Safe and secure, begins in 2 862 573 copies

Carelessness with water or oil is the only thing that can stop the motor before a hundred thousand miles, told me a mechanic when the Technology World watched as the Volvo's 240-series as used in the beginning of the 1990s. And yes, it is an argument as good as anything for someone in entusiastbilstankar.

But the Volvo 240 will qualify as classics on more points than reliability. The model, which was first produced in 1974, lived in 19 years. In other words, diggade it with his characteristic underbite everything from Abba's international breakthrough to brittpopens explosion with Blur and Oasis leading the way. Furthermore, if we count in the model's clear DNA band with the predecessor of the 140-series are the list of all since the Beatles groundbreaking album Revolver was released in 1966.

242 GT was Volvo's answer to Saab 99 turbo. Photo: Volvo

240, however, was not music but safety and economy, then the safety requirements during the beginning of the 1970s, were raised at the same rate as the price of a liter of fuel. The model was experimentvagnen VESC as premiärvisats on Genènevesalongen 1972. Under the hood debuted with 240 B21 and B27 engines, the latter a V6 co-produced with Peugeot and Renault.

When the 240 was presented made it with a whole armada of varieties, 242, 244, 245. 264 and 265, that is to say, with two and four doors, station wagon and lyxsedan. This is thanks to the very, was based on the 140-series.

rose, with the rice. New environmental requirements put to it in production, and the cars received criticism for its rostbenägenhet.

the Model had internbeteckning P2000 which some konspiratoriskt interpreted to mean that it would be manufactured at the turn of the millennium – perhaps in Brazil.

it did not. 1993 was the production down after 2.862.573 made copies.

the 240 has in Volvokretsar long been recognised as classics, but now is the time to take on the masses. For who does not know a 240 before it even is in sight, with its slirande fan belt, its lastbilslika motormorrande and whistling windows?

the Volvo 240 is a given classic!

W 245 was practical with large trunk space. GLT was the slightly sportier version. Photo: Volvo