Hatch Heaven

This 1989 Volvo 480 Turbo is a very rare sight in the US and is currently on sale on eBay in San Luis Obispo, California. This car was imported from Europe from a Volvo dealer who used it as a display model in their showroom.  It is one of the only 480 Turbos known to be in the US.

Volvo sold its first 1800 in 1961. Since then, the car had gone through thousands of engineering refinements and three designation changes, from the P-1800 to 1800S and in 1970 to the 1800E. In 1971, Volvo introduced the 1800ES. While the shape and style was new, the engineering inside was not and was the result of an 11 year evolutionary process.

In 1970, Volvo replaced the carburetors in their sports cars with an electronic fuel injection system. Coupled with a computer unit under the dashboard, the system metered out the exact amount of fuel the engine required to work at peak efficiency. The result was a cleaner exhaust and cleaner air and in 1971, they made the engine run on 91-octane gasoline which increaser gas mileage and performance and produces even cleaner air.

The B20F four-cylinder, fuel injected engine was bench tested to the equivalent of 90 MPH for 60,000 miles without braking. It has five-main-bearing crankshaft, electronic fuel pump, fuel pressure regulator and overflow sensor and a full-flow oil filter. Its 121 cubic inch displacement, with a bore of 3.50 in. and a stroke of 3.15 in. produced an maximum output of 125 HP SAE at 6,000 RPM with 123 lb ft. of torque at 3,500 RPM.

It had a four-speed manual transmission, fully synchronized with remote control linkage and electronically operated overdrive on fourth gear. It was also available with an optional three-speed fully automatic transmission with floor mounted P-R-N-D-2-1 shift quadrant.

The 1800ES roofline was extended to the tail of the car, creating 35 cubic feet of trunk space behind the front seats. Volvo only produced 1657 of this model for the American market.

(source: Volvo)

The 1979 Volvo 66 3-door estate was introduced in August 1975, almost exactly a year after Volvo bought DAF, and was almost an exact duplicate of the DAF 66 with the exception of new seat featuring headrests, a safety steering wheel, doors with side impact bars, a “park” mode, and a few other features. It was produced (in conjunction with a saloon version) from 1975 to 1980 and its peak HP was 57PS. (image source: John Lloyd)

This 1986 Volvo 480 ES was the first front-wheel drive car made by the brand and the only production Volvo to feature pop-up headlamps. It was announced to the press in 1985, and first shown in Geneva in 1986. It was never sold in the USA. Although it is a 3-door hatchback, it was marketed as a coupe. (image source: John Lloyd)

Volvo introduced the new 360 series in 1982, and the hachback shown here also came in a 4-door sedan version. A total of 76,281 were produced from 1983 to 1989. More info on Cartype.

Volvo introduced the 360 in 1982 with its 4-cylinder 2-litre engine. Nothing like the Volvos of today. More on Cartype.

358,024 Volvo 345 5-door hatchbacks were produced up to 1991. More details at Cartype.

The first series-produced front-wheel-drive Volvo was the 480 and by 1995, they had sold 76,375. Read the rest of this story on Cartype.

The Volvo C30 R-Design is the nearest thing to a dedicated sports car in the Volvo model range. The new chassis is considerably sharper, with stiffer, more distinct properties. And the exclusive extra equipment gives the C30 R-Design just the right attitude.

The biggest changes in the new Volvo C30 R-Design, which make its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in mid-September, are actually hidden beneath the skin. Despite the car’s extrovert body kit and design cues. Because it is the chassis and the steering that have been the main focus of attention. All with the aim of creating a sporty driving experience and a sophisticated feeling of comfort to match the very best.

“The new R-Design chassis builds further on the success of the sport chassis introduced in the Volvo S80 earlier in 2009. Although the actual properties differ between these two car categories, we’ve had plenty of good experience on which to build further in the Volvo C30,” says Stefan Sällqvist, manager Vehicle Dynamics at Volvo Cars. Read the rest of this story on Cartype.

The new Volvo C30 will be unveiled for the public at the Paris Motor Show in September, and production will begin at the end of 2006.

Here are the first photos of one of the year’s most talked about debutants, the new Volvo C30. A sporty design, two doors, four individual seats, and a glass tailgate give the C30 a unique character that will attract new Volvo buyers. Read the rest of this story on Cartype.