Over the past year, I attempted to focus on a decade every month. And so we’ve travelled through most of the 20th Century and even the 21st, but I kept the best (or worst, depending on your opinion regarding faux woodgrain, orange paint and shag carpeting) for last: this month and the next will be dedicated to the ‘70s. And we’re starting with possibly the most durable automotive good that hit-and-miss decade gave us, the Volvo 240.
These have been featured on CC many times before, of course. Some have argued that the 200 Series (i.e. the 240/242/244/245 and the 260/264/264C/265), derived from the 1966-75 100 Series, was the quintessential Volvo, the ideal specimen of the marque. There is a lot of merit to that point of view. For one thing, the 200 Series was built for eons (1975 to 1993) in pretty large numbers (over 2.8 million units).
And thanks to its intrinsic qualities – to wit: bullet-proof engines (well, the 4-cyl. ones, at least), impeccable build quality and superior rust protection – there are still plenty of them around nowadays, carrying the legacy through time. But all that costs a pretty penny, or a pretty Swedish crown. Volvos were never particularly flashy (especially in DL trim), fast nor luxurious, but they sure didn’t give them away. More about that later.
Another salient trait associated with the 200 series in general and the 240 (244 2-and 4-door saloon, 242 GT coupé and 245 wagon) in particular has to be the many tiny evolutions the car went through. That’s kind of inevitable when you manufacture the same design for such a long time. The interior was revamped at least a couple times, but the most interesting changes took place on the car’s nose.
At the beginning, things were pretty and pretty simple. The 244 was seemingly identical on either side of the Atlantic – the headlights were actually different, but the overall look was the same. But then things started to change, and they did not change the same way in every market.
In 1978, the US market 244/245s received quad round headlights (top left) that were hitherto reserved for the 264. European and Asia-Pacific Volvos kept their original nose for one more year, switching to a complex system for 1979: the lower-end L and DL got square lights and the GL/GLE got rectangular ones (top right). In 1980, the US market cars switched to square quads; Euro/A-P spec cars ditched the square headlights by 1981. By 1985 (I think), everybody was back together with larger rectangular lights (bottom right). Phew!
The back end changed as well, but everyone followed the same schedule that time. New taillights came for MY 1979 and evolved to become even blockier a few years later. This Japanese market car being a ’78, it still has the tail more or less inherited from the 144. And that’s a good thing. It also is RHD, which is usual for Volvos: they were unique among foreign cars at the time to be all imported that way. None of that show-off-in-the-LHD-car malarkey for the discreet and serious 244 owner.
Engine-wise, as this is a DL, it is carburated and has to make do with just a 100hp, which isn’t a whole lot. Despite its status as a base model, the 244 DL was not the lightest car in the world by a long shot, so performance was not its forte. But you got more than your money’s worth in terms of durability.
That’s exactly what this 1979 French advert is saying with this 244 GL: your Volvo will last you over 17 years, so the steep initial price is justified. In those years, the market for 2-litre saloons was hugely competitive, but Volvo still had its adherents.
That’s a busy table, huh. And there were a lot of 2-litre cars under FF40k to choose from, too – lower-tier Opels, Fords, Fiats, Citroën CXs and Toyotas were there, lying in wait. Finding cars that were more expensive than the 244 took a bit more effort. The Benz seems really overpriced for what it is, but it was essentially following the exact same strategy as the Volvo, albeit with a lot more status and chrome. Without belabouring the point about performance, there were other factors to consider: from an equipment perspective, the Crown would have made for a pretty compelling rival, and comfort-wise, the CX Pallas was unbeatable. Picking the 244 in this context would have taken a serious obsession with all things Swedish – and even then, the Saab was a good option too.
I shudder to imagine how expensive these would have been in Japan, back in the day. But the rivals here were quite different: big Toyotas, Mitsubishis, Mazdas and Nissans would have cost at least half as much, but the Volvo’s reassuringly conservative underpinnings played in its favour here. That was especially true in the 240’s later years: as it became a bit of a dinosaur, its popularity (especially in wagon form) rose even faster than its price tag.
