Volvo P1800 (Sweden, 1961-1973)

In 1961 Volvo launched its rather legendary model P1800. One sole generation, with several slight adjustments along the years, lasted for over one decade – being sold until 1973.
The P1800 is a very classic sports car, in which Volvo had begun working right in 1957 because the brand still hadn’t added a sports car to its line-up. Volvo was actually known for its big family sedans. Volvo’s engineering consultant Helmer Pettersson is the person who started this project and made all the efforts he could for it to materialize.

The Volvo P1800 was released on the market in 1961, after quite some difficulties to find a couchbuilder that would make Pettersson’s project come true. While struggling with financial problems, the company turned to Jensen Motors and asked them to support the production run of the P1800, to which Jensen agreed with a deal for the production of 10.000 cars.

This model’s assembly was relocated to Volvo’s Lundby factory in Gothenburg, prompting the car to have its name changed to 1800S, since the ‘S’ stood for Swedish production. Along with several remarkable changes in the car, a fuel-injected version came out in 1970 under the name 1800E.
When production of the 1800 line was shut down, in 1973, Volvo had built 47.492 copies.

The first P1800 cars coming out of the factory were provided with 1.8-liter B18 engines that produced 100 hp. The cars produced from 1963 to 1966 had additional 8 hp and in from 1966 on they came with 115 hp. By that time they were reaching a 109-mi/h (175-km/h) top speed.
P1800 units produced in 1969 received the 2-liter B20B engine, producing 118 hp. Then, from 1970 onwards the cars would be provided with the 2.0 L B20E engine that produced 130 hp and made the cars reach their top speed at approximately 118 mi/h (190 km/h).
The P1800’s engines are front-mounted, while the car is rear-wheel driven and runs on a 4-speed manual transmission.

(no data)   Platform (no data)   Suspension (no data)   Steering Cam & Roller steering system.   Brakes Launched with front discs and rear drums, the P1800 switched to four-wheel disc brakes in 1970.

Pelle Pettersson, son of the P1800’s creator Helmer Pettersson, designed the car’s bodyshell – he was working for the Italian design company Carrozzeria Pietro Frua by that time.
The Volvo P1800 was delivered in the form of 2-door coupes and 3-door sports estates.