It seems I have an affinity for coming across rare vintage Volvos while driving modern Volvos, as this was my second such instance in only several months.
As you may recall, I spotted this Volvo 780 coupe duo last summer while driving a client’s Volvo C70 trade. This P1800 ES, one of only 8,077 ever produced, I pulled up alongside in my 2018 V90 T8 rental in the grand, very BMW-centric city of Munich, Germany.
Photographed on Prinzregentenstraße in Bogenhausen, Munich, Germany – November 2018
Nice find! I have actually seen more 1800 coupes than ES versions on the road here in the last few years, so that’s a pretty rare sighting. Sorry to be a bit pedantic, but (at least in the US) these are 1800ES, not P1800ES. In fact I think Volvo dropped the P in the model name much earlier, though it seems to be common usage.
From memory, there were only 7087 wagons built, all in ’72-72. 45 years later, they’re pretty rare.
The P1800 were the early coups, body shells by Jensen/Pressed Steel.
The 1800S were mid run, carbureted coupes.
The 1800E were the final, fuel injected coupes.
The 1800ES were the wagons, all fuel injected.
I found one of these locally recently. A very nicely styled machine indeed. I somehow found out this one was a ’72 also, and owned by a colleague’s dad. I like the contrasting angles of the “B” pillar if you will, versus the rearmost one.
Great find and catch, Brendan. I have really come to appreciate the shooting brake shape of these beauties.
That’s a rare find in lovely condition. One question: how d’you know it’s a ’72 and not a ’73?
The ’73 had the rear bumper on shock-absorbing mounts.
Oh wait, I just realized the photo was from Germany, Daniel – the bumper thing may only apply to US-spec models