Volvo · 1974–1993

Volvo 200 Series

The Volvo 200 Series (designated internally as the 240 and 260 models) was a range of mid-size cars manufactured by Swedish automaker Volvo Cars from 1974 to 1993. Designed by Jan Wilsgaard, the series was developed from the Volvo 140 Series and incorporated safety innovations from Volvo's VESC experimental safety vehicle program. The 200 Series was produced in sedan, station wagon, and limited convertible body styles. Over 2.8 million units were manufactured during its 19-year production run, making it one of Volvo's most successful model lines. The series established Volvo's reputation for safety and durability, with many examples remaining in service decades after production ended. Production overlapped with the introduction of the Volvo 700 Series in 1982. While the 260 Series was discontinued in 1984 and replaced by the 700 Series, the popular 240 model continued production until 1993. The final 240 was manufactured on 14 May 1993, concluding nearly two decades of production.

Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Predecessor: Volvo 140 Series · Successor: Volvo 740

All Volvo 200 Series data: UK builds, safety, recalls, model years →

History

The Volvo 240 and 260 series were introduced in the autumn of 1974, and was initially available as six variations of the 240 Series (242L, 242DL, 244DL, 244GL, 245L and 245DL) and two variations of the 260 Series (264DL and 264GL). The 240 Series was available as a sedan (with two or four doors) or a station wagon, however, the 260 Series was available as a coupé (262C Bertone), two-door sedan, four-door sedan, or station wagon. The 200 looked much like the earlier 140 and 164, they shared the same basic body shell and were largely identical from the cowl rearward. However, the 200 incorporated many of the features and design elements tried in the Volvo VESC ESV in 1972, which was a prototype experiment in car safety. The overall safety of the driver and passengers in the event of a crash was greatly improved with very large front and rear end crumple zones. Another main change was the new engines offered, which were of an overhead cam design based on the earlier B20. The 260 series also received a V6 engine in lieu of the 164's inline-six. The 200 Series had MacPherson strut-type front suspension, which increased room around the engine bay, while the rear suspension was a modified version of that fitted to the 140 Series. The steering was greatly improved with the introduction of rack-and-pinion steering, with power steering fitted as standard to the 244GL, 264DL and 264GL, and there were some modifications made to the braking system (in particular the master cylinder). The front end of the car was also completely restyled with a "shovel nose" which closely resembled that of the VESC prototype vehicle – that being the most obvious change which made the 200 Series distinguishable from the earlier 140 and 160 Series. Other than all the changes mentioned above, the 200 S

Engines

The 200 series was offered with three families of engines. Most 240s were equipped with Volvo's own red block, 2.0–2.3-liter four-cylinder engines. Both overhead valve and overhead cam versions of the red block engines were installed in 240s. The B20 was used only in the early years and subsequently replaced by the B19, a smaller version of the B21. Power of the carburetted versions increased for the 1979 model year. V6 engines were also available, first in the 260-models, but also later in the GLE- and GLT-versions of 240. Known as the PRV family, they were developed in a three-way partnership among Volvo, Peugeot and Renault, 240 diesel models are powered by diesel engines purchased from Volkswagen. In Greece and Israel the 1.8-liter B17 engine was available beginning with the 1980 model year (also as a luxuriously equipped 260). This smaller twin-carb engine developed 90 PS (66 kW), and had considerably higher fuel consumption than even the turbocharged top version. The 1974 240 series retained the B20A inline-four engine from the 140 Series in certain markets, with the new B21A engine available as an option on the 240 DL models. The new B21 engine was a 2,127 cc, four-cylinder unit, which had a cast-iron block, a five-bearing crankshaft, and a belt-driven overhead camshaft. This engine produced 97 PS (71 kW) for the B21A carburettor 242DL, 244DL and 245DL, and 123 PS (90 kW) for the B21E fuel-injected 244GL. The carburetted B19A also produced 97 PS (71 kW), although at 5400 rpm, while the fuel injected B19E claimed 117 PS (86 kW). North American inline-fours. The OHV B20F engine was carried over to the new 200-Series when they went on sale in the United States and Canada for the 1975 and 1976 model years. No carbureted engines were available until 1977 when Canada w

