We first heard of Robin's Volvo in a letter. It began, "My father has given me a 1979 Volvo 262C. When I took it in to get the a lens replaced in the tail light, the service man came out and sat in it, petted the seats, fussed over it. Spent about fifteen minutes telling me how special this model is, and seemed delighted to have the opportunity to see the car." Could we tell her more about it?
Sure. In an attempt to reverse falling sales and the perception that Volvos were "stodgy" cars, Volvo produced this limited-edition, top-of-the-line coupe to fill the market niche left vacant by the demise of the 1800 series. Mechanically the same platform as the other V-6 200-series cars, the 262C, restyled by Jan Wilsgaard (creator of the Amazon series) and given a dramatically cut-down roofline and a hand-crafted leather interior, was produced in limited numbers by the Bertone factory in Italy, and released to the US market in 1978.
Robin sent us a copy of the original invoice. The sticker price was $16,526 including destination charges, plus an additional $100 for dealer set-up and $50 for pinstriping. Standard amenities included power steering, A/C, cruise control, heated front seats, rear window defroster, power windows, power antenna -- everything a flagship luxury model should have. And, as the invoice states, "Performance, safety and comfort are built in ... not added on."
In these pictures, the 262C shows off its sleek good looks against a spectacular backdrop: Crown Point overlooking the Willamette River from the Oregon side, with Washington state in the background. Robin tells us that a lot of car advertising is photographed on roads in this area, and we can readily believe it.
The car now has about 115,000 miles on it, and the good care it received from Robin's father (who bought it from the original owner in 1984) is well documented -- other than routine tune-ups and A/C servicing, the car has needed only a few seals, an O2 sensor, a fan motor, and a few mufflers. This experience refutes the B28 engine's bad reputation; while it is unforgiving of neglect, it can be as durable as one would expect from a Volvo as long as maintenance is performed routinely.
Robin, we thank you for providing us with the photos and information for this article. Best of luck with your "new" Volvo! Also, give your father a hug -- a Bertone coupe is a pretty nice present. We think "you musta done something good!"
Sure. In an attempt to reverse falling sales and the perception that Volvos were "stodgy" cars, Volvo produced this limited-edition, top-of-the-line coupe to fill the market niche left vacant by the demise of the 1800 series. Mechanically the same platform as the other V-6 200-series cars, the 262C, restyled by Jan Wilsgaard (creator of the Amazon series) and given a dramatically cut-down roofline and a hand-crafted leather interior, was produced in limited numbers by the Bertone factory in Italy, and released to the US market in 1978.
Robin sent us a copy of the original invoice. The sticker price was $16,526 including destination charges, plus an additional $100 for dealer set-up and $50 for pinstriping. Standard amenities included power steering, A/C, cruise control, heated front seats, rear window defroster, power windows, power antenna -- everything a flagship luxury model should have. And, as the invoice states, "Performance, safety and comfort are built in ... not added on."
In these pictures, the 262C shows off its sleek good looks against a spectacular backdrop: Crown Point overlooking the Willamette River from the Oregon side, with Washington state in the background. Robin tells us that a lot of car advertising is photographed on roads in this area, and we can readily believe it.
The car now has about 115,000 miles on it, and the good care it received from Robin's father (who bought it from the original owner in 1984) is well documented -- other than routine tune-ups and A/C servicing, the car has needed only a few seals, an O2 sensor, a fan motor, and a few mufflers. This experience refutes the B28 engine's bad reputation; while it is unforgiving of neglect, it can be as durable as one would expect from a Volvo as long as maintenance is performed routinely.
Robin, we thank you for providing us with the photos and information for this article. Best of luck with your "new" Volvo! Also, give your father a hug -- a Bertone coupe is a pretty nice present. We think "you musta done something good!"