Peter Monteverdi simply could not believe what he was seeing.
“It is totally inexplicable to me how to design such a stylistic mess,” the Basel-based dream-car manufacturer said at the 1977 Geneva motor show.
At the time, Monteverdi probably did not know that the new two-door Volvo 262 C had been originally styled by the Swedish marque’s chief designer, Jan Wilsgaard, who is said to have been shocked by the first prototype.
The final car featured Bertone’s script on its flanks but, rather than claiming credit for the shape, this only meant that the Volvo was produced by the Turin carrozzeria, the Gothenburg factory having no capacity for such a low-volume car.
It wouldn’t have made any difference: the silver coupé with black vinyl roof evades the classic ideals of beauty, regardless of the stylistic authorship.
From the outside, the strangely proportioned two-door looks like a chopped diesel locomotive, and from the inside like a prop from a Quentin Tarantino film.
The flat roof presses down from above, cramping space, and the rear side windows are hardly larger than portholes.
Some 60mm (2⅓in) was lost from the height of the 260 saloon on which the 262 C was based – Wilsgaard didn’t use a clay model to hone his creation, but rather an old 164 that had initially been a testbed for new interiors.
The gloomy cabin with its upright seating, ruched leather and wood-panelled trim is pure spaghetti western; the shiny chromed crown on the C-pillars (there were three on the original prototype) seems straight from the kitsch cabinet of the famed American trash director, like something out of Pulp Fiction.
Yet still it shimmers, as the home-baked chassis with live rear axle rumbles over frost-damaged Tarmac.
Created to fill the void left by the 1800 at the top of the Volvo range, the 262 C featured plenty of technology beneath that idiosyncratic shell.
Central locking, electrically operated windows and mirrors, cruise control, air conditioning and heated leather front seats all came as standard.
The three-speed automatic gearbox dampens the urge of the PRVV6, co-developed with Peugeot and Renault and originally designed as a 90º V8, but later cut by two cylinders under the cloud of the oil crisis.
It feels as if the ’box steals around a quarter of the modest 125bhp from the engine of this US-spec car – already 15bhp down on European models. The gearbox also forces it to run at high revs, which is good for neither relaxed travel nor fuel economy.
Three-quarters of the 6622 coupés built during its five-year life went Stateside, where demand outstripped early supply: initial plans were for just 800 a year.
Although Volvo 262 C-specific parts range from difficult to impossible to track down, the shared componentry with the marque’s other 200-series models keeps running costs reasonable.
The rare, four-speed manual with overdrive has an advantage in the economy stakes, too, and adds the refinement the auto lacks.
While upkeep is simple enough, the Euro V6 is allergic to low-quality oil, late maintenance and being used solely for short trips.
Values are subdued, which can make even partial restorations uneconomical, but they have a niche following and prices are on the rise – David Bowie’s sold for £160,000 in 2016, albeit an exception rather than the rule…
Later cars are easily spotted, because it wasn’t until 1979 that a second colour was offered when gold joined silver in the brochures.
Black and light blue followed, with a revised rear end and new tail-lights, before the model signed off with a two-tone scheme in 1981.
The facelifted 200 series also brought new bumpers, headlights and an extra 14bhp via increased cylinder capacity when the B27E became the B28E.
For owner Jens Richter, who likes his cars to be a bit out of the ordinary, the 262 cabin’s mixture of sultry pomp and Nordic wood unites into a total work of art that is difficult to ignore.
But if the 262 C swims against the current, then its 780 replacement that arrived four years later is in danger of going under.
Unlike its predecessor the 780 was not only built by Bertone in Italy, but also designed there.
The upper-class pretensions are much more consistent here, thanks to that more unified approach, and there is a subtle elegance that catches the eye of the coupé connoisseur.
The angular body – not a panel of which was provided by the 760 – and the large expanses of glass and slender roof pillars make this near 5m-long (c16½ft) two-door look slimmer than it really is, and the emphatically simple and clean design language is very 1980s.
Despite this, it didn’t stand a chance against the similarly priced German fare and today is all but forgotten.
