Following last year's delays in getting the C70 production line up and running, this fine-looking coupe is now in the showrooms, a car with a Swedish badge but strong British links. Strong Scottish links too, as a reminder of a distinctive Volvo from an earlier generation.

Not all Volvo's coupe designs have been a success. The 262, for instance, was just a hefty saloon with several inches sawn off its roof supports, resulting in the kind of forward vision otherwise obtainable only from inside a pillar box. But the P1800 is a well remembered car, especially as driven by Roger Moore in his television characterisation of The Saint.

The P1800 bodies were built by Pressed Steel at Linwood. In the case of the C70, Tom Walkinshaw's TWR organisation is the majority partner, with Volvo's own shareholding slightly smaller, in the joint-venture factory in Sweden where the car is built.

While Volvo's design chief Peter Horbury was responsible for the overall concept, Ian Callum's

studio at TWR made a substantial contribution. Underlining the Scottish connection, Bridge of Weir Leather is specified for

the interior.

Working together, the design teams have created a coupe with a notable road presence. The C70's elegant lines combine an up-to- date appearance with the impression of solid build essential with any serious Volvo product.

In materials, shades, patterns and textures, the interior is very well presented, with the single exception that I feel the graining of the fascia and door-top covering does not do an exclusive car of this kind anything like justice. The front seats are well designed, offering plenty of support, and I would probably go for the extra-cost option of leather plus Alcantara material here.

The front cabin is spacious and airy. No coupe is lavish with rear seat space, which is why, of course, we have saloons. But the C70 will take a couple of 6ft

passengers in the rear, giving

them just enough headroom and, if the front seats are moved forward to a compromise position, not

bad legroom.

However, I found that the rear cabin, though fair enough on the way in, was very awkward to get back out of, even with the test car's electrically operated front seats shunted forward. Coupe design in this area is always a

matter of swings and roundabouts, and the C70, granted, does have a commodious boot by the standards of the class.

This is a car designed partly to appeal to Volvo's American customers, but it is a niche model rather than one going for massive production figures. About 1250 are expected to come on the UK market this year, and the 1999 projection is pretty much the same number. About 200 have already been sold here, and orders taken now will probably be for August delivery.

There are two distinct versions, differentiated by the engines

fitted, although both are 20-valve five-cylinder, twin cam, alloy-block designs. One of these

models is fast, and the other

has the capability of being blisteringly fast.

The 2.5T comes with a 2.5-litre light pressure turbo engine which peaks at 193bhp, providing a

0-60mph time for the manual transmission type of just under eight seconds. The T5 has a 2.3-litre capacity, higher boost turbocharger, and a power output of 240bhp which can hurl it from standstill to 60mph in something like 6.9 seconds.

When you fire a T5 away from a standing start, it is not a matter of revving the engine towards the red line and abruptly lifting off the clutch. If you try that, all the power trying to transfer itself from the front tyres to the road will have the car scrabbling furiously for grip. But when you take account of its traction and handling characteristics, the T5 is a real mile-eater.

The C70 is being sold on Volvo's ''platform car'' system. In the case of the 2.5T that means a price of #30,455 on the road, with the possibility of a GT Pack at #3500 extra, and many other added-cost features divided into a safety and security classification, comfort, interior and exterior. Start price for the T5 is #32,455.

TWR's involvement brings with it expertise in the fields of Touring Car and Grand Prix racing. One result is that the C70 is available with different stages of chassis set-up - Dynamic, Sports and Low Sports, which goes to the extent of reducing the ride height. Volvo's own rear-wheel steer

system is included.

However, the Swedes have not lost sight of their usual requirements for static and dynamic

safety. The structure of the C70 is robust yet designed for progressive crumpling in the event of a crash, and Volvo's side impact protection system is built in

as standard.