Ford, the C70 boast a laundry list of safety features. There are the expected front airbags, side airbags and separate front side airbags designed for head protection. Then there is the unexpected like the standard rollover bars designed to deploy from the rear headrests if sensors detect an impending tip.

For the driver, the inside is luxuriously appointed with leather surface seating. Power seats are standard but it is a bit tough to squeeze ones hand down to make the adjustments. The driver's height adjustment offers significant range for drivers of all statures.

The final added touch to the C70 includes a 12-speaker system that performs like few we have ever heard. That is because the Dynaudio package has four 130 watt amplifiers, 1 130 watt center speaker amp and two eight inch sub woofers powered by two 130 watt amps. My home system is not that powerful.

You want sex appeal, performance and safety in one package, this is your ride? It even has a trunk that will hold golf clubs. With a price tag that starts at $38,000 and tops out at just over $44,000, you may want to pick up the sun-screen on the way to the dealer.