The
Volvo 200 series is a range of
large family carA large family car, also known as a D-segment car, is a European automobile classification which is larger than a small family car and smaller than an executive car. Multi-purpose vehicles based on a large family car design are often called large MPVs, while similarly-priced models from luxury car...
s (
mid-size carA mid-size car is the North American/Australian standard for an automobile with a size equal to or greater than that of a compact...
s in the USA), produced by
VolvoVolvo Car Corporation, or Volvo Personvagnar AB, is a Swedish automobile manufacturer founded in 1927, in Gothenburg, Sweden. It is owned by Zhejiang Geely Holding Group. Volvo was originally formed as a subsidiary company to the ball bearing maker SKF. When Volvo AB was introduced on the Swedish...
from 1974 to 1993, with more than 2.8 million units sold worldwide. The 200 series was essentially an updated version of the
140The Volvo 140 Series is a range of automobiles which was produced by Volvo Cars of Sweden from 1966 to 1974. The range comprises the Volvo 142 2-door sedan, the Volvo 144 4-door sedan and the Volvo 145 5-door station wagon....
; both were designed by
Jan WilsgaardJan Wilsgaard was the Chief Designer at Volvo Cars from 1950–1990, having studied at Gothenburg School of Applied Arts before joining Volvo when co-founder Assar Gabrielsson still headed the company. Wilsgaard was followed at Volvo by the noted designer Peter Horbury.Wilsgaard's father was a...
. It shared the same body, but included a number of mechanical improvements. The 200 replaced the 140 and the 140-based
164The Volvo 164 is a six cylinder sedan unveiled by Volvo Cars at the Paris Motor Show early in October 1968 for the 1969 model year. The company built 146,008 examples before production ended in 1975....
, and overlapped production of the
Volvo 700 seriesThe 760 was Volvo's attempt to cement a place in the prestige market, after building a reputation for being solid and safe rather than out-and-out luxurious cars. Jan Wilsgaard, head of Volvo's Design and Styling team, proposed over 50 new designs for the new car. It was introduced to the US in...
introduced in 1982. As the 240 remained popular, only the 260 was displaced by the 700 series — which Volvo marketed alongside the 240 for another decade. The 700 series was replaced a year before the 240 was discontinued. At the time, Volvo guaranteed their cars would last for 19.3 years.
The Volvo 240 was Volvo's best-selling car from 1975 until 1982. During those years in European markets, its companion was initially the smaller
Volvo 66The Volvo 66 was a Swedish automobile. It sprang directly from the DAF 66, which was originally styled by Michelotti. The compact car was introduced in August 1975, almost exactly a year after Volvo Cars bought DAF, and before production of the Volvo 300 series began.The Volvo 66 was known for its...
, then its replacement, the
300 seriesThe Volvo 300 series is a rear wheel drive automobile sold as both a hatchback and a conventional saloon from 1976-1991. It was launched in the Netherlands shortly after Volvo acquired a major stake in the passenger car division of DAF in 1973...
.
Production ended on May 14, 1993.
History
The Volvo 240 and 260 Series was introduced in the autumn of 1974, and was initially available as six variations of the 240 Series (
242L, 242DL, 244DL, 244GL, 245L and
245DL) and two variations of the 260 Series (
264DL and
264GL).
The 240 Series was available in Coupe, Sedan or Station Wagon, however the 260 Series was only available in Sedan or Station Wagon.
The 200 looked much like the earlier
140The Volvo 140 Series is a range of automobiles which was produced by Volvo Cars of Sweden from 1966 to 1974. The range comprises the Volvo 142 2-door sedan, the Volvo 144 4-door sedan and the Volvo 145 5-door station wagon....
and
164The Volvo 164 is a six cylinder sedan unveiled by Volvo Cars at the Paris Motor Show early in October 1968 for the 1969 model year. The company built 146,008 examples before production ended in 1975....
Series, for they shared the same body shell and were largely the same from the cowl rearward. However, the 200 incorporated many of the features and design elements tried in the
Volvo VESCVolvo VESC, the Volvo Experimental Safety Car, was an ESV concept car built by Volvo in 1972. Its design emphasized car safety and many of the ideas that would later appear on the Volvo 240....
ESVExperimental Safety Vehicle is the designation for experimental concept cars which are used to test car safety ideas.In 1970 the U.S. DOT announced its ESV project, the aim of which was to obtain safer vehicles by 1980. : A car produced by this effort was known as the Minicar RSV.In 1991, the ESV...
in 1972, which was a prototype experiment in car safety. The overall safety of the driver and passengers in the event of a crash was greatly improved with very large front and rear end
crumple zoneThe crumple zone is a structural feature mainly of automobiles. Crumple zones have also been incorporated into railcars in recent years.They are designed to absorb the energy from the impact during an accident by controlled deformation. This energy is much higher than is commonly recognized...
s. The 200 Series had
MacPherson strutThe MacPherson strut is a type of car suspension system which uses the axis of a telescopic damper as the upper steering pivot. It is widely used in modern vehicles and named after Earle S. MacPherson, who developed the design.-History:...
type front suspension, which increased room around the engine bay, while the rear suspension was a modified version of that fitted to the
140 SeriesThe Volvo 140 Series is a range of automobiles which was produced by Volvo Cars of Sweden from 1966 to 1974. The range comprises the Volvo 142 2-door sedan, the Volvo 144 4-door sedan and the Volvo 145 5-door station wagon....
. The steering was greatly improved with the installation of rack-and-pinion steering, with power steering fitted as standard to the 244GL, 264DL and 264GL, and there were some modifications made to the braking system (in particular the master cylinder.