Badges

=== Nomenclature === The 200-series cars were identified initially by badges on their trunk lid or rear hatch in a manner similar to the system used for previous models. The 4 and 6 codes soon lost their original meaning as signifying the number of cylinders with the introduction of B17-engined four-cylinder Volvo 260s for export to Greece and Israel in the late 1970s. There was also a six-cylinder 240 GLT in some markets, as well as both six- and five-cylinder diesels labelled 240. The second digit now only denoted how luxurious the car was. By June 1982, with the introduction of the model year 1983 Volvos, the third digit too lost its meaning and the 242/244/245 became simply the 240. 1974–1982: three digits (in the format 2XY, where X usually represents the number of cylinders and Y represents the doors: 2 for coupés, 4 for sedans, 5 for station wagons) followed by trim level letters. For example; 244 and 245 were four-cylinder sedans and wagons respectively and 264 and 265 six-cylinder sedans and wagons respectively. 1983–1993: 240 (or 260 until 1985) followed by trim level letters (third digit no longer reflects body style, although it is reflected in the engine compartment label, as well as on the label in the trunk on sedans or under the main cargo compartment storage lid on wagons). Special models (e.g. Polar and Torslanda) sometimes omit the 240. For the American market: 1975–1979: trim level letters preceded by three digits (in the format 2XY, where X usually represents the number of cylinders and Y represents the doors: 2 for coupés (only for the 262C. 242 are two-door sedans), 4 for sedans, 5 for station wagons) 1980–1985: trim level letters. A small number of four-cylinder 260s were produced, namely the 1980–1981 GL sedan, which could either be a 240 or a

200 Series specifications

Produced: 1974–1993 Production volume: 2,862,053 Body style: 4-door sedan (1974–1993), 2-door coupe (1974–1984), 5-door station wagon (1974–1993) Engines: see the engine section for more detail. Engine configurations included: B20 four-cylinder inline OHV B17, B19, B21, B23, B200, B230 four-cylinder inline OHC B19ET, B21ET, B21FT four-cylinder inline OHC turbo (intercooled with factory installed IBS – intercooler boost system kit or Volvo R-Sport dealer retrofitting kit for 1981-early 1984 models starting in mid-1983.) B27, B28 V6 OHC D20 five-cylinder inline OHC diesel (1979–circa 1984) D24 six-cylinder inline OHC diesel (1979–1993) Transmissions: Volvo offered various transmissions depending on the year, model, market, and engine combinations including the: M40 (4-speed manual, 1975 only) M41 (4-speed manual with electrical overdrive, 1975 only, coupe and sedan only) M45 (4-speed manual) M46 (4-speed manual with electrical overdrive) M47 (5-speed manual) BW35, BW55 or AW55 (3-speed automatic) AW70 or AW71 (4-speed automatic with 3 direct + OD) Brakes: hydraulic, disc brakes on all four wheels Front: four opposed piston calipers with either solid or (later) vented rotors Rear: twin piston calipers utilizing solid rotors and integral parking brake drums Triangulated braking circuits on non-ABS cars with both front calipers and one rear caliper per circuit. ABS cars used normal diagonal split braking system. Standard safety features Driver airbag (from 1990 in the US only; optional on 1990–1991 Canadian models, standard 1992–1993) Anti-lock braking system (ABS) (optional 1991–1992, standard 1993 in US) Dimensions: Wheelbase: 2,649.22 mm (104.3 in) Length (Europe): 1975–1980: 489 cm (192.5 in) 1981–1993: 479 cm (188.6 in) Length (US/Canada): 1975–1982: 489 cm (192.5 in) –

Market differences

=== European/Australian market === Glass-lens headlamps compliant with international ECE headlighting standards, 1974–1993 Fender-mounted side turn signal repeaters introduced various years in different European markets per local regulations; worldwide except North America starting in 1984, Australia starting in 1989 Daytime running lamps implemented by a second, bright 21W filament in the parking lamp bulbs, introduced mid-1970s in Scandinavia and the UK, and in some other markets outside North America in the early 1980s White parking lamps (with white front turning signals for Italian market until 1977) Aspheric sideview mirrors from the 1980 model year (originally not for the DL) Diesel engine available (except Australia) from 1979 to 1993 For 1980, the 240 GT and GLE were dropped from most markets, as well as the 265 GLE. In the UK and Australia the 265 GLE was available until 1985 (now badged "260"). The new GLT model which replaced GT and GLE had the GT's 140 PS (103 kW) fuel injected 2.3-liter engine with manual transmission (sedan only), or the 260's 2.7-liter V6 with 141 PS (104 kW) in station wagons or in automatic-equipped sedans. North American market. Exterior lighting system compliant with US federal standards Sealed-beam headlamps, 1975–1985 Speedometer in miles per hour with inner scale in kilometres per hour; odometer in miles (US market) Plastic-lens replaceable-bulb headlamps, 1986–1993 Bosch LH Jetronic Fuel Injection in all petrol non turbo models (1984- 1993) Bell chime to remind to fasten seatbelt, keys are in the ignition switch, or parking lights are still on. Courtesy dome light off delay 5 mph "commando" bumper standards Headlamp wipers not available; wiper shaft hole below headlamps blanked with rubber plug Front and rear side markers and re