Which made finding this one all the more interesting: there are very few around with the original nose and tail. Later cars have their charms, and I have found some magnificent ones that may get their day on CC sometime. But that ‘70s look is impossible to beat.
Related CC Reading
Curbside Classic: 1979 Volvo 244 DL – Swedish Sense And Sensibility, by Brendan Saur
Curbside Classic: 1993 Volvo 240 Sedan – Will The Last 240 Turn Out The Lights Please?, by Tom Klockau
Curbside Classic: 1984 Volvo 240GL – Sensible Luxury, by Tom Klockau
Curbside Classic: 1982 Volvo 244DL – Best Value Box, by Tom Klockau
Curbside Classics: Porsche 924 & Volvo 244 GL – Suddenly It’s 1980!, by PN
The Volvo 240’s U.S. Journey – Chapter One – Chapter Two – Chapter Three, by Stephen Hansen
CC Outtake: 1988 Volvo 240 DL – Dressed For Success, by Brendan Saur
COAL: 1984 Volvo 244 GLE – Canadian Swede, by David Saunders
Let me note that in some markets, a 242/244/245 L was available at least temporarily as the base line beneath the DL version (very frugal, with rubber mats instead of carpets and the respectively weakest available engine).
Some GLS trim level as mentioned in the text is not familiar to me for the 240 (though it is for the 340/360 series). Usually, the top-of-the-line model was the GLE. As far as I know, it was available in almost all markets. However, there was a special version for the former GDR (East Germany), designated 244 DLS. These cars got bonnet, grill and headlights from the Euro 264 DL but a four cylinder B21A mill.
It should perhaps also be mentioned that the US models up to and including MY 1985 even used the original front fenders, while from model year 1986 onward, they used slightly more rounded, flattened ones. The rest of the world had already received these from MY 1981 on.
That was a typo, now fixed — it’s GLE, not GLS. Thanks for the heads up!
The best car in history, along with the Mercedes W123 and the Toyota Celica.
It’s not just me saying it; almost everyone says so.
I see a white 144 at my local Publix, lovingly maintained by an elderly man, I’d love to get my greedy mitts on it or a 240 series car, if I could find one. A 245 wagon would be a great fishing car.
Enjoyed a 240 wagon briefly then a V90 which had seats that looked like they belonged in a Jaguar, but the C70 convertible was a turd and that was my last Volvo.
I’ve not seen that “V Emission Control” grille badge before, it’s in the style of the Lambda Sond emblem and presumably denotes the same, interesting they didn’t just use that (if it in fact does denote the same).
And the high mounted headlight wipers are a new one for me as well, usually they’re mounted at the base (in other cars, I haven’t ever noticed them at all on round headlight Volvos).
For some time, this V emblem was used by Volvo in some markets for vehicles that had an exhaust control system without a lambda sensor. Typically, carburetor models without electronic fuel injection.
Interesting color and always nice to see a well preserved Volvo .
-Nate
There’s still a considerable number of these around in Eugene, although the one down the street just lost one of its front fenders and part of its front end. Is it the end of the road?
I very briefly owned a ’82 244 GLE and rather liked it despite its modest performance. I like how narrow and tall it was (naturally) but there was no comparison generally to my 300E. The Volvo’s suspension was pretty crude in comparison, among other things.
1978, ’79 and ’80 242 DLs all still had 2 large single headlights like the subject car, whereas the 244s had quads. As daily drivers we had ’81 and ’83s with rectangular quads, and an ’87 with the huge single rectangular lights that had crappy plastic lenses that turned yellow and had to be constantly polished. We preferred the glass sealed beam quads, but still like the look of the big twin round lamps best. The big single lamps on SAABs thru the 80s were always glass, as on the ’87 900 that we still have.
