| Volvo 262C | |
| Manufacturer: | Volvo / Bertone |
| Aka: | Volvo Coupé |
| Production: | 1977–1981 (6,622 built)[1] |
| Model Years: | 1978–1981 |
| Assembly: | Italy: Turin (Gruppo Bertone) |
| Body Style: | 2-door coupé |
| Layout: | FR layout |
| Related: | Volvo 260 series |
| Wheelbase: | 26401NaN1 |
| Length: | 48901NaN1 |
| Width: | 17101NaN1 |
| Height: | 14401NaN1 |
| Weight: | 1425- |
| Successor: | Volvo 780 |
| Designer: | Jan Wilsgaard |
| Sp: | us |
The Volvo 262C is a luxury coupé made by Volvo from 1977 (as 1978 model) to 1981). Based on the 264 six-cylinder saloon, the 262C was designed in-house by Volvo's Jan Wilsgaard, and built mainly by Bertone in Turin, Italy.[2]
The drivetrain, suspension, floor pan, and many of the body panels of the 262C were taken directly from the Volvo 260 four-door sedan, with Bertone building the roof pillars, roof pan, windshield surround, cowl, and upper parts of the doors.[2] The roof of the 262C is about 1001NaN1 lower than that of the 260 sedans. The chopping had the effect of cramping interior space, and the wide C-pillars made for small-sized rear side windows.[3]
The 262C used the PRV engine, a V6 engine developed jointly by Peugeot, Renault, and Volvo.[2] The engine used a Lambda-sond oxygen sensor system; this was the first use of this system on a production V engine.[4]
Standard equipment included power windows and mirrors, central locking, cruise control, air conditioning, heated front seats, leather interior, alloy wheels, and electrically powered radio antenna. The only optional extras were a limited-slip differential, a choice of stereos, and the no-cost option of a Borg-Warner three-speed automatic instead of the four-speed manual with electrically operated overdrive.[2] By 1981, the manual-transmission option had been discontinued for the U.S. market.[5]
On the occasion of Volvo's 25th anniversary in the United States, Volvo North America contracted Newport Conversions of Santa Ana, California, to convert the 262C into a convertible to give as a gift to the company CEO. This version was called the 262C Solaire. Volvo's Swedish headquarters, however, vetoed the project due to safety concerns. A total of five 262 convertibles were made.[6]
Aimed mainly at the United States market, the 262C was Volvo's first entry into the luxury car segment. About half of the annual production was earmarked for the United States.[5] It competed against the Cadillac Eldorado and the Mercedes-Benz 280 CE and 300 CD. A total of 6,622 cars were produced from 1978 until 1980.[2] The model was available in only one color combination: silver paint with black vinyl-covered roof. One automobile journalist described the 262C as "the strangely proportioned two-door looks like a chopped diesel locomotive" that "evades the classic ideals of beauty, regardless of the stylistic authorship."[3]
For the 1979 model year, the rear-end design was modified with a deeper trunk lid and wrap-around taillights. Upgrades included thermostatic heater controls, and cars with manual transmission included the shift linkage from the 242GT.[2]
The 1980 model year featured an engine displacement increase from 2664to as a result of the bore going from 88to. The engine was also reconfigured, with seven main bearings instead of four and an increase in compression ratio from 8.2:1 to 8.8:1. Also, in 1980, the front air dam from the 242GT was added to the 262C.[2] For North America, the 2.8-litre engine was rated at 1300NaN0.[5]
The vinyl roof cover was deleted for the final 1981 model year of production.[2]