Mediterranean Meditations [5]

You’re so square.

That headline is a misnomer, since there really is nothing square about a 700-series Volvo. But that is not to say that, from a visual perspective, it is anything but resolutely angular. Despite Volvo’s well-earned reputation for longevity and durability, what struck me most forcibly upon encountering this now rarely-seen vehicle was that it must have taken a particularly high order of commitment for Volvo to design and sanction something that swam as defiantly against the prevailing tide.

Introduced in 1982, when aerodynamics were very much the industry buzzword and with both Audi and Ford having introduced ground breaking, air-cleaving designs, I recall sharing the blank perplexity[1] expressed by many observers when confronted with the starkly geometrical 760 design.

It had been my impression that Volvo’s rationale at the time of the car’s initiation (which began in 1975) that it the design intent was primarily intended to appeal to the tastes of the US market, traditionally an important one for the Swedish carmaker. However, at the time the 700-series was being conceived, such were their financial difficulties, that Volvo management seriously considered abandoning its export drive entirely, given their excessive cost base.

According to Volvo’s own narrative, the design for the 700-series was dictated by this straitened set of imperatives. Obviously, in a post-oil-shock landscape, light weight and fuel efficiency were watchwords, but in addition, Torslanda’s beancounters, having full cognisance of the Volvo car division’s parlous finances, insisted on the necessity to minimise tooling costs, decreeing that the car’s body pressings should eschew complexity, to be as sharply radiused and simple to stamp as possible.

Volvo’s longstanding Design Director, Jan Wilsgaard is said to have favoured a hatchback format, but eventually a compromise was found, resulting in the more conservative looking three-volume shape we see here. Actually, conservative is selling it short, since the 760 (viewed through contemporary eyes at least) appears, if anything, radically outré in its refusal to conform to accepted norms of surface and form.

It is probably safe to assume that the car was (initially at least) conceived to succeed the 200-series, and schemed around similar dimensions[2]. It was also intended (for cost reasons, and because they were eminently fit for the purpose) to share engines, drivetrains and suspension design, although it appears that the 760’s live rear axle would be of a more sophisticated nature. It is also likely that Volvo intended to introduce the 760 a good deal earlier than they did; again, financial constraints and the ever-changing regulatory environment in the US would delay this on more than one occasion[3].

However, once it did enter the market in 1982, it took off immediately both in both Europe and the US. While the car’s styling was of the love-or-hate-it variety, the package was to prove a winning one. So much so that a total of 1,230,704 700-series cars (including the cheaper 740 model) were built. According to Volvo, the success of the 760 saved the business, allowing it to prosper through the 1980s and providing the car division with the necessary capital to fund the next generation of cars.

That it ended up complimenting the 200-series rather then replacing it[4], says as much about the evergreen appeal of the older design as it does of the more upmarket feeling of the 760, without which Volvo would have struggled to grow its market or forge a lasting position as an upmarket, desirable sub-Mercedes choice.

The 760 GLE pictured here was powered by Volvo’s own 2.3-litre 173bhp turbocharged and intercooled inline-four cylinder engine (a more logical choice in high-tax Europe, and appeared very well looked after.

Perhaps it had something to do with the passage of time, maybe it was the design’s pleasing proportions and sober formality, or simply nostalgia’s roseate glow, but I found there to be a rather subversive thrill about the uncompromising appearance of this blunt Swede, amid the identikit CUVs and hatchbacks which now predominate.

Cubism isn’t just confined to Spain . . .

Source: Media.Volvo.com

All images taken by the author.

[1] I really didn’t care for these cars (either aesthetically, or dynamically) while they were in production, albeit, the carburettor-equipped 2.0 litre versions I was better acquainted with were no ball of fire. They were however, very relaxed open-road cruisers, I recall, and in retrospect, quite suited to Irish road conditions. 

[2] The 760 was shorter overall than the 240, but with a longer wheelbase and less tumblehome in the canopy, was far better packaged.

