1970 Volvo

You might think that Volvo only ever made spacious and practical cars. Not so as this Volvo P 1800 E clearly demonstrates, making it one of the most stylish coupés of its time. Being a Volvo it also happens to be very reliable and great to drive. Volvo introduced the 2+2 in 1961 because it saw market potential for a sports coupé in Europe and America. Following on from his involvement in the PV444, Helmer Petterson lead the development. At the time it was rumoured that his son Pelle thought up the design under the watchful eye of Pietro Frua.

The P1800 we have here is from 1970 when it was supplied to the USA. A Marine Corps officer had a predilection for rather more exclusive Volvos and so in the fall of 1970 he collected his Safari yellow P1800. He drove around in it for some eight years, after which he bought its successor the 262 Coupé. This yellow Coupé remained however in his possession until his death when his son sold these special Volvos on to a Volvo collector in Göteborg. So this P1800E returned homer to its country of birth.

The 1800E was essentially in sound condition but the paintwork had lost lustre. As such the unusual Safari Yellow was freshly reapplied. That has left us to admire this neatly presented shinning example. In 2020 and 2021 a number of extensive upgrades were carried out including the brightwork, bumpers and lights. The interior was also refreshed with new carpets, door cards and dashboard cladding. The headlining and seats are still the original ones. An immediate noticeable feature is the centre console gearstick: what we have here is a rarely seen automatic version.

Also under the bonnet we can observe a nice and original state of play. The 120 hp B20 engine is good for sports-like performance and the automatic makes touring around a delight in this Swedish coupé. Mechanically the whole show is foolproof including the suspension, brakes and complete electrical installation.

This Volvo 1800E distinguishes itself from the other P1800’s on the market because of its eye-catching finish and automatic transmission.