When you think of old-school Volvos – you know, those boxy designs that pre-date the more curvaceous models of today – what do you picture? The 240? The 850? Or do you think of the ultimate in squared-off Swedish design, the 760?
The model credited with saving Volvo was introduced in February, 1982, making it 30 years old this month. Reflecting on the occasion, Volvo looks back at the 760′s development, when it needed a car that would be reliable, efficient, durable, easily serviceable, quiet, somewhat attractive, and be a in well order performer (in that order). The result was a rear-drive sedan four inches longer in wheelbase than the 240, yet a well 220 lbs lighter.
And that boxy design? That conclusion was as financial in nature as it was stylistic. After considering a number of figure proposals, the last look was selected to be as cost-effective to produce as possible. In the end, those budgetary restrictions left us with a car that was, while not particularly exciting to behold, surely an enduring ikon of its time. Follow the skip to read the full retrospective, and flip through the images in the attached gallery.