It should have been a contender, though. There are hard plastics in places, but the lavish two-tone trim adds luxurious flair to the cabin.
The wood inlays are classy but, this being a Volvo, also boost safety: they are rounded to reduce the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
The plump leather seats are electric, while the cassette player is a typically ’80s chaos of buttons with an amp and seven-band graphic equalizer.
The rear is shaped into two chairs, unlike the bench of more conventional 700-series models.
The quality is impressive, too. According to Mario Panizza, who co-ordinated the production of the Volvo coupés at Bertone in Grugliasco, the cars were largely built by hand.
The Swedes insisted on high standards after bad experiences from the early days of the 262 C project, when the handcrafted roof construction proved particularly susceptible to rust.
Volvo kept a much closer eye on the quality from 1978 – and this approach continued through to the 780.
It was effectively protected against corrosion, though the rear-window frame and the panels around the sunroof can still prove problematic.
Once you have grown accustomed to the strangely high seating position – with the car’s beltline running just above your waistband – you’ll find that progress is smooth, however rough the road.
The steering is satisfyingly weighty, and the enlarged PRV engine is hearty in the mid-range, despite its relatively modest 147bhp.
Those who prefer to shy away from the maintenance-intensive V6 can opt for a turbocharged 2- or 2.3-litre four-cylinder unit, producing 160bhp and 200bhp respectively, while the 2.4-litre, 129bhp straight-six diesel seems to sit less comfortably with the coupé’s upper-class ambitions.
On the autobahn the 780’s bluff aerodynamics and 1550kg (3417lb) heft are limiting factors, but the answer is to fall back into cruiser mode – just as its maker intended for the draconian speed limits of the USA.
Most of the 8518 Volvo 780s that rolled off the production line between 1985 and 1990 went across the Atlantic.
None came to the UK at all, but many – including ‘our’ car – made their way to Japan.
Often particularly low-mileage examples are now returning to Europe.
Mechanical and electrical components are shared with the Volvo 760, and some unique parts are still available, so maintenance remains manageable.
The decision between one or the other of these now seldom-seen Swedish classic cars is primarily a question of whether you are an extrovert or you are an introvert.
Anyone who appreciates class and refinement on the inside would lean towards Volvo’s 780, while the more characterful-looking 262 C stands out from the crowd.
Beauty is not everything, after all – and it is always in the eye of the beholder.
Images: Martin Meiners
Factfiles
Volvo 262 C
Sold/number built1977-’81/6662 Constructionsteel monocoque Engineall-alloy, sohc-per-bank 2664cc V6, with fuel injection Max power140bhp @ 5700rpm Max torque160lb ft @ 3000rpm Transmissionfour-speed manual or Borg-Warner three-speed auto, RWD Suspension: frontMacPherson struts rearlive axle, trailing arms, Panhard rod, coil springs, anti-roll bar Steeringpower-assisted rack and pinion Brakesdiscs, with servo Length15ft 10in (4826mm) Width5ft 6in (1676mm) Height4ft 10in (1473mm) Wheelbase8ft 8in (2640mm) Weight3080lb (1400kg) 0-60mph11.4 secs Top speed110mph Mpg20 Price new£12,999 (1977)
Volvo 780 Bertone
Sold/number built1985-’90/8518 Constructionsteel monocoque Engineall-alloy, sohc-per-bank 2849cc V6, with fuel injection Max power147bhp @ 5100rpm Max torque173lb ft @ 3750rpm TransmissionAisin-Warner four-speed auto with overdrive, RWD Suspension: frontMacPherson struts rearlive axle (multi-link post-’87), coil springs, Nivomat self-levelling dampers; anti-roll bar f/r Steeringpower-assisted rack and pinion Brakesdiscs, with servo and anti-lock Length15ft 8¾in (4794mm) Width5ft 9in (1750mm) Height4ft 8in (1425mm) Wheelbase9ft 1in (2770mm) Weight3415lb (1549kg) 0-60mph10.8 secs Top speed115mph Mpg23 Price new$34,785
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