The main changes were made to the engine. The 1974 240 series retained the B20A
4-cylinderThe inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....
engine from the
140 SeriesThe Volvo 140 Series is a range of automobiles which was produced by Volvo Cars of Sweden from 1966 to 1974. The range comprises the Volvo 142 2-door sedan, the Volvo 144 4-door sedan and the Volvo 145 5-door station wagon....
in certain markets, with the new
B21AThe Volvo B21 was a slant straight-4 engine first used in the Volvo 200 series, meant to replace the B20. The B21 and all derived engines are often referred to as red block engines for the red paint applied to the block...
engine available as an option on the 240 DL models. The new
B21The Volvo B21 was a slant straight-4 engine first used in the Volvo 200 series, meant to replace the B20. The B21 and all derived engines are often referred to as red block engines for the red paint applied to the block...
engine was a 2127cc, 4-cylinder unit, which had a cast iron block, a five-bearing crankshaft, and a belt-driven overhead camshaft. This engine produced 97 bhp for the B21A carburettor 242DL, 244DL and 245DL, and 123 bhp for the
B21EThe Volvo B21 was a slant straight-4 engine first used in the Volvo 200 series, meant to replace the B20. The B21 and all derived engines are often referred to as red block engines for the red paint applied to the block...
fuel-injected 244GL. All 240s were fuel injected in the US market; the carbureted B20 and B21 engines were not available due to emissions regulations.
|
|
First-generation 245s in international (left, Australia) and North American (right, USA) versions. The international version has white parking lamps and larger headlampA headlamp is a lamp, usually attached to the front of a vehicle such as a car or a motorcycle, with the purpose of illuminating the road ahead during periods of low visibility, such as darkness or precipitation. Headlamp performance has steadily improved throughout the automobile age, spurred by...
s; the American version has side markers. |
The 264 models had a completely new V6
B27E engine called the Douvrin engine. This engine was developed jointly by
PeugeotPeugeot is a major French car brand, part of PSA Peugeot Citroën, the second largest carmaker based in Europe.The family business that precedes the current Peugeot company was founded in 1810, and manufactured coffee mills and bicycles. On 20 November 1858, Emile Peugeot applied for the lion...
,
RenaultRenault S.A. is a French automaker producing cars, vans, and in the past, autorail vehicles, trucks, tractors, vans and also buses/coaches. Its alliance with Nissan makes it the world's third largest automaker...
and
VolvoAB Volvo is a Swedish builder of commercial vehicles, including trucks, buses and construction equipment. Volvo also supplies marine and industrial drive systems, aerospace components and financial services...
, and is therefore generally known as the "
PRV engineThe PRV engine is an automobile petrol V6 engine that was developed jointly by Peugeot, Renault and Volvo Cars – and sold from 1974 to 1998. It was gradually replaced after 1994 by another joint PSA-Renault design, known as the ES engine at PSA and the L engine at Renault.-Corporate history:The...
". The B27E engine had a displacement of 2664 cc, an aluminium alloy block, and wet cylinder liners. This engine produced 140 bhp for both the 264DL and 264GL. All models were available with a choice of 4-speed
manualA manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
or 3-speed
automatic transmissionAn automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...
. Overdrive was also optional on the manual 244GL, while a 5-speed manual gearbox was optional on the 264GL and 265GL.
The front end of the car was also completely restyled – that being the most obvious change of which made the 200 Series distinguishable from the earlier 140 and 160 Series. Other than all the changes mentioned above, the 200 Series was almost identical to the 140 and 160 Series from the bulkhead to the very rear end. The dashboard was derived from the safety fascia introduced for the 1972 140-series - but was changed again in 1980 with the instrument pod made considerably larger and the radio repositioned near the top of the dashboard.
In the autumn of 1975 (for the 1976
model yearThe model year of a product is a number used worldwide, but with a high level of prominence in North America, to describe approximately when a product was produced, and indicates the coinciding base specification of that product....
in America), the
265 DL estate became available alongside the existing range, and this was the first production Volvo estate to be powered by a six-cylinder engine. Around this time, the existing 200 Series underwent some technical changes. The B20A engine was dropped from certain markets, though it remained available in other markets until 1977. Its replacement, the B21A engine, received a new camshaft which increased the output from 93 to 100 bhp. The two-door 262 DL and GL sedans, the 264DL saloon (sedan) and the new 265DL estate (station wagon) were offered outside North America with the new V6 B27A engine. This engine was almost identical to the fuel-injected V6 B27E engine except it had an SU carburettor instead of fuel injection, and therefore it produced a lower output of 125 bhp. The choice of gearbox was also greatly improved, with overdrive now available as an option in all
manualA manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
models except the base-model 242L and 245L. As before, the 3-speed
automaticAn automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...
was optional in every model.
The first models to reach the US market were 1975 models equipped with the old pushrod B20F engine, with the new OHC
B21FThe Volvo B21 was a slant straight-4 engine first used in the Volvo 200 series, meant to replace the B20. The B21 and all derived engines are often referred to as red block engines for the red paint applied to the block...
motor making its way to America for the 1976 model year. A fuel-injected variant of the V6, the B27F, was introduced to the US in the 1976 260 series. The US and Canadian 200-series ranges were not identical; the B21A carbureted engine was never available in the US, but was the base engine in Canada from 1977 through 1984. 1975-76 Canadian models were identical to their US counterparts. Beginning in 1985, Canadian models received the US model engines, usually in 49-state form, except for the Turbo, which only had California emission controls.
