1993 Volvo brochure cover.
Faithful CC readers, we’ve now come to the last chapter of our Volvo 240-series chronology, focusing on the annual changes and updates made to the U.S. versions of that long-running nameplate, as well as touching on Volvo’s changing competitive marketplace. So, without further ado, let’s proceed to the last model year of this evergreen Swedish “brick”.
Model Year 1993
GL models are dropped, however all 240s receive upgraded bright exterior trim. Audio systems are also improved, and a new, more environmentally friendly CFC-free air conditioning refrigerant is introduced.
The ’93 240s reverted to their previous bright exterior trim details. What do you suppose the Amazon is thinking? (Source: www.kbb.com)
Automatic transmission 240 variants for California are adapted to new, stricter emissions standards. Manual transmission models are dropped in the Golden State.
In the spring of 1993, a limited-edition “240 Classic” package is made available for both sedan and station wagon models. Available in either dark teal green metallic (#412) or ruby red pearl (#414) exteriors, a total of 1,600 units were produced at Torslanda during March and April. The 240 Classic includes:
- Color-coordinated grille surround and headlamp trim
- Color-coordinated outside rear-view mirrors
- 14″ Multi-spoke alloy wheels
- Cruise control
- Genuine wood instrument panel trim
- “240 Classic” trunk lid or tailgate badges
- A numbered “Limited Edition” dash plaque
Its color-coordinated grille surround, headlamp trim, and outside rear-view mirrors really changed the 240 Classic’s appearance. The standard “Multi-X” alloys were also cool, but a pain to clean! The wagon’s owner has added Euro parking light lenses and fog lamps.
My colleagues in Volvo Torslanda’s ‘240-bolaget’ were great to work with. They developed the concept for the 240 Classic, ensured availability of the various components, and coordinated production of the 800 sedans and 800 station wagons so-equipped, but they weren’t interested in our dash-plaque idea, even after seeing my sketches. So, after the design was finalized, we contracted with a northern New Jersey firm specializing in graphic overlays to produce the sequentially-numbered labels and affix them to the 1,600 instrument-panel blanks we supplied them. Then the finished pieces were sent to Volvo’s various U.S. ports of entry for installation before the cars were shipped to dealers.
The “240 Classic Limited Edition” plaques lived in one of the extra-gauge locations to the right of the instrument cluster.
Although we had a list of the 240 Classic chassis numbers and the cars’ destination ports, there was no practical way of recording which car received a particular dash plaque, let alone trying to ensure that the plaques’ numbering advanced along with the cars’ chassis numbers. I hate to be the bearer of bad news for 240 Classic aficionados, but if your dash plaque reads “1600/1600”, there’s absolutely no guarantee that yours was the last 240 Classic produced – in fact, it was almost surely not the last one off the line. Another recurring rumor suggests that the 240 Classics were the last 1,600 U.S.-spec Volvo 240s built. Again, sorry, but no. They rolled off the line in March and April 1993.
The 240 Classic’s real wood dash trim looked great, especially if the car happened to have beige upholstery like this one.
The 240 repeats is “best bet” designation in The Car Book, and continues among the best in its class in terms of crash test ratings.
The last North American-specification 240s are produced on May 4, 1993, and all 240 production ends on May 14th. An Italian-market 245 “Polar” and a U.S.-specification “240 Classic” are displayed at the Volvo Car Corporation museum in Gothenburg to mark the end of an era. The chassis number of the last 244 built ends in -490215; the last 245 chassis is number -962443.
Since its introduction in the fall of 1974, approximately 870,000 Volvo 240-series cars will have been sold in the U.S., with an additional 80,000 retailed in Canada.
When production of the 260-series is added, the Volvo “P20” total for the U.S. approaches 900,000 units, and Canadian sales amount to nearly 90,000 units.
In all, a total of 1,034,847 P20s (240s and 260s) are sold in North America by the time the last one rolls out of a Volvo showroom. It is estimated that nearly seventy percent of them are still on the road today (2011).
