Volvo P1800: everything you need to know about the Swedish sports car of the 60s

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42

Swedish car manufacturer Volvo has been making reliable, attractive and safe cars since 1927. For 90 years, many interesting models have been produced. And one of those can rightfully be considered the Volvo P1800, which deserves special attention.

Model in brief

This car was released in 1961. The Volvo P1800 immediately attracted attention, because it was a sports car with an amazing design. It was produced only in two versions - in the back of a coupe and a shooting break (2-door station wagon). Even in its production days, the Volvo P1800 was a rare car. For 12 years, the concern has produced a little more than 39,000 coupes and about 8,000 station wagons.

Interestingly, the prototype of the first sports car was not approved. But the concern's specialists decided not to give up and entrusted the design development to another professional, who was Helmer Pettersen. He managed to create a stylish car. Her dynamic retro image immediately fell in love with motorists. All models, barelycoming off the assembly line, sold out instantly.

It's important to note that the Volvo P1800 is a Gran Turismo car. Which literally translates as "big trip". Accordingly, the car is designed for active driving. And one of the owners of Volvo, Irv Gordon, used this car to the maximum for its intended purpose - so much so that he “dashed off” more than 4,800,000 kilometers on it! Thanks to this, the man, like his car, became famous.

What's under the hood?

For the 60s, the Volvo P1800 was a very powerful car. Even by today's standards, it can be considered as such. It was equipped with a 100-horsepower V8 engine, which the manufacturers decided to adopt from the Volvo trucks of those times. But this unit was used only in the first five years of production. Then the machines began to be equipped with improved 115-horsepower engines. And in 1969, even more powerful units appeared, producing 118 hp. s.

Initially, the engines worked in tandem with the M40 transmission. But its manufacturers used it only until 1963. Then a new checkpoint appeared - M41. These machines were really powerful. They exchanged the first "hundred" in 9.5 seconds. And the maximum speed reached 190 km / h. And for the 60s, these were solid figures.

Production details

Until 1963, Jensen produced 6,000 copies of the Volvo P1800, the photo of which is shown above. Then the assembly began to be carried out at a plant located in the Swedish city of Lundby. The next transfer of production took place in1969 Then it was decided to start collecting bodies in Scotland. By the way, after that the model began to be called as it is now known. Before that, the letter “S” was also present in its name. And the car was called Volvo P1800 S. This letter denoted the country in which the production was carried out, that is, Sweden.

But the appearance of the model has changed little. Only the shape of the radiator grille, rims, body color and moldings have changed. And so the P1800 model was in many ways better than the cars produced in parallel. The most noticeable differences were considered to be the presence of an electronic fuel injection system, an engine water cooling option, disc brakes on all wheels and an overdrive gearbox.

Compartment Hatchback

Finally, it is worth saying a few words about such a model as the Volvo P1800 ES. This car was a compartment hatchback, quite successful and attractive, by the way. After all, it was he who was used in the future to create completely new cars. The modern Volvo C30 hatchback, for example, is one of them.

And it is impossible not to mention that the P1800 is the real "star" of TV screens. After all, it was this unit that was chosen for filming by the directors and producers of the famous series The Saint, in which Roger Moore starred. The car instantly became popular. And until the end of the series, he remained his symbol. Not surprisingly, sales of the stylish coupe skyrocketed during the film's run.