Happy 30th Birthday, Volvo 760!

Derek Kreindler
by Derek Kreindler

Today, the Volvo 760 celebrates 30 years on this planet. Concieved in an uncertain time in the auto industry and launched in 1982, the 760’s various incarnations lasted until the S90 and V90 were laid to rest in 1998.

Like so many great cars, the 760 was built with whatever happened to be laying around at the time. Cost-effective was the operative word, and the 240’s basic architecture was lengthened slightly, while losing 220 lbs in the process. A 2.8L V6 (the famous PRV motor) was available, as well as a diesel, but the 760 Turbo would live on in the hearts and minds of enthusiasts.

My friend Chris, who took the above photograph, grudgingly gave up his own pristine 700-Series Turbo this summer, for a Lexus IS250. I only got the chance to drive it once, but reveled in the massive turbo lag and equally entertaining turbo boost and the utilitarian nature of the cabin. The 760 Turbo was arguably the last idiosyncratic Volvo (though the 740 and 900 Series carried on its lineage despite re-skins and name changes), with a host off oddities like the self-leveling Nivomat suspension, a turbo boost gauge without any calibration, and the “4-Speed plus Overdrive” manual gearbox.

The introduction of the 850 range in the early 1990s marked the end of an era, as front-wheel drive and transverse engines asserted their dominance in the Volvo lineup. While I’m a fan of the current cars (the S60, XC90 and XC90 are solid vehicles), the old, boxy rear-drivers are iconic vehicles and arguably the heart and soul of the marque.

Derek Kreindler
Derek Kreindler

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  • Red60r Red60r on Feb 04, 2012

    Our family's fleet has included a series of Volvos (122-S, 2x244, 142, 760, 850-T5 wagon, S60R). The 244's lasted an aggregate of 13+14=27 years before developing a few relationship-ending faults. The 122 (1966) developed too much rust after 8 years, the '83 244 had a deteriorating wiring harness; the '84 244 (inter cooled turbo with OD 4sp) was ready for major suspension and other work, and a 4th turbocharger. The British Laycock electric OverDrive was also a pain -- not for actual malfunctioning, but because the pushbutton on the shift knob repeatedly came unplugged. I had past experiences with the same OD unit on my father's 3.4 and 3.8-MKII Jaguar sedans, which had a toggle switch on the fascia. Less convenient, but foolproof. The 850 wagon suffered a premature demise after 7 years at the hands of an idiot (uninsured, skipped town afterward) in a BMW 740iL who rear-ended it at 30 mph. The S60R is still going strong after 8 years.

  • Karlbonde Karlbonde on Feb 04, 2012

    I helped my ex-girlfriend purchase a used 1992 740 turbo wagon (last year of the 740) a few years ago, and without a doubt, the Mitsubishi turbo spools up immediately off of the line. It provides a night and day difference in comparison to the old Garrett T-3 turbo installed during the mid to late 80s.

  • The Oracle Well, we’re 3-4 years in with the Telluride and right around the time the long term durability issues start to really take hold. This is sad.
  • CoastieLenn No idea why, but nothing about a 4Runner excites me post-2004. To me, they're peak "try-hard", even above the Wrangler and Gladiator.
  • AZFelix A well earned anniversary.Can they also attend to the Mach-E?
  • Jalop1991 The intermediate shaft and right front driveshaft may not be fully engaged due to suspected improper assembly by the supplier. Over time, partial engagement can cause damage to the intermediate shaft splines. Damaged shaft splines may result in unintended vehicle movement while in Park if the parking brake is not engagedGee, my Chrysler van automatically engages the parking brake when we put it in Park. Do you mean to tell me that the idjits at Kia, and the idjit buyers, couldn't figure out wanting this in THEIR MOST EXPENSIVE VEHICLE????
  • Dukeisduke I've been waiting to see if they were going to do something special for the 60th Anniversary. I was four years old when the Mustang was introduced. I can remember that one of our neighbors bought a '65 coupe (they were all titled as '65 models, even the '64-1/2 cars), and it's the first one I can remember seeing. In the '90s I knew an older gentleman that owned a '64-1/2 model coupe with the 260 V8.
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