[3] At the beginning of 1978, with deliberations over the 700-series programme dragging on, insiders unofficially re-named it 11.55, (five to twelve), suggesting an urgency to get a move on.

[4] The 200-series actually outlived the 700-series, the latter being phased out in 1990. However the 700-derived 900-series would continue on until 1998.

Author: Eóin Doyle

Co-Founder. Editor. Content Provider.

39 thoughts on “Mediterranean Meditations [5]”

  1. Good morning Eóin. I never had a problem per se with the rigorously geometric style of the 700 series Volvos, but the hideous diagonal seam capping at the base of the D-pillar was an unforgivable bodge. I couldn’t have owned a 700 saloon as that detail would make me wince every time I caught sight of it. I could have happily driven the estate, of course:

    https://i.imgur.com/q3orjCa.jpeg

    Money must indeed have been very tight in Gothenburg for Volvo to sign off off on such a lash-up.

    That said, the rework that that produced the 900 was a highly effective and successful job.

    DTW tells the full story of the Volvo 700 and 900 in a series that begins here:

    https://wp.me/p417e5-mQx

    Reply

  2. I agree the seam on the d-pillar isn’t ideal – it’s my main issue with a car I’ve always liked but not known quite why. In trying to obscure the seam with a trim strip they just accentuated it. It also seems randomly placed as it doesn’t quite meet the rear corner of the DLO line.

    It would have been better to mirror the bottom of the a-pillar – a simple panel gap and a slightly less random position. Or go the whole way and use a trim strip like the Alfa 75.

    Reply

  3. That’s an incredibly well preserved early 760, probably an ’82 or ’83. Those early cars could almost be seen as pre production cars before production was ramped up for real with the introduction of the 740 in 1984. I think the first two years of 760 sold around thirty thousand units in total, which is a quite small number for a car that eventually reached over a million in sales. Dedicating two whole years of production to get it all right is not something you see every day.

    Also, it wasn’t really made to replace the 240, more of complementing it. Look at it as Volvos Zodiac to the 240’s Zephyr, a complementary line in about the same size but for another market segment. All mainline Volvo Cars up to the 140 shared the same wheelbase of 260 cm, the PV, Amazon, and the 140 all had the same wheelbase. The 240 had a reworked front with a wheelbase of 265 cm, and the 740 was even longer with 277 cm. So, the 740 was really the first car that strayed from their original formula.

    And Volvo always had a problem with long lead times, it was a good car for 1978, not so much anymore five years later….

    Reply

  4. I know they’re from a different size class along with being a decade apart in launch times, but this Volvo, compared the W202 we saw in part 4 of this lovely series, really does look rather splendid in this very similar setting. To my eyes. Maybe it’s the shading but the Swedish car’s front wheel looks a bit small, toy car-like. Otherwise, spot on. But then Daniel’s shows us the estate which looks even nicer…

    The headline picture resembles one of those arcade penny pushing machines. The Volvo resolutely standing strong against the endlessly moving red and white blocks. Steadfast. Immovable. Which is more than can be said of the battered yellow Megane in front.

    Wasn’t it Huey Lewis (and The News) who sang It’s Hip to be Square?

    Reply

    1. I’ve told this story many times before, but the question of the D-pillar seam was such a controversial issue the final decision went up to CEO-level of management. The question was, fill and grind on every single car or put a trim line bit over it to cover the seam, at the #4 point on the chart where the sail panel meets the body. In the end, PG Gyllenhammar went for the bit of trim solution, and the trim bit in question was colloquially named after him.

    2. In the same way that some original Minis were de-seamed, did any 700 series owners resort to doing their own filling and grinding to improve the looks?

    3. @Andy: Not what I know. But the Swedish car mag “Teknikens Värld” sponsored a custom made convertible made by reknown coach builder Leif Mellberg in the mid-80’s, that was subsequently given away as the first prize in the magazine lottery. Mellberg solved the problem by raising the entire window line to meet the same height as cowl and rear deck, because otherwise “it would look like a boat with a raised fore- and aft deck”. I can’t post pictures, but a quick Google search will give you the result.

