Volvo 480

Volvos have all looked to long in the front since they worked out it makes them safer in a crash, its not the length, its the front wheels being set back to far.

IMO any car that has more metal sticking out in front of the front arch than it does between the rear of the arch and the rear of the wing looks weird.

Photoshop the wheels further forwards and it improves the look no end, in fact it works on lots of stuff with a long front overhang.

Funny that this comes up today.
The press release was 15 Octobre 1986....

The front end is most controversial design aspect of the 480.

The (Dutch) designers wanted a agressive/ sporty front end to look impressive in the rear view mirror. They didn't like what VW did with the Scirocco which lacked (in their opinion) differencation from a Golf from that side.

So they moved the grill into the bumper a la Ferrari, but Volvo Sweden wasn't too impressed. They suggested a more prominent place for the Volvo emblem on the bonnet.
Furthermore they tried to keep the bonnet as low as possible, but in order to comply in the USA. They had to put pop-up lights in there. They never sold the 480 in the USA due to the financial crash in '87.
Otherwise Volvo would have been bankrupted by the guarantee claims. I think CAR had an early ES on a long term test and even an Allegro did better...

But I like them, quirky and still quite pratical if they run.

Anyway pics!

Always wanted a 480! Tore one apart to use the engine in a clio, the crash bars in the doors are immense! (the car had been rear ended so wasnt killed for no reason!)

Pah all this talk and no pictures of mine.....

It's really weird when you notice they still bothered to put the emblem on the grill.

Here's mine, going back on the road soon ish with some tidy rims etc.

Loved my old one! (Featured above) This thread isn't helping me considering they're never expensive!

Started out as povo spec







Eventually killed by a managare of issues...

Had one a few years ago and it was, without doubt, the worst and most unreliable car I have ever owned. It regularly needed push starting (electrical gremlins) and once, when I went over a bump, a huge amount of stuff fell out of the engine bay, no idea what as the car remained just as dreadful afterwards.

Anyway, I never want one again.

I'll just add that I had a quite unreliable Skoda Rapid too and I'd love another one of those!

This one probably has less water in the boot than any I've been in. My Dad's leaked like sieve from nearly new (bought one about 18 months old) and was subject to protracted legal wrangling with the dealership.

Met a couple of owners who just drilled holes in the boot to let it out. Seemed to come in by the rear lights a lot, and the front scuttle drain holes would fill letting water in the front footwell and from memory near the fusebox. My sister never cleared the drain holes and eventually had standing water in the whole car whenever it rained. Stank like a wet dog.

Looked nice though and went well!

I liked the decent rear sears as well -