Incremental improvements were made almost every year of the production run. One of the major improvements was the introduction of the
oxygen sensorAn oxygen sensor, or lambda sensor, is an electronic device that measures the proportion of oxygen in the gas or liquid being analyzed. It was developed by the Robert Bosch GmbH company during the late 1960s under the supervision of Dr. Günter Bauman...
in 1976 (1977 models), which Volvo called Lambda Sond and developed in conjunction with
BoschRobert Bosch GmbH is a multinational engineering and electronics company headquartered in Gerlingen, near Stuttgart, Germany. It is the world's largest supplier of automotive components...
. It added a feedback loop to the K-Jetronic
fuel injectionFuel injection is a system for admitting fuel into an internal combustion engine. It has become the primary fuel delivery system used in automotive petrol engines, having almost completely replaced carburetors in the late 1980s....
system already in use, which allowed fine-tuning of the air and fuel mixture and therefore produced superior emissions, drivability and fuel economy.
About one-third of all 240s sold were
station wagonA station wagon is a body style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door , instead of a trunk lid...
s, which featured very large cargo space of 41 cubic feet (1.2 m³). They could be outfitted with a rear-facing foldable jumpseat in the passenger area, making the wagon a seven-passenger vehicle. The jumpseat came with three-point seat belts, and wagons were designed to have a reinforced floor section, protecting the occupants of the jumpseat in the event of a rear-end collision. Both the 200 series and the
700 seriesThe 760 was Volvo's attempt to cement a place in the prestige market, after building a reputation for being solid and safe rather than out-and-out luxurious cars. Jan Wilsgaard, head of Volvo's Design and Styling team, proposed over 50 new designs for the new car. It was introduced to the US in...
became a
status symbolA status symbol is a perceived visible, external denotation of one's social position and perceived indicator of economic or social status. Many luxury goods are often considered status symbols...
worldwide.
The last 200 produced was a blue station wagon built to the Italian specification and named the "Polar Italia", currently displayed at the Volvo World Museum.
Engines
The 200 series was offered with three families of engines. Most 240s were equipped with Volvo's own
red block, 2.1 litre four-cylinder engines. Both overhead valve and
overhead camThe Volvo B21 was a slant straight-4 engine first used in the Volvo 200 series, meant to replace the B20. The B21 and all derived engines are often referred to as red block engines for the red paint applied to the block...
versions of the red block engines were installed in 240s. V6 engines were also available. Known as the
PRVThe PRV engine is an automobile petrol V6 engine that was developed jointly by Peugeot, Renault and Volvo Cars – and sold from 1974 to 1998. It was gradually replaced after 1994 by another joint PSA-Renault design, known as the ES engine at PSA and the L engine at Renault.-Corporate history:The...
family, they were developed in a three-way partnership among Volvo,
PeugeotPeugeot is a major French car brand, part of PSA Peugeot Citroën, the second largest carmaker based in Europe.The family business that precedes the current Peugeot company was founded in 1810, and manufactured coffee mills and bicycles. On 20 November 1858, Emile Peugeot applied for the lion...
and
RenaultRenault S.A. is a French automaker producing cars, vans, and in the past, autorail vehicles, trucks, tractors, vans and also buses/coaches. Its alliance with Nissan makes it the world's third largest automaker...
, 240
dieselA diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...
models are powered by diesel engines purchased from
VolkswagenVolkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is...
.
6-cylinder PRV
The
B27The PRV engine is an automobile petrol V6 engine that was developed jointly by Peugeot, Renault and Volvo Cars – and sold from 1974 to 1998. It was gradually replaced after 1994 by another joint PSA-Renault design, known as the ES engine at PSA and the L engine at Renault.-Corporate history:The...
was a 90-degree
V6A V6 engine is a V engine with six cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of three cylinders, usually set at either a right angle or an acute angle to each other, with all six pistons driving a common crankshaft...
produced by
PeugeotPeugeot is a major French car brand, part of PSA Peugeot Citroën, the second largest carmaker based in Europe.The family business that precedes the current Peugeot company was founded in 1810, and manufactured coffee mills and bicycles. On 20 November 1858, Emile Peugeot applied for the lion...
,
RenaultRenault S.A. is a French automaker producing cars, vans, and in the past, autorail vehicles, trucks, tractors, vans and also buses/coaches. Its alliance with Nissan makes it the world's third largest automaker...
, and
VolvoAB Volvo is a Swedish builder of commercial vehicles, including trucks, buses and construction equipment. Volvo also supplies marine and industrial drive systems, aerospace components and financial services...
in collaboration and is often referred to as the "
PRVThe PRV engine is an automobile petrol V6 engine that was developed jointly by Peugeot, Renault and Volvo Cars – and sold from 1974 to 1998. It was gradually replaced after 1994 by another joint PSA-Renault design, known as the ES engine at PSA and the L engine at Renault.-Corporate history:The...
." This engine was unusual at the time, being composed of many small parts in a modular design (as opposed to a monolithic engine block and head). Volvo increased the displacement to 2.8 litres in 1980 with the introduction of the
B28E and
B28F engines, which were prone to top-end oiling troubles and premature camshaft wear. Nevertheless, Volvo continued to use the B28 V6 in their new
760The 760 was Volvo's attempt to cement a place in the prestige market, after building a reputation for being solid and safe rather than out-and-out luxurious cars. Jan Wilsgaard, head of Volvo's Design and Styling team, proposed over 50 new designs for the new car. It was introduced to the US in...
model. DeLorean Motor Company went on to use the PRV B28F in their
DMC-12The DeLorean DMC-12 is a sports car originally manufactured in Dunmurry, a suburb west of Belfast, Northern Ireland by John DeLorean's DeLorean Motor Company for the American market in 1981-82. Most commonly known as the DeLorean, it was the only model produced by the company which would go into...
vehicle, and a 3 litre version was used in the 1987-1992
Eagle PremierThe Eagle Premier was a full-size automobile developed by the American Motors Corporation and Renault partnership, inherited by Chrysler Corporation when it acquired AMC in 1987, and marketed from 1987 through 1992...
