Friday 19th June 2015

Shed Of The Week: Volvo 480 ES

Non-turbo Volvo Shed shocker!

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We don't get many genuine classics here in Shed of the Week. Nowadays, anything old that might be seen as having some value to someone with more money than sense usually has a ludicrous price tag attached to its crusty flanks.

Pop-up lights for £750? Winner!

However, there is an underclass of cars that aren't really classics but that are also more than just strolling players on the stage. The Volvo 480 falls into this shadowy category, and there's one caught up in our dragnet this week.

Visually, Volvo's first front-wheel drive car erred on the challenging side of unusual when it first appeared in 1986 alongside more conventional offerings like Rover's 800, Renault's 21 and Jaguar's XJ40. The contrast with Volvo's regular right-angled output up to that point made it doubly shocking.

The 480 project was outsourced to the DAF factory in Holland. Its quirky marriage of boxiness and pointiness was the result of an impossible mission objective. The task for its Dutch designers was to blend the restrictions of style-destroying crash protection regs with at least a suggestion of descendancy from the graceful P1800 'Saint' coupe of the early '60s. The outcome was something only a mother or a Volvo fanatic could love. But, as so often happens with daringly-styled cars from a bygone era, the look has mellowed with age.

The big 480 news was the exciting new age of advanced electronics it ushered in. Pre-'92 480s featured whimsical touches like screen wipers that automatically moved up to full speed when you shoved the throttle pedal down to the carpet.

Leather still looks great (from here)

30 years down the line, from the relative safety of our solid-state civilisation, the idea of living with mid-1980s advanced automotive electronics is about as appealing as the idea of signing up for an endowment mortgage. They didn't really work back in the day, so the cars you see today will almost certainly have had more than their fair share of work done on their electricals.

The owner of this one says he's sorted most of it, including by the looks of it the PH essential pop-up headlights, but evidently he didn't have time to get around to the ambient temperature gauge. Of course, that might be a coolant or oil temperature readout that we see in one of his pics, but if it is an ambient one and the car is garaged somewhere in the Sahara, that's going to make collection difficult.

Assuming the rest of it is functioning as the manufacturer intended, what will it be like to drive? Well, the 1.7 lump under the bonnet is not the most shiny or inspirational example of engine design. Shed thinks it might be a Renault-sourced unit originally showcased (sic) in the generally hateful 340. Still, it was a game enough plodder and pretty reliable, and crucially in this application it only had 998kg to push around. Chassis wise, the suspension had some credible Lotus input, but the car did suffer faint praise from some members of the contemporary press who complained about its high cost and (if they were feeling particularly bitchy) its Dutch design.

Wedges are back in, right?

Considering it was built in Holland, the land of a thousand dykes, you'd think they'd have paid more attention to keeping the water out. Unfortunately many 480s succumbed to wet boots thanks to indifferent sealing for the rear glass panel and light assemblies. Your man doesn't mention this so it would be worth getting your divining rods out. 480 build quality generally was not thought to be up to Volvo's usual standards.

You will be able to find other 480s around for this sort of cash, but they will most likely not be running. Good working specimens are routinely advertised at twice this money, so our Shed seems to represent good value. Its intriguing combo of coupe individuality, four-seat practicality and rarity has an edginess about it that's missing from a lot of modern fare. And it's one that you think might even be a workable proposition for characterful real-world 2015 motoring.

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Here's the ad.

Retro Black Volvo 480 ES, Leather Interior, Working Info Centre, Pop up headlights!
I bought this a few months ago, but I now have another project - having got many of the electrical components sorted on this one (Info Centre, Headlights, Cabin Fans, etc).
Reliable strong car that I'm certain is one of the best 480s out there.
MOT until Nov 2015. Mileage 117150
This car has spent the last few years being owned by members of retro rides, so there is much more info over there, alternatively, you can message or call me.

[molineux1980]

I got an odd soft spot for these - I think it may have stemmed from seeing them on display in a local shopping centre as an easily influenced 6 year old. It looked cool AND had pop up headlights. (Which is why I have an MX5 now!)

I probably wouldn't want to own one though.

[2smoke]

For some reason I really wanted the turbo version of this car when I was younger, but some how ended up with a 760GLE 6 cylinder instead, which was a proper luxo barge with red leather seats.
I concur that the engine in this is Renault sourced. I haven't seen one on the road in years. Interesting shed, but the turbo is the one to have if you can find one.

[The Don of Croy]

Remember them as a quirky choice, but poor value up against the Honda Accord(?) hatchback of the same era.

Reliability was always an issue, no?

