Er, not defending Volvo amps really but, they actually only have line inputs via a 6 pin din plug that only Volvo uses as far as I know. That is the biggest problem. You have to make a custom patch cord to go from RCA to the din plug. You can't use speaker inputs into the Volvo amps.
Ya if you have a 2 by 12 watt it would make a good paper weight. But there are 4 by 20, 2 by 20, 2 by 25, 2 by 40 watt Volvo amps that are decent. I have three of them going in my 240s. They sound pretty good, they don't blow speakers, but as you said they don't have great clipping. If you have them hooked up to a nice head unit and good speakers they sound fine. Obviously they are not going to drive speakers for a boom box.
So if you are cheap, good with a soldering iron, and you already have a nice old low power head unit, the Volvo power amps are great.