Volvo · 1982–1992

Volvo 740

The Volvo 700 series is a range of executive cars produced by the Swedish manufacturer Volvo Cars from 1982 to 1992. The 700 series was introduced in 1982 with the premium 760 models, followed two years later by the more basic 740s, which benefited from the 760's prestige, while sharing the same bodywork. The 700 series was then gradually replaced, beginning in 1990, by the 900 series. The 700, designed by Jan Wilsgaard, was originally to have been a replacement for the 200 series, but production of that model continued until the early nineties. The expensive 780, a Bertone-designed coupé version, entered production in 1986 and departed without a direct successor only four years later. The most visible differences between the 700 and 900 series were the much more sloping rear greenhouse (sedans), instead of the extremely square, formal, upright C-pillars of the 740s and 760s; more rounded corners on the 900's bodies, and a somewhat better-appointed interior. The 700 series came to an end in late 1992 when the last 740s were built (although they were considered to be of model year 1993). The range had been augmented and finally supplanted by the Volvo 900 in 1993, with the last of the 900s being sold in 1998.

Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Predecessor: Volvo 200 Series · Successor: Volvo 900 Series

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Volvo 740

Introduced in early 1984 (in the U.S. and Australia for the 1985 model year), the 740 arrived nearly two years after the luxurious 760. It was the lower-end version of the original 760, intended to be a mid-size car that offered more style, performance, space and luxury than the 200 series. The '4' in the middle of the Volvo model name had once signified a four-cylinder engine, but by the time of the introduction of the 740 it simply meant less luxurious equipment as four- and six-cylinder engines were fitted across both ranges. The 740 was available as a four-door sedan (sometimes referred to as the 744) and a five-door station wagon (also known as the 745). The station wagon premiered simultaneously at the 1985 Toronto and Chicago auto shows in early February 1985. The wagon was aimed squarely at the North American markets and only went on sale in Europe several months later, in the fall of 1985. The Volvo 740 was a popular choice as a police car in several parts of Europe, especially so with the police in Scandinavian countries. For 1985, an intercooled version of the 2-litre turbo engine (B200ET) was introduced for markets such as Italy, where larger engines were heavily taxed. This unit produces 160 PS (118 kW) at 5500 rpm, ten brake horsepower more than the preceding non-intercooled B19ET variant, enough for a claimed 200 km/h (124 mph) top speed. Model year 1986 marked the worldwide introduction of the station wagon; other differences were limited to a new font for the "740" badging and new hubcap designs. First shown at the 1988 Geneva Motor Show with tentative specifications but only going on sale with the introduction of the 1989 model year cars, a 16-valve version of the larger B230 engine was introduced (B234). This model has nearly as much peak power as t

Volvo 760

The 760 marked a new strategy for Volvo, as they introduced the executive six-cylinder model first with the four-cylinder 740 only following a few years later. Jan Wilsgaard, head of Volvo's Design and Styling Team, proposed over 50 new designs for the new car. Unusual for a new executive car at the time, the 760 had a live rear axle – Volvo's designers claimed that a well-designed one was at least as capable as any independent design, while offering substantial cost and weight savings. The axle itself was mounted almost entirely behind the passenger compartment, freeing up more space inside, and was unusual in that it is mounted in a sub-frame, allowing better passenger comfort than a conventional setup. Volvo called the system Constant Track Rear Suspension, drawing attention to another benefit of a live axle. It was introduced to the U.S. in 1982 for the 1983 model year as the 760 GLE saloon, with the V6 engine coupled to an automatic transmission, having been launched in Sweden in February 1982 and in Britain from July 1982. The federalized Turbo Diesel went on sale a few months later, at the very end of 1982. In February 1985 the 760 Station Wagon ("765" in internal parlance) was introduced, going on sale in US and Canada a few months later. European markets only received the wagons beginning in the autumn, for the 1986 model year. This new design was criticized by the media when released: Gordon Murray of Autocar Magazine said, "to me it's obscene. That goes right against the grain of what everybody else is trying to do. To me it looks like a European version of a North American car. It produces the same amount of power as a 2600 or 3500 — in this day and age it disgusts me to see something about like that. It's a definite step backwards." The Turbodiesel, while

