Volvo 262C

Volvo 262C
1978 Volvo 262C Bertone (with North American quad headlights)
Overview
Manufacturer	Volvo
Also called	Volvo Coupé
Production	6622
Model years	1977-1981
Assembly	Turin, Italy
Designer	Jan Wilsgaard
Body and chassis
Body style	2-door coupe
Layout	FR layout
Related	Volvo 260 series
Powertrain
Engine	2664 cc B27 (PRV) V6 2849 cc B28/B280 (PRV) V6
Chronology
Successor	Volvo 780

The Volvo 262C is the first luxury coupe made by Volvo. Based on the Volvo 200 Series, the 262C was built by Bertone in Turin for the 1977-1981 model years.^[1]

Concept and design

A team of American executives and engineers led by Henry Ford II had visited a Volvo factory in the mid-1970s and had brought Lincoln Continental Mark IVs to drive. The car generated interest among both the Volvo staff and the people living in the area. Without the facilities to spare on a low volume project, Volvo arranged with Bertone to design and build the coupe.^[1]

The drivetrain, suspension, floor pan, and many of the body panels of the 262C were taken directly from the Volvo 260 sedan, with Bertone building the roof pillars, roof pan, windshield surround, cowl, and the upper parts of the doors.^[1] The roof of the 262C is about 10 cm lower than that of the 260 sedan.

Rear view of a 1978 262C (pre-facelift)

The 262C used the PRV engine, a V6 engine developed jointly by Peugeot, Renault, and Volvo.^[1] The engine used a Lambda-sond oxygen sensor system; this was the first use of this system on a production V engine.^[2]

Standard equipment included power windows and mirrors, central locking, full leather interior, power mirrors, cruise control, air conditioning, heated front seats, alloy wheels and electrically powered radio antenna. The only optional extras were a limited-slip differential, a choice of stereos, and the no-cost option of a Borg-Warner three-speed automatic instead of the four-speed manual with electrically operated overdrive.^[1] By 1981, the manual option had been deleted in the US.^[3]

Reception

Aimed mainly at the United States market, the 262C was Volvo's first entry in the luxury car market. About half of the annual production was earmarked for the United States.^[3] It competed against the Cadillac Eldorado and the Mercedes-Benz 280CE. 6622 cars were produced from 1978 to 1980.^[1]

Development

1981 Volvo 262C, last model year without the vinyl roof (Europe)

In 1979 the 262C was given a deeper trunk lid, wrap around taillights, and thermostatic heater controls. Manual transmission cars got the shift linkage from the 242GT.^[1]

In 1980 the engine bore was increased from 88.1 mm (3.468 in) to 91 mm (3.58 in), resulting in a displacement increase from 2,664 cc (162.6 cu in) to 2,849 cc (173.9 cu in). The engine was also reconfigured, with seven main bearing instead of four and an increase in compression ratio from 8.2:1 to 8.8:1. Also in 1980 the front air dam from the 242GT was added to the 262C.^[1] For North America, the 2.8-litre engine produces 130 hp (97 kW).^[3]

In 1981, the last year of production, the vinyl roof was deleted.^[1]

Notes

1. McCourt 2006.
2. Hartford 1978, p. 42.
3. Hogg, Tony (ed.). "1981 Buyer's Guide". Road & Track's Road Test Annual & Buyer's Guide 1981 (January-February 1981): 127.

References

• Hartford, Bill (February 1978). "Imports & Motorsports". Popular Mechanics: 42. Retrieved 2014-09-14.
• McCourt, Mark J. (January 2006). "Volvo 262C Bertone Coupe". Hemmings. American City Business Journals. Retrieved 2014-09-14.