Today's Rare Ride is an example of Bertone's first addition of a large amount of Italian-made quality to an ordinary Volvo mid-size car. We have introduced Bertone's second endeavor (780) a long time ago, so now we are talking about 262C.

Although Volvo claims to be high-end today, the company was not a luxury goods manufacturer in the 1970s. In 1979, the boxy and practical Swedish supplier was ready to move away from its traditional model. That year, the company provided two (!) exciting new cars with only two doors. The easier two-door model is the 242 GT we introduced before, but this two-door coupe is quite simple and has a slight focus on performance. What about luxury goods? What about the big travel merchant client in the United States?

Volvo has ignored the aforementioned luxury coupe customers, so what has changed? Around 1975, Henry Ford II visited the Volvo factory in Sweden and transported a very private luxury Lincoln Continental Mark IV to drive while he was there. The Swedes in the local area and the Volvo factory are most interested in the huge Lincoln. "Ett ögonblick" (for a moment) said Volvo because they made their designers dedicated to the Swedish design of personal luxury coupes.

Volvo kept the work on the new 262C inside: the two doors were designed by Jan Wilsgaard. Changes to the standard 262 two-door sedan include new pillars and roof, windshield surround, upper door frame and fairing. Like the later 780, the roof of the 262C has a shredded design-nearly four inches lower than the standard car. 262C is not suitable for fans of big hats.

The interior of the luxury coupe is also very different from the 260, equipped with standard equipment such as central locking and power windows​​. It has air conditioning, cruise control, heated seats, and a button-tufted and wrinkled leather-wrapped interior with a pattern on the luggage. Unlike other Volvos, there are also large pieces of solid wood inside. Everything is very 1979. Most examples from 1979 and 1980 also have a special American style: vinyl roof. This option was deleted in 1981.

Power comes from the top of the 260, provided by a 2.6 or 2.8 liter PRV V6 engine. The four-speed manual gearbox is a standard gearbox, but most customers choose a three-speed automatic gearbox.

Volvo has no excess manufacturing capacity and handed over the construction of the 262C to Broadcom. The Italians assembled an expensive coupe in their Turin factory. Most of the 262C is sold to the American market, and the American market should thoroughly appreciate Volvo's high-end coupe. In North America, Volvo is directly targeting two mature luxury coupe brands: Cadillac Eldorado and Mercedes 280CE. Things are not going well, because the professor emeritus and practical people who bought Volvo cars don't want such a fancy coupe, and luxury customers have respect for Cadillac or Mercedes badges far more than respect for Volvo badges.

The 262C was cancelled after the 1981 model year, and only 6,622 prototypes were produced. After that, Volvo took a four-year break from the luxury coupe until 780 came out in 1986. Today's 262C is a silver and black example of the early model operation. Your 24,000 dollars.

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I was shocked-shocked! -This is not for sale.

I think any market analyst at the time could tell them that this would not be great.

I always think these are weird. When I was a teenager, I was almost completely obsessed with the 242GT, and I have always liked the 780. Coincidentally, today I know that there is a "243" with two doors on the right that look like a car and one on the left that looks like a coupe. According to legend, a total of 30 were manufactured.

I'm sorry to tell you-but I have to check-the "243" stuff in this factory is just fabricated, and any such car in real life is a custom job.

I remember when these were new and confused by them. 262C Brougham (as it should be called) seems to despise everything that Volvo stands for. They are impractical, they are fashionable, they are fancy. Why does Volvo feel the need to build a Swedish Lincoln Mark V? I don’t know, nor do most potential buyers.

"Why does Volvo feel the need to build a Swedish Lincoln Mark V? I don't know, and most potential buyers don't."

Because they decided that if they want to survive, they need a broader product line than 244 and 245. This is the correct idea. It is true that their execution is somewhat unsatisfactory, but this is the beginning. ..

A few weeks ago, a 780 Coupe exchanged by LS ran on Rocky Mountain Race Week 2.0 (I think its ET is at nine). A twin-turbocharged LS-powered Volvo 240 station wagon runs at a speed of six (!) at this year's Hot Rod Drag Week.

If Volvo of Sweden is really smart, it will avoid the Italian Bertone altogether, and instead use an Allen key and instructions to directly ship the car to the customer in a flat package.

As a professor, I would never buy that car. Everything about this car violates my core values. It lacks a trace of integrity.

I think these are more interesting than I should be. The combination of the dull Volvo 200 platform, shredded roof and pleated leather seats appealed to me.

(But then I remembered that they had a PRV V6.)

Yes, but PRV V6 means there is no reason not to choose a Ford or Chevrolet V8 to turn the car into a 282c. With 4, then there must be a reason to install a large turbocharger on it.

The Redblock version has built these in the aftermarket.

https://www.wagonmeister.com/jacob-s-79-bertone

I remember seeing several vinyl top specimens that day. Strange car. I actually kind of like the absence of vinyl.

The weak link of this unique Volvo is V6...trouble. If the lack of power can be tolerated, the proven 4-cylinder will be a viable method. Volvo looks good.

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