Special editions

244 DLS (1977–1978): Export model to the former German Democratic Republic with 264 hood and grille from 264DL. Engine B21A. Five different body paintings (solid) available. Total amount exported approx. 1,000 units. The cars were mainly sold to residents of East Germany. Sedans only. DLi – MY 1978 limited edition for West Germany. DL trim; equipped with fuel-injected B21E engine (instead of B21A carbureted engine on standard "DL" models). Mostly sedans. GLi: MYs 1981 and 1982 specification for the Netherlands. GL trim; equipped with fuel-injected B21E engine (instead of B21A carbureted engine on standard "GL" models there and then). Only estates. 264 TE (top executive, 1976–1981): A limousine version of the 264; many now reside in Germany as 135 production models, two in landaulet form, were converted and exported to the former German Democratic Republic until 1984 for transporting government officials, who would neither use the small Trabant or Wartburg models nor import West German autos such as BMWs and Mercedes-Benzes. As a result of the number of politicians seen driving to and from their preferred home town in Volvo 264 TEs, the East German public nicknamed Wandlitz Volvograd. 245 T (transfer) (1977–early 1980s): An extended wheelbase station wagon designed to have additional rows of seats for use as taxi or rural school bus. These cars had the same wheelbase as the 264 top executive. 262C/coupé by Bertone (1978–1981): This had custom body work and interior from Bertone. The exterior coach building of these two-door saloons consisted of a chopped roof (2.25in shorter than 242) and a more raked windscreen. The 1980 & 1981 models were badged coupé instead of 262C. These cars were further characterized by additional Bertone badges on the front wings. Mostly built i

Sections adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); text is shortened. Read the full article for the complete history and citations.

Specifications

name: Volvo 200 Series
Manufacturer: Volvo Cars
Production: 1974–1993, 2,862,573 produced
Model years: 1975–1993
Assembly: Sweden: Torslanda (Torslandaverken), Sweden: Kalmar (VKA), Australia: Clayton (Motor Producers Ltd), Belgium: Ghent (VCG), Canada: Halifax (VHA), Indonesia: North Jakarta (PT. ISMAC), Malaysia: Shah Alam (SMA), Singapore: Jurong (SNM), Thailand: Samut Prakan (TSA)
Predecessor: 240: Volvo 140 Series, 260: Volvo 164
Successor: 240: Volvo 940, 260: Volvo 760
Class: Mid-size car / Executive car
Body style: 2/4-door saloon (242/244/262/264), 5-door estate (245/265)
Layout: Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive
Platform: Volvo P platform
Related: Volvo 262C, Volvo 900 series, Volvo 700 series
Engine: Petrol:, 1.8 L B17 I4, 2.0 L B20 I4, 2.0 L B19/B200 I4, 2.1 L B21 I4, 2.3 L B23/B230 I4, 2.7 L B27 V6, 2.8 L B28/B280 V6, Diesel:, 2.0 L D20 I5, 2.4 L D24 I6
Transmission: 4-speed manual, 4-speed manual with overdrive, 5-speed manual, 3-speed automatic, 4-speed automatic
Wheelbase: 104.3 in
Length: 189.9 -
Width: 67.3 -
Height: 56.3 -
Designer: Jan Wilsgaard

Specification summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Measured facts from Wikidata (CC0). Check the linked sources for citations.

More photos

Sources

Wikidata — https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1341143CC0 1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-01
Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volvo_200_SeriesCC BY-SA 4.0 · Text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1376070222 · retrieved 2026-10-01
Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1990_volvo_240dl_wagon_2.jpgCC BY-SA 3.0 · Photo: No machine-readable author provided. Dragon695 assumed (based on copyright claims). · retrieved 2026-10-01
Car Model Index — https://models.autoculturesociety.com/Compiled record. Sources that do not permit reuse are not copied; this index is credited instead.