Volvo P1800: The Saint’s Swedish Coupé and the Car with 5 Million Kilometres

When we say Volvo, most of us picture a square, safe estate car full of children and dogs. Yet in the early 1960s the same company built one of the most elegant coupés of its time. A car that Roger Moore drove on television before he became James Bond, and one that still holds a record that will be very hard to beat.

A 22-year-old in Turin

In the late 1950s Volvo wanted a sports car, mainly for the American market. It asked for designs from Pietro Frua’s studio in Turin. The design it chose, however, was not drawn by Frua himself. It was drawn by a young Swede who worked there, Pelle Petterson, only 22 years old. For years Volvo presented it as an “Italian” design, and Petterson got the credit he deserved much later. He went on to become known as a boat designer and an Olympic medallist in sailing.

The result was a coupé with a long bonnet, a low line, small rear fins and a chrome grille with a hint of America. Italian elegance with a little Detroit on top.

Assembled in England

Volvo had no room in its factories for a new car. So when the P1800 was launched in 1961, the bodies were made in Scotland and assembly was done by Jensen in West Bromwich, England. The quality, though, was not what the Swedes wanted. In 1963 production moved to Gothenburg and the car was renamed 1800S, the S standing for “Sverige”, Sweden.

Mechanically, the P1800 was a classic Volvo. It had the 1.8-litre B18 four-cylinder engine with about 100 horsepower, which was almost indestructible. It was not the fastest sports car of its day, but it was one of the most reliable. And that, as we will see, made all the difference.

The Saint at the wheel

In 1962 British television began showing “The Saint”, with Roger Moore as Simon Templar, an elegant adventurer. The producers first wanted a new Jaguar, but Jaguar said no. Volvo said yes at once. For seven years, millions of viewers around the world watched Simon Templar arrive in a white P1800. Volvo could not have bought better advertising at any price. Moore even bought one for himself.

5 million kilometres

In 1966 a science teacher from New York, Irv Gordon, bought a red 1800S. He loved driving, covered long distances for work and looked after the car meticulously. He never sold it. By the time he died in 2018 he had driven more than 3.2 million miles, over 5 million kilometres. Guinness recorded it as the highest-mileage car driven by a single owner. That is like driving to the Moon and back more than six times.

Snow White’s coffin

The last version, the 1972 1800 ES, had a large glass tailgate, like a small estate. The Swedes called it “Snövits kista”, Snow White’s glass coffin. It was practical and beautiful, but new American safety rules ended it in 1973. In total about 47,000 cars of the 1800 series were built.

Today the P1800 is one of the smartest classics to buy. It is beautiful, parts are available, the engine lasts, and if you look after it, it can take you a very long way. Just ask Irv Gordon.

P.Kefalas