As it’s been more than thirty years since the last 240 rolled off the production line in Torslanda, one might suppose that the model has quietly faded and retreated into obscurity. One would be mistaken, however. Perhaps because of their reputation for safety, solidity, reliability, and (compared to today’s new cars) relative simplicity, well-kept 240s continue to attract attention today, sometimes changing hands for sums that would have been unimaginable just a few years ago.
This ’83 245 Turbo sold for $23,245 recently.
…or how about this low-mileage ’83 242 Turbo for $27K?
This ’78 245, out of the Pacific Northwest with a claimed 9K miles, sold for $41,750. Your results may differ.
And now, dear reader, the tale of the Volvo 240 has come to an end (at least from my perspective). As usual, the CC commentariat has astonished me with its collective wisdom and constructive criticism. I hope you’ve enjoyed this series as much as I’ve enjoyed putting it on screen. Until next week…
Further CC appreciation of these models can be found here, and here, both by Tom Klockau.
(Uncredited photos sourced from www.bringatrailer.com; featured image from www.flickr.com)
We need sensible cars like this today. But would anyone buy one? This was one of the most enjoyable series I’ve read.on CC and believe me, I’ve read them all.
“The last North American-specification 240s are produced on May 4, 1993, and all 240 production ends on May 14th.”
Declaration of the last day of production varys: Some say the 5th of May, some say the 7th of May, some say even the 14th.
Here the official video of the farewell ceremony: It dates the 7th of May 1993:
https://carup.se/fick-sista-volvo-240n-av-gyllenhammar-har-bilen-kvar-efter-30-ar/
Here a more direct link to the above mentioned video:
Thanks so much. An informative series.
I reckon the ’78 has 9K miles on it because in fine 1970s Volvo tradition, the odometer is broken 🙂
By the summer of 1993, we were reaching the end of our tolerance for our E12 BMW’s foibles and were starting to think about replacing it with a more reliable family car, specifically a station wagon. Like the Accord and Camry wagons, the 245 fell off the list because they were all A/T only in California. Plus, my wife really disliked Volvo’s. We ended up with a Corolla, but I recall a colleague who picked up a Classic sedan around this time, and kept it a long time.
I’ve also enjoyed this series tremendously.
Very amusing about the dash plaque numbers not matching production order. I bet a number of owners have wondered about that, having compared their VINs with others, and being left puzzled.
Thanks for sharing all these recollections!
I have often wondered how long Volvo could have continued making the 240. It really seems more like they chose to discontinue it rather than sales had dropped off so dramatically that they had to.
Stephen may want to chime in here, but I believe the reason the 240 was dropped at the end of the 1993 model year was because a passenger airbag would have been required in the US market (or alternatively, an “automatic” seat belt) starting with 1994 models.
That also explains why BMW E30 cabriolets were discontinued after 1993 for the US despite sticking around another year for other markets.
210delray,,
You’re exactly right. Given the 240’s declining sales, the investment required to add a passenger-side airbag could not have been justified (even though a small test fleet of 240s equipped with airbags for both the driver and front passenger was tested back in the mid-70s, ironically enough…
Thanks for a great series; as a longtime (but now former) 240 owner, I learned quite a few things.
My car made it to about 245,000 miles before I sold it (I say “about” because of the all-too-common odometer gear breakage). The indicated mileage was 239,000+.
Those lace alloy wheels were a thing in the late 80s and early 90s; I had them on my ’90 Mercury Sable — nice looking but definitely hard to keep clean!
By most accounts, Volvo intended to end 240 production somewhere around 1985, when the 740 series had settled in. There were photos floating around the Internet for a while of a prototype 744DL, a very basic version of the 700 sedan, which was intended to replace the 240-series at the bottom of the range. Apparently the decision was made to continue the 240 instead. They were still selling well.
I did some math based on your sales/production figures, and if I did it right, 260 sales were only 30k? Well the model only lasted 7 years, and they were pretty expensive and the engine quickly developed a poor reputation, but I still had no idea the 260 figures were that low.
