Until a few years ago, I only ever looked at 740s as potential donors to my 240s.
Around the same time I got my license and bought my first 240, my uncle sold his 740 to my cousin. I remember my teenage mind thinking how much cooler my 240 was.
My Dad bought a 1990 740 Turbo in about 95 and it was a pretty awesome car. The soft tan leather was lovely when it was so young. It was also the first turbo car I’d ever been in.. that thing had some get up! Although the car already felt somewhat dated visually. This was around the same time the curves or the Ford Taurus and Hyundai S Coupe graced our roads.. okay, dramatic (and hideous) examples. But the contrast was there and to a young boy, those edges were a bit embarrassing.
The car seemed somewhat cursed though. Whether it was because of the way my Dad drove it, because of it’s life with previous owners or because it was a 740, I’m not sure. But my uncle always seemed to be doing work on it.
Meanwhile, my mother was approaching 500,000kms in the 85 240 she’d had since about 1990. She had the oil changed about every 50,000kms or something and it basically never needed maintenance.
I think it’s interesting how design comes around. And trends in music and fashion seem to permeate other facets of life like cars and furniture. It’s a complicated thing.. something to do with the eye becoming accustomed to a certain aesthetic that becomes zeitgeist, which then accentuates the interest in visually striking aesthetic alternatives. Adopting styles that oppose the zeitgeist become a motif of the young, the alternative and the divergent. They become a symbol of rebellion.
The highly stylised, sleek, sharp and aggressive designs of modern cars are in such stark opposition to the style of old Volvos. They just look.. daggy. Right? I mean I think they look wonderful.. but when you sit it next to an Audi E-Tron, the old Volvo really doesn’t look like it’s trying. And it doesn’t really look like it gives a fuck either. And neither does the owner. And that’s part of what we love isn’t it?
Since the 240 has become a totem for some segments of the younger generation, they’ve somehow lost a little bit of their appeal to me. I mean I love 240s.. but part of why I love old Volvos is because you don’t see a lot of them. They’re a bit different. And I lived through a time when I’d ride in a Volvo with my parents in the 90s and get yelled at for being in a Volvo. Usually by people in old Commodores. I do live in Queensland so that probably was a part of it. But nowadays, I see a 240 on just about every block. I’d be driving my 240 around and I’d look over and there’s be one next to me with a young guy giving me thumbs up. I love the brotherhood.. but I do like to feel like my car is a bit rare or unique or special. I’ve never seen one red 850R wagon on the roads in the 4 years I’ve had mine. Although I did cross paths with another 72 140 on the school run one morning!
But.. this rise in popularity in the 240 has put the 740 in a peculiar position.. it’s now the alternative. It’s the oddball. I’m sure there are probably guys out there in 240s who have not even seen a 740 on the road. I can’t remember the last time I saw one on the road (aside from at my local Volvo mechanic). So all of a sudden, I am drawn to the 740. The sharp lines and masculine silhouette only serve to add to the attraction. When I got mine recently, I invited my mate around for a look and he’s staring at it and he’s like.. “I like it.. like, I really like it. There’s something so.. strong about it.”
They say Volvos are boxy. Well, there’s no Volvo more boxy than a 700 series. This is a Volvo for Volvo lovers. And the fact it’s still available at a cheaper price, is also another attribute that drew us all to Volvos in the first place. The fact it’s got the beloved Redblock drivetrain and is available in turbo from the factory is the cherry on top.