1973 Volvo 1800 ES

The 1800 ES was a two-door, four-person station wagon that cost just over $5,000. It was powered by a four-cylinder engine that produced around 130 horsepower. It featured long rear quarter windows, C-pillars, and a rear backrest that folded down, increasing the amount of available storage space.

The Volvo P1800 is best remembered for its role in the television series The Saint. Beginning in 1962, it was the car driven by Roger Moore's character Simon Templar. Its appearance on TV corresponded to an uptrend in sales. British manufacturer Jaguar had been approached to have their E-Type in the series, but when they declined, a succession of white P1800s, all bearing 'ST1' registration plates, was prominently featured throughout the entire run of The Saint.

During its production lifespan, the P1800 was carefully developed, refined, and relentlessly improved.

The Volvo P1800 successfully married dependable Swedish running gear with elegant Italian bodywork. The coachwork was styled by Swede Helmer Petterson, with the Italian Carrozzeria Frua commissioned to develop the design for production. Frua was ultimately allowed to take full credit for the styling, something that suited all parties at the time. The P1800 was designed around the mechanical components of the 120 Amazon saloon and was powered by a new five-main bearing version of the Swedish rugged B18B four-cylinder unit driving the rear wheels via an M40 four-speed gearbox. The body shells were initially produced by Pressed Steel in Linwood, Scotland. It has been reported that the Swedish Company's Vice Executive Chairman insisted the cars be built in a country where he could play golf. The final assembly took place at Jensen's factory in West Bromwich using platforms shipped over from Sweden. Production relocated to Gothenburg in April 1963 due to concerns over quality control, with subsequent models badged as the P1800S. (The prototype version was introduced to the public in 1959.)

The P1800 utilized an independent front suspension with upper and lower A-arms, coil springs, an anti-roll bar with the live rear axle well-located by trailing arms, and a Panhard rod.

The 'S' variants had new wheel trims and badging, along with a hotter camshaft and raised compression of 10:1, boosting power to 108 bhp while the original 'cowhorn' style bumpers were replaced with a simpler, horizontal bar from 1965. In 1970, the P1800 received further updates with cast alloy wheels and a matte black grille. The carburetors gave way to Bosch electronic fuel injection, an increased compression ratio, bigger valves, and a new camshaft, boosting the output of the B20 engine to 130 bhp. These versions were known as the 'E' series. The 1800E was produced from 1969 through 1972. A new ZF gearbox was tried briefly, but this was soon replaced with a Volvo gearbox. Disc brakes could now be found at all four corners. The interior received a new dash and flow-through ventilation system.

The addition of the ES sport wagon provided even more versatility to the P1800 series and new competition for the Reliant Scimitar and Jensen-Healey GT. The 'ES' two-door sports wagon was produced from 1971 through 1973 and featured a useful frameless glass hatch at the rear of the vehicle.

by Daniel Vaughan | Sep 2006