1989 Volvo 740 – Classified of the Week

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Chris Pollitt

It wasn’t so long ago that Volvos had very little following. Back when they were new, they were lauded for their safety and their comfort, but at the same time, they were readily mocked for their uncompromising ruler and set square design. They were seen as being overtly sensible and predictable, and this combined with the angular design meant it wasn’t a car that attracted the enthusiasts.

So what are we doing here then, shouting from our digital soapbox about Volvo’s most boxy of offerings, the 740? Well, here’s the thing. Volvos didn’t have a following. But that’s very much a past tense statement. It seems that today we have a newfound love for the Swedish bruisers. Perhaps it’s because they represent good value? Perhaps it’s because they’re a good way to buy a safe car without breaking the bank? Maybe now Volvo is seen as handsome in a sea of ubiquitous modern curves and swoops? It could be a case of that an old Volvo now, despite being linear in its design, looks, dare we say, cool when compared to its contemporaries? Whatever the reason, the fact stands that old Volvos are now proper classics, as this gorgeous 740GL in Signal Red goes to show.

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Look at the square-jawed handsomeness of that. That’s a car with presence and purpose, and we like that. And it’s a car that has been fastidiously cared for ever since it rolled out of the showroom in 1989. The current owner seems to beam as he explains that this 740GL has every single bit of history within its paperwork. In fact, there is more than that. There is a copy of the original invoice and even a copy of the cheque the first owner used to pay for the car with. It’s time capsule stuff.

In terms of the car itself, the seller states the headlining – a common failure on these – is present and correct, the 72k on the clock is genuine, there is MOT for a year and the whole thing feels as tight, to use the old idiom, as a drum. Ok, so the car does have a couple of dents and dings, but only tiny things commensurate with elderly ownership, and certainly nothing that a localised repair specialist couldn’t sort out in a day.

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The 740 was a hugely important car for Volvo and one that further cemented the brand’s reputation for safety and luxury. You may remember the famous television advert in which Volvo flung a 740 off a quarry face to demonstrate how tough they are. You don’t get that in 2019! What you do get, however, is an opportunity to own what has to be one of the finest 740s out there, and all for a hair under four grand. And mark our words, the values for cars like this are only going one way…

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