I’m envious of the lovely finish and overall excellent quality of this 244. I’d have to say that even in immaculate Japan, this car has had more than the typical attention applied to at least its appearance. The abundant collection of stickers in the rear quarter window and the (god-awful) baggy tshirt things on the seats really are a shame. I mean, if you’re going to have a concours-quality 200 series Volvo, then why not go all the way and just keep it in showroom condition?
This car has the same interior (color and fabric) as I have on my 1976.
I’m also quite impressed by the condition of the bumper rubbers and trim strips and the grille. These are quite hard to keep in as-new-looking condition on one of these. As Jim notes, the headlight wipers are unusual on one of these (versus the refreshed, crappy plastic, rectangular, headlight cars where I’ve seen wipers more often). I’d guess that it’s 50-50 that they actually work given the fact that even the regular windshield wipers on these are quite dodgy and the electric accessories on these cars are kind of hit or miss. But they do look cool.
I wouldn’t fault the owner for the baggy t shirt things on the seat bottoms. Seat bottoms take a lot of abuse over the years with all the butts sliding in and out before sitting on them and wearing some spots thin in the fabric. That just might keep the bottoms in showroom condition while the owner is able to drive it.
Volvos in Japan? They must have had a possitive, or at least an idea of a marked by the mid 1980s.
The Intertec 500 race at Fuji Speedway was the final and most prominent round of both the ’85 and ’86 Japanese touring car championship. Volvo entered and won both with their 240 Turbo model.
Jesper
A Peugeot 504 in France or a Toyota Crown in Japan wasn’t cheap, basic transportation either unlike the similarly sized and powered cars this Volvo found in America – a base Chevy Nova, Plymouth Volare or especially Ford Maverick was *really* basic even if they could be optioned up to full-Brougham luxury by 1975-6.
On a similar note I wonder how widely the base 240 L model Midsommar mentioned was distributed. There was a ready market for a cheap basic Volvo in Sweden but it might not have gone farther than neighboring Scandinavian countries and places like Benelux and Switzerland with no domestic auto industry?
Adding to what Randerson and Jeff Sun mentioned, my former 1980 242 DL had the single round headlights (last year in the US market for them), and its interior was identical down to the “terrycloth” seat fabric and dark blue color. My car’s exterior was a lighter blue, similar to the Diesel model shown in lower left of the 4-panel photo montage.
Working weekends at a Volvo specialist in the early to mid eighties, I got to drive a lot of these cars. The specialist had a For Sale row of cars along the road. At night the cars were stored in the big garage which was a 100 meters or so off the road. So me and a friend always had the task to drive out the cars to road, and at the end of the back inside again. We often took a bit longer route…
I am sorry to say but for car eager persons who just had their drivers license, they were not on the top of the list of cars we needed to move. Much more interesting were the old Triumph, a newish Range Rover, a couple of Citroen CXes and other cars.
Another friend owned a 240 for years and years. A very good car, but the same experience for me. Too boring! Sure they were mighty reliable but also nothing special about the driving dynamics and very plastic dashboards. I still have a hard time seeing how anyone can be so enthusiastic about these cars.
A perfect car for non-car lovers in my opinion.
After purchasing my first volvo, a high mile one owner 79 244dl I was hooked. Always buying and selling a bit. I had six my first year. 3 of which were 164s… Noticed your reference postings at the bottom refers back to the 2017 article on the 79. That was our car exactly. 244dl in Cimarron red brown.. The PO of ours was an IBM exec. He had an am/fm/cassette with microphone recording capability… Was of course a great car.. I continued dealing them on the side that I lost track of ownership after about 100 or so. I would usually have six per year.. I went thru the four cylinder cars range having owned the great 740,760 turbo wagon cars, 3 780 bertone turbo coupes and 940/945 turbos… Fantastic cars. Winter tanks also long as you have four snows in place you will keep going through the worst of it.. Here a picture frame hanging on my garage door.. Now into the older BMW s these days.. I’m 74 but thanking God still playing cars. In my drive is a 93 525, 02 530msport sedan and 96 gt mustang convertible..
My pic
My pic, trying to post it