Two turbocharged Volvo wagon. I’ve noticed that there are now significantly more of the older 240 series Volvos around than their successors. As much as I like the 240, I think I’d take the 740.
How about you? Which do you prefer?
Driveway Outtake: A Volvo Turbo Wagon Lover Lives Here
– Posted on May 14, 2023
240 for sure, maybe the most iconic Volvo ever made.
My friend had a really nice, early 245 turbo that sadly got keyed up and insurance totaled it out. I sure hope that one ended up in loving hands after, it was way too nice for the scrapper.
I have owned a ’73 145 but prefer the look of the newer body.
Paul Newman was right. Volvo wagons need Ford V-8 engines.
240 all the way. The reddish-rust paint on this one is just a bonus.
I’d take the 740 any day. As a former avid Volvo fan and even owner (my first car was a 122S) I found my 240 experiences to be disappointing, even in 1977 when I considered buying a new one. As the power trains were refined over the years, the rest of the car seemed to get worse with tacky looking and fragile bits of trim inside and out. I’ve ridden in a few 740’s though never driven one; they just seemed (as they are) far more modern. The last few times I drove my Mom’s 240 wagon before it met its demise in 2010 it just felt old. The best part was the transmission – 4 speed with the electric overdrive. By the way, in my town both models are really thin on the ground now, but seem about equal in number.
One of the best cars I ever owned was a 240 wagon, really regret selling it. Car was easy to work on and built very solid.
I will be the first to admit, it was a dated design towards the end. But that was much of its charm. But I can definitely understand someone going with a Mercedes or BMW instead when they were brand new. But I bet a lot more 240s are still kicking around.
We had a 1985 245 wagon, non-turbo with a towering 114hp, 4-speed w/ electric overdrive.
It was a great car for us at the time… child #2 was on the way and we went everywhere with it. After #3 arrived we replaced it with a Taurus wagon and the 245 became my commuter car. Finally sold it in 1995 when I took a company car.
Nostalgia aside, I’d take the 740… turbo and manual, please!
Hard to say. A good friend had (I believe) a 240 Sedan & a 740 Wagon. I liked riding in both. Sadly both got flooded in a storm on Memorial Day 2015.
As much as I too like the 240, it’s 740 all day if I was looking for one. And we actually had one.
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/cars-of-a-lifetime/coal-1990-volvo-740-turbo-wagon-in-sweden-they-spell-panther-without-an-h/
It’s just more modern, and as big as it looks on the outside, it’s even larger on the inside with more glass than a solar farm and best seats ever.
Although that particular 240T has “the look” down perfect with that particular color, the mud flaps, etc…
So in the abstract and the answer the question it’s the 740T, but if were a choice of these two particular examples, then this 240T.
As a former Certified Volvo Nut™ my opinion is that in the period, the 740 was a nicer and better car. HOWEVER the 240 aged like fine wine and the 740 aged like a used diaper. Volvo seemed unprepared to build lasting “luxury” accommodations and there were many things that failed over time.
I’d rather *drive* a nice 740, but I’d rather *own* a nice 240.
+1
My family had a 240 Volvo (Diesel) wagon, which was fantastic if dog-slow, and before that a 145 Wagon which served many years. Reliable, roomy, generally economical, easy to work on in general.
I had experience trying to help my neighbor with her balky 740 wagon, and my experience was that Volvo, in their attempts to keep up with the Germans and the Japanese, had turned something simple and reliable into an electrical nightmare – while researching her car I read many horror stories of the electrics frying, partly because of under-hood temperatures, and partly because of poor quality components, and her car was an example of that. Of course, this was around the time that MB and BMW started to suffer many of the same maladies – maybe it was a function of the European supplier base at the time, Bosch mainly.
I’ll take a 740 Turbo any day of the week. Especially if it’s Paul Neuman’s 88 740 Turbo V6 with 5-speed transmission.
I like old bricks and have owned two. I’m thinking about owning one again. The thing is I want power in a project car and you can do virtually nothing to a car in Denmark and expect to get away with it, so I’ve been daydreaming a bit about a 245 Turbo but with the exterior adjusted to look as a 140 or 160, because I like those better and they share quite a few components. I’m not sure if this has ever been done – it’s usually the other way around.
I’ve had an N/A 240 and an N/A 740 and I’d take the 240. The looks still hold up. I used to think the same about the 740, but for whatever reason they just don’t do it for me anymore.
Mads – By not getting away with adding power do you mean annual vehicle inspections? What do they do in Denmark if they find out you souped up your car? Fine, higher tax bracket, make you return the changes back to stock or maybe make you drive a bright yellow Yugo for a month to embarrass you? Just curious.
240 for sure. We had a 122S as our first car and 3 x 240s, son had a 240 wagon, my cousin had a 740 I drove too. All great, though 240s had their niggling problems (hvac, electrics) they were just tanks. IMO the belt line of the 740s is too low, I don’t like that exposed feeling from too much glass. Volvo hasn’t made a car since 1993 I’d want.
The 700 series cars just don’t have the hipster cred that the 240s have. Frankly, I’m really not sure why, but it seems to be the case and that fact is certified by looking at the resale market for these. And of course, at the time, even Volvo seemed to know this when they decided to discontinue the 740 a year before finally ending the 240s.