    5. @Daniel: Yeah, that’s the one. Easily recognizable for its unique non-standard color.

    6. A not particularly fitting color, I might add. This was before the 780, so they didn’t really have anything to go after but fixing it themselves, I believe the car was an ’82 model and the project was done in ’85. Apparently two cars were made, the blue one for the magazine and a white one for a private customer, the white cat featured in this article:

      https://www.klassiker.nu/reportage/volvo-760-med-sufflett

  6. Not my cup of tea at all, but in its defense, it really looks very well preserved. I can’t recall when I last saw a 760. I’ve spend a long journey in a 740 estate in Finland. That car was very well preserved too, but it felt noisy and unrefined. Also it was the only Volvo where I had issues with the seats. They were so soft I kept on sliding into an uncomfortable position.

    Reply

  7. Regarding that vexatious joint cover trim, the obvious, if expensive, solution would have been to hide or eliminate the joint. Original first for comparison:

    https://i.imgur.com/873o3qL.jpg
    https://i.imgur.com/NEiML57.jpg

    However, it might be worth exploring if it could have been retained, but made to look less awkward:

    https://i.imgur.com/avHj4IK.jpg
    https://i.imgur.com/9xkjFAo.jpg
    https://i.imgur.com/UMXAMaM.jpg

    Hmm… maybe not. We are in the same territory as Roy Axe, trying to improve the Montego before launch.

    Reply

    1. Daniel,
      The bottom most proposition might take us to the land of the rising sun. Mazda Luce @ 929….

    3. The first one without the trim is the best. They fixed the problem with the 850, I believe, and the improved 700-series looks more like it now.

    4. Yes, Daniel.

      Me, past owner/operator of 1974 164/1972 164/1975 144/1984 760GLE/1986 740/1985 Mazda 929/1995 940/2007 V50

    5. Daniel, would it not have been possible to have the two panels meet with no trim strip at all, just abutting ungarnished? Scadinavian minimalism, and all that.
      Your last option has something of a phantom Citroen XM notchback feel about it. 🙂

  8. Thank you Eóin Doyle.

    What a refresher.

    I never have problem with that diagonal dislike of many. Hehe.

    To me that lends this Scandinavian beauty it’s own signature.

    And to this day I do dream of possessing a sharp looking 40 years old sample of 740 saloon for daily driver.

    Reply

  9. Very happy to see an early 760 (and a Turbo no less) in such a good condition, and as it appears to be a bit dusty, probably it is used as a daily car.
    It has been re-registered in 2001; a 760 was a very expensive car in Spain in ´82-´83, so this 760 could have been brought from abroad by a foreign resident in Costa del Sol.

    Reply

    1. The 700 series was notably more expensive than the 200 series here in Spain. My dad explored replacing our trusty 1984 240 Diesel with a 740 but it was over our budget. The 900 series was priced more reasonably and the 240 got replaced by a 940 Royal in 1992. This one was traded for another 940 in metallic red in 1996 which was still around Marbella a couple years ago

    2. Remember the 740 had a relatively successful ending in Spain in ´90 and ´91 with the “Master” special edition, not much more expensive than a 405 or Vectra, and “it was a real Volvo”. In those years when people still bought their cars instead of renting and car loans extended to four years at most, a prestige car at a very competitive price was very attractive.
      Volvo repeated the trick in ´92 with the 240 SW “Polar” and, in ´96, with the 940 “Classic”. My father bought one of those (metallic red, too) and with automatic climate control, leather and alloys it was a bit cheaper than the base, cloth seats and steel wheels 850 2.0 10v he intended to buy.
      I would prefer the 850.

    3. Yes, expensive in Australia too. It took Volvo into a market segment the brand name could not support, and which their former customer base were unwilling to pay.

