The year 1974 was very important for Sweden . In the spring, ABBA won the Eurovision Song Contest with their hit Waterloo , 18-year-old Björn Borg beat the tennis elite of the time, and Volvo presented one of its most important models.
The representatives of the media had the opportunity to see and test the Volvo 240 for the first time on August 21 . The journalists were transported by charter flight from Volvo's headquarters in Torslanda to the small town of Borlänge, where several prepared Volvo 244 GL cars were already waiting for them. The bodywork of all the cars in one was painted in an orange shade, typical of its time, which was also reflected in the interior.
The 240 was based on the 140 series, but a lot of things changed here. The innovations mainly concerned the front part, the appearance of which was greatly inspired by the VESC safe car prototype , which was introduced two years earlier. The most significant changes were the large bumpers, thanks to which the car was lengthened compared to the 140 series by a full thirteen centimeters. In the interior, the characteristic latticed headrests represented a new element.
The B21 engine was newly developed for this model, either in the carburetor version, which had a power of 97 hp, or in the fuel-injected version, which managed even a full 123 hp. The front part of the car received a new design, in which McPherson struts and rack and pinion steering were used .
In October 1974, the production of the more exclusive 260 series began, which at first appeared in two versions: DL and GL. The 264 model was equipped with a new V6 engine with a displacement of 2.7 liters and a power of 140 hp. The B27 engine was constructed in the northern French city of Dourin as a result of collaboration between Volvo, Renault and Peugeot.
During this production period, the Volvo 240 was available with a variety of engine options. In 1979, a six-cylinder diesel engine developed in cooperation with the Volkswagen brand made its world premiere in conjunction with this model. In selected markets, this diesel engine was also available in a five-cylinder variant. The 1981 model year saw the introduction of the turbocharged Volvo 244 , boasting 155 horsepower. However, the biggest sensation came a little later in the form of the 245 station wagon with a turbocharged engine – it was the first mass-produced station wagon with a gasoline turbo engine .
Over the years, the 240 was produced in a number of modifications. Apart from the two-, four- and five-door versions , this Volvo was also available as an exclusive coupé – the 262C model, built by the Italian firm Bertone , produced a total of 6,622 units between 1977 and 1981. When it comes to dimensions, the 264TE and 245T models stand on the imaginary other side of the "length ladder", both seventy centimeters longer. There were also the luxury limousine 264 Top Executive and the extra-extended station wagon 245 Transfer , which, among other things, was also used as a means of transport for transporting schoolchildren in rural areas.
When it comes to environmental behavior , Volvo achieved a world first in 1976. That year, the Swedish automaker delivered the first 200 series cars to California equipped with a three-way catalytic converter with a lambda probe . The lambda probe enabled the dissolution of 90% of harmful gases such as hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides in the catalyst. In 1977 Volvo won the American National Environmental Industry Award and in 1978 the Volvo 240 was named the cleanest car in the US by the California Air Resources Board.
The Volvo 240 Turbo also had the potential to become a successful racing car . It achieved its highest title in 1985, when Thomas Lindström and Gianfranco Brancatelli won the European Touring Car Championship , ETCC.
The 240/260 models have received many awards for their safety . In the UK, Volvo won the Don Safety Trophy, among others, for its road safety initiative and solutions that go far beyond legal requirements. In 1976, the Volvo 240 was chosen by the US Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) as a safety standard . According to statistics from the US Highway Loss Data Institute, the Volvo 240 station wagon was the safest car in its class for four years in the US at the end of the 1980s.
The Volvo 240 has also become a popular collector's car , with the turbocharged version being the most sought-after among enthusiasts, but at the same time the amounts people are willing to pay for the more common variants in good condition are also increasing. Availability of spare parts is still good for this model range and many parts can be purchased directly from Volvo, where production of new components continues to grow.
In addition to Torslanda, the Volvo 240 was also produced in the Swedish city of Kalmar and in Ghent , Belgium. The last car left the production line of the Torslanda factory in Gothenburg on May 5, 1993. This means that this model has survived much longer than anyone could have imagined 19 years earlier.
President and CEO of the Volvo car company Pehr G. Gyllenhammar handed over the keys to the last model 240 produced to its new owner at a special ceremony . Gyllenhammar himself used a number of bespoke 240s as company vehicles, and at the key handover ceremony he said: "We had one of the safest cars in the world, one of the most valuable cars available, and a car that has now become a living a legend and will continue to be so for years to come.”
To date, the Volvo 200 series boasts the largest number of cars produced . For the 240 version, it is 2,685,171 units, and for the 260 variant, 177,402 cars. A total of 2,862,573 of these cars were produced between 1974 and 1993.
Source: Volvo
