Volvo was under full Ford ownership in 2007 when it introduced the third generation of the V70 in February, and it continued the long line of Swedish brand station wagons.

The refreshed version of the V70 brings lots of subtle changes. The most noticeable changes brought to the exterior design are the grille and the bumpers. The car has new 17-inch alloys, clear rear lamp lenses and the metallic paints got new brighter shades. The interior design was slightly redefined, the build quality being higher than before. The car got new seats, the center console has a cleaner look and the steering wheel modified.

The model was presented at the Paris Motor Show in 2002 and officially released in 2003. While it's visually pretty much identical to the regular V70, the R is a lot more expensive and here's why: Once you get inside the car, you'll notice 3 buttons on the dashboard: Comfort, Sport and Advanced. That means that you can change the stiffness of the ride by the touch of a button.

It was a new era for the Swedish carmaker Volvo, where it had access to new technologies provided by its new owner, Ford Motor Company.

The V70 R was a true factory-sleeper. From the outside, not too many people would believe how fast that car actually was. Like its predecessor, the 850 R, the V70 R was built for those looking for a family vehicle fun to drive and not break the bank. Apart from a few clues, the vehicle was bland-looking and didn't attract too much attention.

With the retirement of the Volvo 850 station-wagon and introduction of the new V70 in 1997, the Volvo evolved into a new market, and it did it in safety.