Volvo did well enough with sales the PV444/544, Amazon And 140 in the United States, but it was the Volvo 200 series that really launched Göteborg Iron into American greatness. Introduced here as a model from 1975The 200 remained in production for almost two decades and remains the most instantly recognizable Swedish car ever made. Here is an early-production 244, found in a junkyard in the Denver area not so long ago.
The 200 Series can be considered an update of the late 1960s 140 Series, as it is essentially the same car from the A-pillars rearward. The main difference between the two is the 200 Series’ MacPherson strut front suspension.
Volvo continued multiple naming systems for the American market 200 Series cars through the decades, with the first being the easiest to decipher: a three-digit number followed by a two-digit designation of the trim level. The first digit in the number represents the series, the second the number of cylinders in the engine, and the third the number of doors. There were six-cylinder 262’s, 264’s And 265s Sold in the United States from 1976 through 1981, it was powered by the same PRV V6 engine as the DeLorean DMC-12. It is therefore incorrect to call all Volvo 200 Series 240s.
This car is the best-selling member of the 200 family, with a four-cylinder engine and four doors. This is a fuel-injected 2.1-liter SOHC inline-four, rated at 98 horsepower and 110 pound-feet; 1975 240s received the 2.0-liter pushrod engine from the 140.
There were two transmissions available in the 1976 240s: a four-speed manual or a three-speed automatic. This car has the automatic.
Although it’s a base DL model, the original owner of this car paid an additional $456 for air conditioning (about $2,580 in 2024 dollars), on top of the $500 premium for the automatic transmission ($2,829 after inflation). That brought the cost of the car to $7,551, or $42,717 in today’s money. You’d be forgiven for thinking that a fancy new 1976 Buick Electra Limited Four-Door Hardtop for just $6,852, but those savvy Volvo buyers knew it was worth paying a premium for true Scandinavian safety and build quality.
Headlamps for the European market were strictly forbidden on American roads during the early Malaise eraaccording to federal safety regulations, so Volvo had to install these ugly sealed beams on their cars. A few years later, the 200-series Volvos for the US market went to slightly better looking square rectangular sealed beamsfinally get modern composite headlights for the 1986 model year.
The owner or owners of this car have taken good care of it during its nearly half century life. The interior looks very good for its age.
The paint has faded, but there is no sign of rusting through.
I still think many 244’s and 245’s in junkyards in Colorado and Californiaincluding some beloved machines with over 300,000 miles on the clock (And one with better than 600,000 miles). If you are looking for a Volvo 200 series project car and you don’t necessarily want to a two-doorHead west and you’ll have no problem finding a solid specimen in need of a permanent home.
This car has not broken any mileage records in its life, unless the speedometer cable broke decades ago and it really has been driven a few million miles.
This is the first Volvo I’ve seen with hubcaps in the shape of spoke wheels.
No catalyst so it ran fine Vitamin Pb enhanced gas.
So many sensible Swedish features, for people who think. 87% of Volvo buyers have a university education… the other 13% are just plain smart.