,
Dodge MonacoThe Dodge Monaco was a full-size automobile built and sold by the Dodge division of the Chrysler Corporation between 1965 to 1978, and 1990 to 1992.-A Grand Prix competitor:...
, and
Renault 21The Renault 21 is a large family car produced by French automaker Renault between 1986 and 1994. It was also sold in North America through American Motors dealers as the Renault Medallion and the Eagle Medallion...
. The updated
B280 engine used in the final years of the 760 and 780 models did not suffer from the same premature camshaft wear as the earlier PRV engines.
VW Diesels
In 1979 Volvo introduced a diesel engine that was purchased from Volkswagen, similar in design to that used in diesel Volkswagen and Audi vehicles at the time. These engines were all liquid-cooled pre-combustion chamber diesel engines with non-sleeved iron blocks and aluminum heads. A Bosch mechanical injection system was used that required constant electrical input so that the fuel supply could be cut off when the ignition key was removed. A 2.4 litre inline 6 (the
D24The Volkswagen D24 engine is a 2.4 litre inline-six cylinder , naturally aspirated diesel engine, formerly manufactured by Volkswagen Group from 1978 to 1995....
) and a 2.0 litre inline 5 (the D20) were available, producing 82 bhp and 69 bhp respectively. A turbocharged diesel was never sold in the 200 series Volvo.
Nomenclature
The 200-series cars were identified initially by badges on their trunk lid or rear hatch in a manner similar to the system used for previous models.
- 1974-1982: three digits (in the format 2XY, where X usually represented the number of cylinders and Y represented the doors: 2 for coupés, 4 for sedans, 5 for station wagons) followed by trim level letters. For example; 244 and 245 were 4 cylinder sedans and wagons respectively and 264 and 265 (V6) cylinder sedans and wagons respectively.
- 1983-1993: 240 (or 260 until 1985) followed by trim level letters (third digit no longer reflected body style, although it is reflected in the engine compartment label, as well as on the label in the trunk on sedans or under the main cargo compartment storage lid on wagons.) Special models (e.g. Polar and Torslanda) sometimes omitted the "240".
For the American market:
- 1975-1979: trim level letters preceded by three digits (in the format 2XY, where X usually represented the number of cylinders and Y represented the doors: 2 for coupés, 4 for sedans, 5 for station wagons)
- 1980-1985: trim level letters. Note: A small number of 4-cylinder 260s were produced, namely the 1980-1981 GL sedan, which could either be a 240 or a 260. Additionally, diesel 240s have six-cylinder engines.
- 1986-1993: 240 followed by trim level letters (third digit no longer reflected body style), although it is reflected in the engine compartment label, as well as on the label in the trunk on sedans or under the main cargo compartment storage lid on wagons.
Trim levels
Throughout the 200-series' production, different levels of luxury were available for purchase. The specific trim level designations ranged from L, being the least expensive, to GLT, indicating a sporty premium offering. The actual equipment and availability of a particular trim level varied depending on the market. The letters normally appeared on the trunk lid or rear hatch of the car (except for during MY1983) and had originally represented the following, although by the 1980s the letter codes had officially lost any underlying meaning:
- L (Luxe)
- DL (de Luxe)
- GL (Grand Luxe)
- GLE (Grand Luxe Executive)
- GLT (Grand Luxe Touring)
- GT
- Turbo (Replaced the GT offering in 1981, with GLT trim)
(For example, a 1979 GT 200-series Volvo would be badged a
242 GT, meaning it is a 240-series car with two doors, and
GT trim.)
The '4' and '6' codes soon lost their original meaning as signifying the number of cylinders with the introduction of B17-engined four-cylinder Volvo 260s for export to Greece and Israel in the late 70s. There was also a six-cylinder 240 GLT in some markets, as well as both six- and five-cylinder diesels labelled '240'. The second digit now only denoted how luxurious the car was. By June 1982, with the introduction of the model year 1983 Volvos, the third digit too lost its meaning and the 242/244/245 became simply the 240.
Special trim levels
Several trim levels were special offerings only available during certain years or for unique body styles:
- Transfer (lengthened version of wagon; contained extra seats)
- Polar (1992)
- GTX
- Super Polar
- SE: Special Equipment (1991-93 late runout edition, typically with GL or GLT interior trim but without the performance/ handling modifications. )
- Limited (1992; very similar to Classic, but not numbered edition with brass plaque instead of the numbering)
- Classic (1993; numbered version of the last 1600 200-series Volvos produced for North American market)
- Torslanda (1992-93 Europe Only special edition, designed for harsh winters and long service. Interiors can be either the 'luxury' velour of the GL/GLT or durable tweed. These cars had manual windows, locks, and no AC but still had seat heaters.)
Engine type
Sometimes, the engine type of a car was also designated by badging. In some instances, these badges were omitted, replaced trim level badges, or even used in combination with them:
- Turbo (was its own trim level - 1981-82 models also had GLT Turbo models)
- Diesel (like the Turbo, was its own trim level - had most GL features, but some omissions)
- Injection (Indicating fuel injection
Fuel injection is a system for admitting fuel into an internal combustion engine. It has become the primary fuel delivery system used in automotive petrol engines, having almost completely replaced carburetors in the late 1980s....