    4. The 240 Polar had a really attractive price and we considered one, although my dad wanted a sedan and also something newer (at least on papel). Many Polars were sold and in common used until 10 years ago or so; 240s are rare species now. The Royal was another “special edition”, a base 940 with some bells and whistles added at a pretty competitive price.
      The second 940 was quite luxurious in comparison, with black leather seats, electric windows all round, real wood inserts, climate control…… but cheaper than the 850 my dad really wanted. In this case, both my sister and I found the 850 a bit cramped in the rear (I was at the time 186cm tall) and the price difference steered us to a repeat 940. This was replaced in 2000 by an S80

  10. Then there was that joke doing the rounds about Volvo’s engineers frantically trying to invent a square wheel to complement the rest of the styling…..

    Reply

    1. The continuation of the joke is that a German engineer then fills in; “We already tried that, but it didn’t work.” on account of German engineers being particularly meticulous …

    2. I never even noticed it until you mentioned it, then I couldn’t unsee it. How appropriate it’s a Ssangyong; I should have guessed. 🙂

  12. Hi everybody! I guess I’m in the minority group here of actually liking that diagonal trim piece on the D-pillar. None of the options proposed by Daniel really does it for me.

    By the way, last Thursday, on my commute from work I saw an almost forgotten car that has a similar trim line at the base of its D-pillar:

    In fact, the one I saw was similar to this one from Wikimedia commons, right down to its colour, basic level trim and daily driver condition.

    https://i.imgur.com/vewVAtN.jpg

    Reply

    2. It’s interesting to compare that to the Australian version, (actually only the doors -all eight pressings, glass and seals, of the wagon version, were shared.) The VN-VP Holden Commodore, ’88-’93.
      https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/da/1991_Holden_Commodore_%28VN%29_LE_sedan_%282016-01-04%29_02.jpg/1920px-1991_Holden_Commodore_%28VN%29_LE_sedan_%282016-01-04%29_02.jpg

      Then after the ’93 facelift, the VR-VS, ’93-’97
      https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8b/1994_Holden_Berlina_%28VR_II%29_sedan_%2826832440226%29_%28cropped%29.jpg/1920px-1994_Holden_Berlina_%28VR_II%29_sedan_%2826832440226%29_%28cropped%29.jpg

    1. I guess you’re right Daniel, I hadn’t really noticed that it doesn’t really end at the front corner of the D-pillar, but slightly above. I think it’s because of chrome trim in that area kind of hides that when seen at a distance. Now I can’t unsee it 😀 !

      Still don’t mind that trim piece on the 760. I think it matches the general angularity of the design and the chrome bits sprinkled around the car: DLO surrounds, roof rain gutters, side rubbing strips, etc.


  14. Along with the Renault 9, I saw this as a bizarre outlier in design terms, at the time. For what it’s worth, I don’t mind the D-pillar feature, as it matches the (smaller) one on the A-pillar.

    ‘…the 760, without which Volvo would have struggled to grow its market or forge a lasting position as an upmarket, desirable sub-Mercedes choice.’ I wonder if I’m the only one who sees Volvo as being somewhat more upmarket than Mercedes-Benz, now.

    Reply

  15. Thank you for this piece and the interesting comments and permutations on ‘that trim’.

    I remember seeing one of these for the first time parked up in Bala as we stepped out of the chip shop where we had made a pitstop.

    My reaction was to (almost) laugh out loud, the square styling just seemed like an Etch a Sketch version of a car.

    Today? I can appreciate the proportions and what now seems like a paragon of understated design that I would be happy to be seen in, trim piece and all.

    Reply

  16. After ridiculing my father-in-law back in 1997 for trading in his 740 estate for another new 940 estate, this time a 2.3 red block Turbo, I find myself all these years later the proud owner of that same ’97 940 estate after 23 years of his careful ownership including latterly 6 years of it’s being parked, unmoved outside his house. I now appreciate the vehicle for what it is – a no-nonsense, practical, dependable, utterly fashionless device that brings great joy in its fitness for purpose. The experience is reflected in the aesthetic. Funny how views change.

    Reply

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