The Volvo 200-series was never meant to be a sporting car of any sort. That just wasn’t the Volvo way. They were meant to be safe. The 240 series was, essentially, two-thirds of the Volvo 100-series but with innovations and styling treatments that were derived from the 1972 Volvo VESC safety car prototype, fitted with either a four-cylinder or PRV V6…alternatively, if you are having an off day, one of two diesel engines could also be found in the engine bay. They were to be a good solid car…the end.
Except…they were more than a good car. They were a lightweight, solidly engineered car that when new had safety advances that few other cars had, like crumple zones that were designed to let the powertrain hit the ground and go underneath the car instead of straight back into the occupant’s area. That same robustness made them an interesting option for touring car duty and has proven to be popular with entry-level racing, rally racing, and even banger racing (the body structure’s strength is prized in that madness) and even twenty-five years after the last 200-series rolled off the line, you’ll still find Swedish Bricks putting in work just about everywhere they were sold.
Fun note, the first big-time burnout I ever performed was in a 1975 242DL…
Came for the Scandinavian Flick, leaving satisfied.
Being a Snaab, can we get Carlson on the Roof?
A friend put one through the side of house right into the living room .
He got out and asked the couple frozen in place on the couch what
was on the TV they were watching…..
Awesome! I owned a 1979 242GT. Cool car. I wish I could have kept it.
Satch!