(k-jetronic) in certain markets)
- Katalysator (Indicating a catalytic converter
A catalytic converter is a device used to convert toxic exhaust emissions from an internal combustion engine into non-toxic substances. Inside a catalytic converter, a catalyst stimulates a chemical reaction in which noxious byproducts of combustion are converted to less toxic substances by dint...
in Scandinavia and the German market)
200 Series specifications
- Production volume: 2,862,053
- Body style: 4-door sedan (1974–1993), 2-door sedan
A coupé or coupe is a closed car body style , the precise definition of which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, and over time...
(1975–1984), 5-door station wagonA station wagon is a body style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door , instead of a trunk lid...
(1975–1993), 3-door ambulanceAn ambulance is a vehicle for transportation of sick or injured people to, from or between places of treatment for an illness or injury, and in some instances will also provide out of hospital medical care to the patient...
, 3-door hearseA hearse is a funerary vehicle used to carry a coffin from a church or funeral home to a cemetery. In the funeral trade, hearses are often called funeral coaches.-History:...
- Engines: See the engine section for more detail. Engine configurations included:
- B20 4-cylinder inline
The inline-four engine or straight-four engine is an internal combustion engine with all four cylinders mounted in a straight line, or plane along the crankcase. The single bank of cylinders may be oriented in either a vertical or an inclined plane with all the pistons driving a common crankshaft....
OHVAn overhead valve engine, also informally called pushrod engine or I-head engine, is a type of piston engine that places the camshaft within the cylinder block , and uses pushrods or rods to actuate rocker arms above the cylinder...
- B17, B19, B21, B23, B200, B230 4-cylinder inline OHC
- B21ET, B21FT 4-cylinder inline OHC turbo sometimes intercooled
- B27, B28 V6 OHC
- 5-cylinder inline
The straight-five engine or inline-five engine is an internal combustion engine with five cylinders aligned in one row or plane, sharing a single engine block and crankcase...
OHC dieselA diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...
- D24 6-cylinder inline
The straight-six engine or inline-six engine is a six-cylinder internal combustion engine with all six cylinders mounted in a straight line along the crankcase...
OHC dieselA diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...
- Transmissions: Volvo offered various transmissions depending on the year/model/market/engine combinations including the:
- M40 (4-speed manual, 1975 only)
- M41 (4-speed manual with electrical overdrive, 1975 only, coupe and sedan only)
- M45 (4-speed manual)
- M46 (4-speed manual with electrical overdrive)
- M47 (5-speed manual)
- BW35
The Borg-Warner 35 transmission is an automatic transmission produced by the BorgWarner company.It has three forward and one reverse gears. The selector lever follows a quadrant which has six stations...
, BW55 or AW55 (3-speed automatic)
- AW70 or AW71 (4-speed automatic with 3 direct + OD)
- Brakes: Hydraulic, disc brakes on all four wheels.
- Front: four opposed piston calipers with either solid or (later) vented rotors
- Rear: twin piston calipers utilizing solid rotors and integral parking brake drums.
- Triangulated braking circuits on non-ABS cars with both front calipers and one rear caliper per circuit. ABS cars used normal diagonal split braking system.
- Standard safety features
- Driver airbag
An Airbag is a vehicle safety device. It is an occupant restraint consisting of a flexible envelope designed to inflate rapidly during an automobile collision, to prevent occupants from striking interior objects such as the steering wheel or a window...
(from 1990 - US only; optional 1990-91 Cdn models, standard 1992-93 Cdn)
- Anti-lock braking system (ABS)
An anti-lock braking system is a safety system that allows the wheels on a motor vehicle to continue interacting tractively with the road surface as directed by driver steering inputs while braking, preventing the wheels from locking up and therefore avoiding skidding.An ABS generally offers...
(from 1991)
- Dimensions:
- Wheelbase: 264 cm/104 in
- Length (Europe):
- 1975–1980: 490 cm/193 in
- 1981–1993: 479 cm/189 in
- Length (US/Canada):
- 1975-1982: 490 cm/192.5 in - 1975-1985 Cdn 240)
- 1983-1985 US: 479 cm/189.4 in
- 1986-1993 US/Cdn: 4?? cm/190.? in
- Weight: 2,840 lb (1,290 kg) (1989 US spec 240, fully fueled, no driver)
European/Australian market
- Glass-lens headlamp
A headlamp is a lamp, usually attached to the front of a vehicle such as a car or a motorcycle, with the purpose of illuminating the road ahead during periods of low visibility, such as darkness or precipitation. Headlamp performance has steadily improved throughout the automobile age, spurred by...
s compliant with international ECE headlighting standards, 1975–1993
- Fender-mounted side turn signal repeaters introduced various years in different European markets per local regulations; worldwide except North America starting in 1984. Australia starting in 1989.
- Daytime running lamp
A daytime running lamp is an automotive lighting device on the front of a roadgoing motor vehicle, installed in pairs, automatically switched on when the vehicle is moving forward, emitting white, yellow, or amber light to increase the conspicuity of the vehicle during daylight...
s implemented by a second, bright filament in the parking lamp bulbs, introduced mid-1970s in Scandinavia and the UK, and in other markets outside North America in the early 1980s.
- Aspheric sideview mirrors
- Diesel engine available (except Australia) from 1980 to 1993.
- Australian models were badged Deluxe, not DL, for entry-level 240s between 1977 and 1978.