“There were photos floating around the Internet for a while of a prototype 744DL, a very basic version of the 700 sedan …”
On several markets, the were simplified series 740 sedans and wagons, beneath the GLE and GL versions. These cars were not just badged “740” only, but really looooow spec. Often with crank windows front and rear, simplified cloth upholstery, felt like lining in the luggage compartment and asthmatic B200F engines The UK, Germany and Belgium were such markets.
In some markets, even the option list was limited.for those vehicles.
No prototype needed. Just a pencil and a bean counter in the importer’s office.
There were simplyfied versions of the 240 series for some Euro markets, too
Great series, Stephen. I’m glad you kept the story going until the end of the 240s…the car that (as Evan points out) outlived its replacement. Other readers may know, but I wonder if there’s been any other car from a major manufacturer that has managed to pull off that feat.
I love these cars, but I have to say that those prices you quote while actual are IMO the result of the irrational exuberance that frequently takes hold in a Bring a Trailer auction. I used to be a frequent observer (and sometimes commenter) in those auctions until they just got way too silly what with $40K+ mid-1980s 245s “restored” back into better than new condition (and thus rendered virtually un-drivable for that price).
Anyhow, great series. I now want to hear what you did next after all of those years at Volvo!
Well, the Beetle outlived the Golf Mark I, Mark II, and Mark III.
The 2CV outlived whatever Citroen imagines superceded it.
The 1983-1988 Chrysler New Yorker was outlived by the 1982-1989 Chrsyler New Yorker/Fifth Avenue.
The Jeep Grand Wagoneer outlived the XJ Wagoneer, but the XJ Cherokee outlived them both. So maybe the latter on a technicality? Interesting that an article on the latter just popped up on CC, the CC effect lives!
Anything else?
The Golf Mark I outlived the Mark II as the Cabriolet. The Ford Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis outlived the 2005-2009 Five Hundred and Montego that were supposed to replace them (rechristened the Taurus/Sable for their last few model years). The Fox-body Mustang outlived the first-generation Probe that was supposed to replace it. The A-Body Buick Century didn’t quite outlive its intended first-generation W-Body Regal successor, but lasted just as long until both were replaced by W-Body cars for ’97.
I knew you guys could do it! 😉
Wonderful series! Thanks for all the effort it took!
Based on the 240s stout reputation, we bought a new ‘98 S70. Mistake!
You should have been alerted as Volvo advertised the P80 Series as “Not your Uncle Olaf’s Volvo”.
Great history of a greatly under the radar car. As was said it was Volvo’s best selling and biggest profit maker. I would have loved to get my hands on any 93 240 (well 92 for a manual) as Volvo, in my mind, ceased to exist in 1999 when bought by Ford. Even more so under Geely.
“The wagon’s owner has added Euro parking light lenses … ”
Saw that kind of modification now and then on images from the www. Always wondered how all those cars got an approval for traffic on public roads without showing the (US-spec.) mandatory amber sidemarker refectors.
Anybody here to enlighten me, please ?
NHTSA (the Federal agency that sets lighting and other automotive-safety requirements) doesn’t concern itself with what *you* do to *your* car; after first sale the only time you’ll hear from them is if there’s a recall-worthy defect. Once the car is sold, its’ approval is a matter of state law to set regulations and state and local police to enforce.
Many states don’t have annual inspection programs and if they do it’s easy enough to swap over bolt-on items – I assume there’s no major dismanling needed to change the corner lights out on a 240 – and almost no traffic officers have an encyclopedic memory of the lighting details on a 35-year-old car.
Fantastic series, thank you Stephen! My late grandparents owned a 164E and then a 264GL, so Volvos were an everyday part of my childhood here in New Zealand, and the 240 was sold new here right until the end in 1993. Still see them around, and yes even here the prices they go for is eye-opening – but why not, when they were such well designed and built cars.
The wagon’s owner has installed European headlamps and park-turn lamp assemblies. The Euro lenses don’t fit the US park-turn lamps, and the EU park-turn lamps don’t fit the US headlamps (and the EU headlamp lens optics are visible).
I can pretty much guarantee that no one is checking this sort of thing on a 46 year old car. Particularly when the US vs. European park-turn lamps look so similar (to the average garage/inspection station dude down here).
I do love the double round headlights though.