Volvo 780

The Volvo 780 coupé debuted at the International Auto Show in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1985, marking Volvo's return to the two-door coupé market following the departure of the 262C in 1981. The 780 became available in Europe in 1986 and in the United States a year later. The 780 was designed by Marc Deschamps and built by Carrozzeria Bertone in Turin, Italy. The hood, trunk, and roof lines were all slightly lower than the standard 700 series profile, and the C-pillar was wider and had a more gradual slope down to the trunk. Headroom was improved over the 262C since Bertone only lowered the roofline by a single centimeter this time. Window frames all had black matte trim, and were accented with chrome. Chrome also highlighted the door handles, bumpers, and side mouldings. Originally, it had been planned to use a smaller, 2,458 cc turbocharged, version of the PRV V6 (as seen in the Renault 25 and Alpine), which had already been successfully tested in 740s and 760s. In the smaller engine compartment of the 780, however, the engine overheated and the PRV V6 Turbo never appeared in a Volvo. In the first two years that the 780 was available worldwide (1986 and 1987) it received the B280F V6 engine and a solid (live) rear axle. In the Italian market, originally only the Volkswagen built D24TIC was to be offered, with 129 PS (95 kW), but soon the V6 also became available and a 155 PS (114 kW) 2.0-litre turbo (B200ET) Italian tax special was also added later in 1986. From August 1987 the 780 came equipped with Volvo's independent rear suspension, which used self-leveling Nivomat shocks to keep ride height correct. An improved climate control unit (ECC) was also fitted. The B280F at this point produced roughly 150 PS (110 kW), but the car itself weighed nearly 3,400 lb (1,500 kg)

Specifications

=== Models === The saloon model originally debuted in 1982 in Europe, and was joined by the estate for 1985. Model availability: Engines. These engines were offered on 700 series vehicles: B19E: 2.0 L inline-4, 117 PS (86 kW) (83.04–84.07, saloon only) B19ET: 2.0 L turbo inline-4, 150 PS (110 kW) (83.12–84.07, saloon only) B23E: 2.3 L inline-4, naturally aspirated, Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection ('84) B23ET: 2.3 L turbo inline-4, utilizing Bosch Motronic engine management ('84) B23FT: 2.3 L turbocharged inline-4 B28A: 2.8 L V6, naturally aspirated, carbureted ('82–85) B28E: 2.8 L V6, naturally aspirated, Bosch K-Jetronic, high output ('82–86) B28F: 2.8 L V6, naturally aspirated, odd fire crankshaft ('82–86) B200E: 2.0 L inline-4, naturally aspirated, Bosch K-Jetronic 115 PS (85 kW) B200F: 2.0 L inline-4, naturally aspirated, Bosch LH-Jetronic 111 PS (82 kW) B200K: 2.0 L inline-4, naturally aspirated, Renix ignition, 200K had standard head unlike 230K (introduced for the '85 model year) B200ET: 2.0 L inline-4, turbocharged, Bosch Motronic engine management; 155 or 160 PS (114 or 118 kW) (introduced for the '85 model year) B200FT: 2.0 L inline-4, turbocharged, Bosch LH-Jetronic 156 PS (115 kW) B204E: 2.0 L 16-valve, DOHC, inline-4, naturally aspirated (introduced for the '89 model year) B204FT: 2.0 L 16-valve, DOHC, inline-4, turbocharged (introduced for the '89 model year) B204GT: 2.0 L 16-valve, DOHC, inline-4, turbocharged (introduced for the '89 model year) B230A: 2.3 L inline-4, naturally aspirated, carbureted (1985–86) B230E: 2.3 L inline-4, naturally aspirated, Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection (introduced in the '85 model year) B230F: 2.3 L inline-4, naturally aspirated, fuel injected and catalyzed 114 hp ('85–88 740GLE, '89–90 740GL, '90–92 740) B230K: 2.3 L inli

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 700 series

Manufacturer

Volvo Cars

Production

1982–1992 (1,430,000 units)

Assembly

Sweden:, Gothenburg, Kalmar (VKA), Uddevalla (Auto Nova Plant), Belgium: Ghent (VCG), Canada: Halifax (VHA), Australia: Clayton, Indonesia: North Jakarta (PT. ISMAC)Cars sold in Indonesia during 1974–1999 were assembled locally.

Predecessor

Volvo 200 Series (which continued)

Successor

Volvo 900 Series

Class

Mid-size luxury / Executive car (E)

Layout

FR layout

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/Q1487993CC0 1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volvo_700_SeriesCC BY-SA 4.0 · Text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1368420649 · retrieved 2026-10-01
• Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1987_Volvo_740GLE.jpgCC BY-SA 2.0 · Photo: Keith Burley (keith1301) from Covina, USA · 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.

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