North American market
- Exterior lighting system
The lighting system of a motor vehicle consists of lighting and signalling devices mounted or integrated to the front, sides, rear, and in some cases the top of the motor vehicle...
compliant with US Federal standardsFederal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 108 regulates all automotive lighting, signalling and reflective devices in the United States. Like all other Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, FMVSS 108 is administered by the United States Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety...
- Sealed-beam headlamp
A headlamp is a lamp, usually attached to the front of a vehicle such as a car or a motorcycle, with the purpose of illuminating the road ahead during periods of low visibility, such as darkness or precipitation. Headlamp performance has steadily improved throughout the automobile age, spurred by...
s 1975-85
- Speedometer
A speedometer is a gauge that measures and displays the instantaneous speed of a land vehicle. Now universally fitted to motor vehicles, they started to be available as options in the 1900s, and as standard equipment from about 1910 onwards. Speedometers for other vehicles have specific names...
in miles per hour with inner scale in kilometres per hour; odometerAn odometer or odograph is an instrument that indicates distance traveled by a vehicle, such as a bicycle or automobile. The device may be electronic, mechanical, or a combination of the two. The word derives from the Greek words hodós and métron...
in miles (US market)
- Plastic-lens replaceable-bulb headlamps 1986-93
- Headlamp wipers not available; wiper shaft hole below headlamps blanked with rubber plug
- Front and rear side markers and reflectors incorporated into front parking and rear tail lights
- Rear fog lamps added in the 1985 model year
- Daytime Running Lights, using low beams and taillamps introduced in 1990 in Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
- In Canada, various market-specific parts such as block heater
A block heater warms an engine to ease and speed starting and vehicle warmup in cold weather. The most common type is an electric heating element connected through a power cord often routed through the vehicle's grille. The block heater may replace one of the engine's core plugs, or may be...
s were also added at the Volvo Halifax AssemblyThe Volvo Halifax Assembly Plant located in Halifax, Nova Scotia was opened on 11 June 1963 by H.R.H Prince Bertil. It was the only North American assembly plant Volvo ever opened. Volvo decided to open to the plant to bypass hefty North American import tariffs on foreign goods and to capitalize...
.
- Diesel engine discontinued in 1984, but sold in 1985 model year with a 1984 VIN and 1985 specs.
- Turbo model discontinued early 1985.
American-spec headlamp configurations 1975-1993 (per side of car)
| Model Year |
242 |
244/245 |
262/264/265 |
Turbo/Turbo GLT (242/244/245) |
| 1975 |
One round 7" sealed beam |
One round 7" sealed beam |
N/A |
N/A |
| 1976-77 |
One round 7" sealed beam |
One round 7" sealed beam |
Two round 5¾" sealed beams |
N/A |
| 1978-79 |
One round 7" sealed beam |
Two round 5¾" sealed beams |
Two rectangular 165mm × 100mm sealed beams |
N/A |
| 1980 |
One round 7" sealed beam |
GL, GLE: Two rectangular 165mm × 100mm sealed beams |
Two rectangular 165mm × 100mm sealed beams |
N/A |
| 1981-82 |
Two rectangular 165mm × 100mm sealed beams
(high beams halogen) |
Two rectangular 165mm × 100mm sealed beams
(high beams halogen) |
Two rectangular 165mm × 100mm sealed beams
(high beams halogen) |
Two rectangular 165mm × 100mm sealed beams
(high beams halogen) |
| 1983-84 |
Two rectangular 165mm × 100mm halogen sealed beams |
Two rectangular 165mm × 100mm halogen sealed beams |
N/A |
Two rectangular 165mm × 100mm halogen sealed beams |
| 1985 |
N/A |
Two rectangular 165mm × 100mm halogen sealed beams |
N/A |
Two rectangular 165mm × 100mm halogen sealed beams |
| 1986-93 |
N/A |
One replaceable-bulb halogen composite |
N/A |
N/A |
Special editions
- 244 DLS (1977–78): Export model to the former German Democratic Republic
The German Democratic Republic , informally called East Germany by West Germany and other countries, was a socialist state established in 1949 in the Soviet zone of occupied Germany, including East Berlin of the Allied-occupied capital city...
with 264 grille. Total amount exported approx. 1000.
- 264 Top Executive (1975–81): A limousine
A limousine is a luxury sedan or saloon car, especially one with a lengthened wheelbase or driven by a chauffeur. The chassis of a limousine may have been extended by the manufacturer or by an independent coachbuilder. These are called "stretch" limousines and are traditionally black or white....
version of the 264; many now reside in Germany as they were exported to the former German Democratic RepublicThe German Democratic Republic , informally called East Germany by West Germany and other countries, was a socialist state established in 1949 in the Soviet zone of occupied Germany, including East Berlin of the Allied-occupied capital city...
for use by the government (which would neither use the small TrabantThe Trabant is a car that was produced by former East German auto maker VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke Zwickau in Zwickau, Sachsen. It was the most common vehicle in East Germany, and was also exported to countries both inside and outside the communist bloc...
or Wartburg models nor import "Western" autos like BMWBayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
s and Mercedes-BenzMercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
es). As a result, the population called WandlitzWandlitz is a municipality in the district of Barnim, in Brandenburg, Germany. It is situated 25 km north of Berlin, and 15 km east of Oranienburg...
, the preferred home town of politicians, Volvograd.
- 262C/Coupé by Bertone (1978–81): This had custom body work and interior from Bertone. The exterior coachbuilding of these two-door saloons consisted of a chopped roof(2.25in shorter than 242) and a more raked windscreen. The 1980 & 1981 models were badged Coupé instead of 262C. These cars were further characterised by additional Bertone badges on the front wings. Mostly built in left hand drive form, right hand drive vehicles are very rare.