[Limpet]

Great looking shed. I seem to remember reading about lamentable quality and reliability when they were new though, so I can't imagine it has aged well.

[GTEYE]

I have a soft spot for them too, though they were pretty stodgy to drive.

Rather futuristic for Volvo at the time, remember the 240 was still in production at the time.

Probably one of those cars that will be collectible in the future, though that time clearly hasn't quite yet arrived.

[nicfaz]

That's the kind of shed that raises a smile of appreciation, without there ever being any chance that I'd spend my own money on one. But hey, good shed!

Surely there's a nutter out there who could make an epic sleeper out of one? Turbo V8? Go on!

[Big Rod]

An ex-gf of mine had one of these in the late '90's while I had a MKIII Supra.

I have to admit to coveting it somewhat. Sure the build quality was a little lacking in areas and the N/A 1.7 could've used a bit more grunt and refinement but it went like it was on rails. Proper point and click.

I could be talked into one and a few have caught my eye recently.

[mrtwisty]

I quite like this - but then a pair of pop-ups on tbe front goes a long way with me.

The comparison with an XJ40 is just plain bizarre though...

This could make an interesting and quirky first car for some young 'alternative' chap with a large beard and questionable glasses.

[smellypoo]

Always liked the look of these, especially in black! Would love to have a go in the turbo one day....

This one has already been sold!

[Track Rod]

I absolutely love these-especially in black, I remember looking at a brand new one in a Volvo showroom in York and experiencing deep smit. The design details are fabulous, the shape of the rear window, the open deck, the individual rear seats, the little grille with the Volvo badge and swipe under the front bumper. Shame about the dashboard (from a 440?) and the cheap looking steering wheel. Not sure I'd want to own it though, I remember Car magazine did a long term test on it, the lady journo (Rachel something?) had it and reported no end of mainly electrical maladies and breakdowns. And the boot looks about as much use as Anne Frank's drumkit. Some things are best admired from afar I suppose.

[sjabrown]

Using shed logic here: reputation for poor reliability = any that are left must be the more reliable of the bunch.

Quirky looks that have aged well to me.

[pSyCoSiS]

Quirky cars indeed, but like others have already echoed, probably not something I would personally want to own.

[andybu]

Shed has done well even to find this; - haven't seen one in years, even a static example, never mind one that seems to be capable of movement.

Am +1 with the love for the pop-up headlamps. Had them on my Porsche 928 S4 of sainted memory. Very cool, unlike the owner...

[Hammerhead]

I had a black Turbo back in the day. Went well, comfortable, tidy handling. Dreadful electrics, horrid clutch cable. Mine didn't leak though so was not an 'En Suite' as they were sometimes known.

My Turbo on holiday up in The Lakes.


I'd say looking at the add that the info centre is working fine. There was a rotary control on one of the stalks (IIRC?) that you circled round for each of the segments which in turn showed up on the display in the middle. This 480 does look quite tidy. Watch out for rusty wings though, especially the rears.

[Theophany]

Anybody else see a bit of C30 about the old 480? Or am I just squinting a bit hard?

[WFL]

My mum had one of these when I was about 7, I loved it. L252DND, probably turned into a cube quite a while back. Those pop-up headlamps haven't got any less cool.

[SilverSixer]

I had a red one about 15 years back, G reg and the same engine and spec as this one. Had 150k miles when I bought it and it drove like new. No build quality issues, but it did have a strange failure to start on occasion which even a Volvo dealer couldn't work out. Must have been an electrical glitch, I would turn the key and...nothing. No lights, no turnover, nothing, like the battery wasn't there. Then, all of a sudden, it would fire up.

Loved the car, like someone above said it's handling really was on-rail-like, great little thing to chuck around the B roads. Mine was sadly written off when a Tonbridge Council rubbish truck decided to park on it. If that hadn't happened, I reckon it would have stayed with me for years longer.

I'd love to get another one now as a toy.

Top shed.

[irish boy]

Always fancied one of these, maybe a run out celebration with the 2.0 engine. Tales of electrical gremlins and leaks put me off, lovely looking things tho.

Edited by irish boy on Friday 19th June 11:04

[Lotusgone]

Oh dear. Not a great shed, and certainly not a classic - just a bit old. Dull as ditchwater to drive - yes, I was interested at one point, but really this car has no redeeming features.

[moskvich427]

"alongside more conventional offerings like Rover's 800, Renault's 21 and Jaguar's XJ40"

That's a group test I doubt ever happened!

Good article though and a solid looking car - definitely on the cusp of becoming a classic! £750 seems cheap to me.