Modern Classic: Volvo 700
Every Wednesday we look at a vehicle that is iconic due to its place in motoring history
Some called it ‘obscene’, we called the Volvo 700 series ‘posh’ and the brand agreed. Photo: Volvo Heritage
Volvo has had a metamorphosis in style and in 2020 we associate it with sexy sedans, wagons and SUVs plus there is the luxury Polestar electric brand offshoot to get excited about.
But it wasn’t always this way with style for Volvo. Quite the contrary. In the 1980’s I was obsessed with the Volvo 700 series. AutoCar magazine called it “obscene”, saying it a European version of an American car. I called it “posh”.
But critics also say that the Volvo 700 series is the car that saved the Swedish brand. According to a media release, Jan Wilsgaard, the then head of design for Volvo, was more into hatchbacks. The finance team wanted a design with straight and flat surfaces to reduce production costs. The end design suited all.
The child wannabe luxury car driver in me saw it as a more affordable choice to the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, BMW 5 Series or the Jaguar XJ. It was a car I remember from school days; my economics teacher borrowed one from her accountant husband or my dentist drove one. It was a car for those who wanted safety above style.
Your economics teacher, dentist or accountant would drive a Volvo 700 in the 1980s. Photo: Volvo Heritage
After a long history with the 100 and 200 series (who can forget the even more obscure 240GL), in 1982 Volvo announced the upmarket 700 series. In took three years for them to arrive in Australia and New Zealand, initially as the luxurious V6 760 and later followed by a four-cylinder 740.
Volvo had a variety of models including the base 740GL, a more upmarket 740GLE, a 740 Turbo and the pinnacle being the 760GLE. The turbo had a 2-litre,118kW four-cylinder engine.
The wagon or “estate” version came to the New Zealand market in 1986.
New Zealand got the 700 series wagon in 19896. Photo: Volvo Heritage
The Volvo 740 lumbered on until 1990 when it was replaced by the 940/960, which interestingly had the same front as the 740/760 but ushered in the curves with a “rounded” boot. The 900 lasted until 1998.
In New Zealand you will find few surviving 700 series for sale. On Trademe I found only one, a rusted import.
On the Australian site CarSales, a tired 1988 740GLE estate sits lonesome with 2-cylinders missing. There seems to be only a small supply in Australasia of what was once an iconic car.
Do you have a Volvo 700 series in your garage? Get in touch.