- 245 T (Transfer) (1977-early 1980s): An un-proportionately styled extended wheelbase station wagon designed to have additional rows of seats for use as taxi or rural school bus
- 242 GTX (Early 1980s) : A special model released in Sweden. Featured U.S quad sealed beam headlamps, turbo rims, and other minor cosmetic trim (mainly USA spec). Powered by a special 16 valve, dual carburetor engine, it developed 170 kW at 7500 rpm and was coupled with an M46 Manual transmission.
- 242 GT (1978–80): Sport model with race suspension and a high-compression engine. All US models were Mystic Silver Metallic with black and red racing stripes going from the hood to the side to the trunk. Special black corduroy interior with red stripes. Canadian models were available in black with red pinstripes along the side of the car, in addition to the US model silver.
- GLT-Turbo (1981–85): Replaced the GT as the sporty model, equipped with a turbocharged engine, with an intercooler from mid-84. 2-door model available 1981-1984; sedans available late 1981-early 1985 and wagons available 1982-early 1985. Came with new black trimming as opposed to the popular chrome trimming found on the GLs (Grill, door trim, door handles, tail light sills & lens dividers). All came factory stock with 15" Virgo alloy wheels.
- GLT (1981–82): Standing for "Grand Luxe Touring," these models shared the uprated suspension, blacked-out exterior trim, and 15" Virgo alloy wheels of the GLT-Turbo model, but with a naturally aspirated powertrain.
- 244/240 GLE (1981–85) Australian market: Due to the problems with fitting a turbocharger to a RHD vehicle the Turbo model was rebadged a GLE and retained all the backed-out trim and high-end interior fittings of the turbo models but were equipped with the B23E then B230E engines most frequently mated to the BW55 until 1983 then trh AW71 for 1984-1985.
- 242 Group A Homologated Turbo (1983): 500 models built to satisfy production requirements to qualify for Group-A sedan class racing in Europe; all were sold to Volvo of North America and approximately 30 were returned to Europe for racing; all of these cars had flat hoods not otherwise seen on North American 240s, as well as numerous and substantial performance and suspension upgrades ranging from larger radiators and intercoolers to water injection and large rear spoilers
- 240 SE (1991): Special alloy wheels, all-black grille and trim. Roof rails on wagon model.
- 240 (Super) Polar (1991–1992): European markets only; commonly found in Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
- 240 Classic (1992–93): European markets from the 1992 model year. For the North American market, only 1,600 were produced in April and May 1993, half wagons and half sedans. European Classics have fully equipped interior with wood dash trim and "Classic" badges on hatch/decklid. In addition to the European equipment, the 1,600 North American Classics have body-matched painted grilles and side mirrors, special 14" alloy wheels, production-number plaque in dash, and special paint colors — ruby red or metallic dark teal green.
- 240 GL (1992): North American market. Slightly different from the early 1975-1989 GL model, more like the 1993 Classic and the 1991 SE model. Only available in 244 sedan bodystyle.
- 240 Torslanda
Torslanda is an urban district and a locality situated in Göteborg Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden. It had 10,129 inhabitants in 2005.-The Volvo Torslanda Plant:...
(1993): Very few of these special models were made. They were made primarily for use in Sweden, as they were specially equipped for surviving snow and ice in freezing winters. These cars can be identified by Torslanda badging, tinted windows, plastic exterior trim (as opposed to chrome, which will rust in snowy conditions), multi-spoke 15" alloy wheels, and full-length body striping above the rocker panels. The interior featured only the bare minimum of extras with no electric mirrors, windows, cruise control, air conditioning nor leather upholstery. Because the freezing temperatures could cause luxurious accessories to break down more often than usual, the only features were heated front seats, power steering and the standard heating systems. The Torslanda was sold outside of Sweden as a limited run special edition to mark the rundown of 240 production.
Anniversary special editions
- 244 DL Anniversary (1977): Volvo released this model to celebrate its fiftieth anniversary. Based on the 244DL, the Anniversary Car was finished in Metallic silver with a black and gold band around the waistline. Around 50 were sold in ten different countries, taking the total number produced up to 500.
- 240 DL Jubileum (1987): Volvo released this model to celebrate its sixtieth anniversary. Like the fiftieth anniversary edition, it was based on the 240 DL series, only this time it was available as both a saloon and an estate.
Popularity in Sweden
In Sweden the 240 was popular as a service vehicle among many companies and government agencies. It was also popular as base for
ambulanceAn ambulance is a vehicle for transportation of sick or injured people to, from or between places of treatment for an illness or injury, and in some instances will also provide out of hospital medical care to the patient...
s,
hearseA hearse is a funerary vehicle used to carry a coffin from a church or funeral home to a cemetery. In the funeral trade, hearses are often called funeral coaches.-History:...
s,
limousineA limousine is a luxury sedan or saloon car, especially one with a lengthened wheelbase or driven by a chauffeur. The chassis of a limousine may have been extended by the manufacturer or by an independent coachbuilder. These are called "stretch" limousines and are traditionally black or white....
s and as
police carA police car is a ground vehicle used by police, to assist with their duties in patrolling and responding to incidents. Typical uses of a police car include transportation for officers to reach the scene of an incident quickly, to transport criminal suspects, or to patrol an area, while providing a...
s. Many 240s were used by the former state owned monopolies such as the electric company
VattenfallVattenfall is a Swedish power company. The name Vattenfall is Swedish for waterfall, and is an abbreviation of its original name, Royal Waterfall Board...
