Maui, Hawaii – More often than not, truth in advertising is nothing more than wishful thinking – that burger at the fast-food joint never looks like the artistic piece of cuisine pictured in the poster out front, a pair of $200 cross-trainers are not, in fact, a direct path to fitness, and your significant other won’t simply dismiss all of your faults and transgressions because you smell like an ocean breeze.

Living in such a world, it would be easy to view life through a scope of doubt, but just then you find yourself in a little place called Hana on the Hawaiian island of Maui. In particular, you’re at the Hotel Hana-Maui, sipping on Mai Tais and feasting on heavenly sweet pineapple. For once, there is some commonality between the travel brochure and reality. Not so coincidentally, the purpose of this excursion is to get a good look at and some seat time in the 2006 Volvo C70, an innovative and sexy hardtop convertible company exec’s claim perfectly exemplifies the brand’s three greatest strengths – design, innovation, and safety.

Even before tossing back a few too many of those frou-frou drinks with umbrellas in the hollowed coconuts, it’s clear that the C70 stands a good chance of living up to high expectations. Indeed, with a starting price below $40,000, a lively turbocharged engine, gorgeous styling, and a usable interior, Volvo shouldn’t have any problems getting a heartfelt “Mahalo” from the 8,000-10,000 buyers it hopes to attract each year.

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