Volvo is well-known as the brand of sensible boxy sedans and wagons. However, for a brief moment in the 1960s, the company deviated from its sedate formula with an unexpected sports car. A well-restored Volvo P1800E is recently for sale on eBay in San Diego, Calif.
Made by Jensen
When the Volvo P1800 debuted at the 1960 Brussels Motor Show, it looked unlike any other Swedish car. The sleek body with a sloping roof and rocket-like tailfins looked more Italian. There was a good reason. The P1800’s designer, Pelle Petterson, studied under Pietro Frua, who styled many Italian vehicles such as Fiats, Maseratis, and the Vespa scooter.
The P1800 almost didn’t make it into production. Volvo could not manufacture the small-volume sports car in-house. It initially approached Karmann, the German contract manufacturer. When Volkswagen, which had larger contracts with Karmann, caught wind of the deal, it threatened to pull out of its deals, forcing Karmann to turn Volvo away. Instead, Volvo found a partner in British manufacturer Jensen, a brand best known for the Interceptor.
The Fuel-Injected Variant
Volvo marketed the P1800 as a tourer. Reviews of the day compared it favorably to British sports cars of the era. However, Volvo continued the company’s tradition of prioritizing safety by adding seat belts for the rear occupants. That made it unusual for a sports car at the time.
The P1800 borrowed the engine from the reliable Volvo Amazon 122, which was tuned to generate 100 horsepower. Unfortunately, the British motor industry faced quality issues, and the Jensen-built cars did not meet Volvo’s standards.
After approximately 6,000 examples were built, Volvo transferred production to Gothenburg, Sweden. Cars built after the relocation were designated P1800S, with the “S” standing for Sweden. There, the quality improved, and production continued until the model ended in 1973.
Starting in 1970, the Volvo P1800E, like the car for sale, added fuel injection, increasing output by about 20 horsepower.
Driven by The Saint
The P1800’s reliability is legendary. Irv Gordon, a P1800 owner from East Patchogue, N.Y., was famously recognized by Guinness World Records for most mileage on a vehicle driven by the original owner in non-commercial service. Gordon’s 1966 model entered the record books in 1998 at 1.68 million miles. By the time Gordon passed away in 2018, the car had reached an astounding 3.25 million.
Roger Moore as Simon Templar in “The Saint” TV show in his P1800. (Photo: Volvo)
The P1800 had another claim to fame. Before actor Roger Moore portrayed James Bond, he was the star of the British television series The Saint, which ran from 1962 to 1969. Moore’s titular spy drove a white P1800 in the series. Moore made an identical white P1800 his car while off-screen.
Your Own Spy Car
If you’d like to recreate the experience of driving around like a British spy for a fraction of the cost of a Bond car, consider a model like the Volvo P1800E listed on eBay with a Buy-It-Now price of $80,000.
That’s high for a Volvo P1800E, but an example of Bond’s Aston Martin DB5 will set you back around $800,000. In addition, this P1800E is reportedly one of the best examples in existence. The photos reveal a meticulously restored car. The best news is it shows just 127,671 miles. If you’re anything like Mr. Gordon, the car has at least another million miles to go.