, telecom company
TeleverketTeleverket was the public utility company responsible for telecommunications in Sweden between 1953-1993; however, it originated 100 years earlier....
and the postal service Posten. Televerket had their vehicles ordered in a special orange paint. They also used the four speed M45 transmission well after it was discontinued on 240s offered to the public, and a Limited-slip differential. The latter option was also installed in 240s ordered by the
Swedish armed forcesThe Swedish Armed Forces is a Swedish Government Agency responsible for the operation of the armed forces of the Realm. The primary task of the agency is to train, organize and to deploy military forces, domestically and abroad, while maintaining the long-term ability to defend the Realm in the...
.
Posten had their cars in yellow and they were equipped with the automatic transmission. On the contrary to normal vehicles in Sweden these were right-hand drive. Still 17 years after the production ended, the 240 is popular among various
handymenA handyman is a person skilled at a wide range of repairs, typically around the home. These tasks include trade skills, repair work, maintenance work, both interior and exterior, and are sometimes described as "odd jobs", "fix-up tasks", and include light plumbing jobs such as fixing a leaky toilet...
such as
carpenterA carpenter is a skilled craftsperson who works with timber to construct, install and maintain buildings, furniture, and other objects. The work, known as carpentry, may involve manual labor and work outdoors....
s and
electricianAn electrician is a tradesman specializing in electrical wiring of buildings, stationary machines and related equipment. Electricians may be employed in the installation of new electrical components or the maintenance and repair of existing electrical infrastructure. Electricians may also...
s.
Concept models
Volvo produced a prototype for a
hatchbackA Hatchback is a car body style incorporating a shared passenger and cargo volume, with rearmost accessibility via a rear third or fifth door, typically a top-hinged liftgate—and features such as fold-down rear seats to enable flexibility within the shared passenger/cargo volume. As a two-box...
version, badged the Volvo 263 GL, but it was not chosen for mass production and is now on display in the Volvo World Museum in
GothenburgGothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden.
240 in motorsport
Despite its non-sporting image the Volvo 240 was a successful competitor in touring car racing in the 1980s. In 1983 Volvo produced an evolution version of the 240 Turbo with a larger turbocharger and other performance modifications. All of these special cars were reputedly exported to the United States. Most of them were subsequently stripped of their racing equipment and sold as standard road cars, which later led Volvo into difficulties with the sport's governing body, the FIA, which questioned whether the necessary 500 cars had in fact been built. Debate continues to this day among enthusiasts about how many of the special-edition cars were built and what happened to them.
Nevertheless, the 240 Turbo proved a successful competitor. In Group A racing form, the 240 weighed less than 1100 kg (2,425 lb), and its turbocharged 2.1-litre engine produced more than 350 bhp. Although the 240 was a big car and lacked the agility of some of its competitors, it was fast in a straight line and it was very reliable. Volvo did not run the cars directly, instead engaging the services of established teams to prepare and manage them. The Eggenberger Motorsport team was the most successful of these. One of their cars, driven by Gianfranco Brancatelli and Thomas Lindstrom, won the 1985
European Touring Car ChampionshipThe European Touring Car Championship was an international touring car racing series organised by the FIA. It had two incarnations, the first one between 1963 and 1988, and the second between 2000 and 2004...
outright. Meanwhile, cars run by other teams, such as RAS Sport, competed in other championships around the world, with a fair degree of success. An Australian Dealer Team car driven by the New Zealander
Robbie FrancevicRobert James Francevic, was a touring car racing driver in New Zealand and Australia in the 1970s and 1980s...
won the 1986
Australian Touring Car ChampionshipThe Australian Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing award held in Australia since 1960. The series itself is no longer contested, but the title lives on, with the winner of the V8 Supercar Championship Series awarded the trophy and title of Australian Touring Car Champion.-History:The...
and the
Wellington 500The Wellington 500 was a street race for touring cars which took place at Wellington City in Wellington, New Zealand. The race was first proposed in 1984 and first took place a year later with a different layout from that to the original proposal....
street race in
New ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. The car also won the
Guia RaceThe Guia Race of Macau is an international touring car race, and currently a round of the World Touring Car Championship. It is held on the temporary Guia Circuit on the steets of Macau, the Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China as part of the Macau Grand Prix weekend...
in Macau consecutively in 1985 and 1986. Volvo withdrew from the sport at the end of the 1986 season, partly because of the controversy over its adherence to the rules, but also because the 240 had achieved what it set out to do. Volvo did not return to touring car racing until the early 1990s, with the 850 model.
The 240 also enjoyed some success in other branches of motorsport. Although Volvo had pulled out of rallying in the early 1970s, the 240 Turbo did see action as a Group A rally car in the mid-1980s, but without works backing it met with only limited success. The normally aspirated version remained eligible for international competition until 1996, and to this day the 240 remains a popular clubman's rally car in Scandinavia. Its popularity has in recent years been boosted with the establishment of the Volvo Original Cup, or VOC. This is a championship for amateur rally drivers using Volvo 240s, 740s and 940s. In the interests of cost control, only very limited modifications are allowed to the cars. The series attracts large numbers of competitors, attracted by its low cost and by the Volvo's rear-drive handling and reliability.
Because it is cheap and robust, the 240 has also become very common in
folkraceFolkrace is a popular, inexpensive, and entry-level form of Swedish rallycross that originally came from Finland, where it was called Jokamiesluokka . The sport also exists in Norway and Denmark, where it is known as Bilcross and Folkerace respectively.The races are run on special gravel or tarmac...
competitions. In the UK the 240 is popular for banger racing, due to its strength. The Volvo 240 is now a common choice alongside Ford Granadas and Jags for using at 2.0 litre + banger meetings.