The job of designing the P1800 was given to Italian coachbuilder Frua, but fittingly the shape of what has become probably the most famous Volvo ever, was designed by a Swede; Pele Petterson. The car was unveiled at the 1960 Brussels Motor Show.

Building the sleek coupe proved a little tricky. Volvo had intended for Karmann to produce the new bodies, but a veto by Volkswagen, led to a deal being struck with British builders Pressed Steel and finally Jensen. Production began in 1961.

Initially, the car was fitted with the 100hp, 1778cc B18 engine, which had powered the stalwart PV544. Three other versions followed, the first being the 108hp 1800S of 1963 – the ‘S’ denoting that production had been moved back to Sweden in 1963. In ’69, the B18 was replaced by the 118hp 2-litre B20 and, in 1970, the fuel-injected 1800E arrived on the scene.

In 1872, the sleek two-door 1800ES station wagon was added to the model range and built alongside the coupe until both were discontinued in 1973.

This late production example (the Swedish cars were better built) had only one owner for the first 24 years of its life and was put into storage in 1987 having covered only 18,700 miles. Sold in the early Nineties, its next owner set about a comprehensive recommissioning between 1995 and 1997, but again used the car sparingly once all the work was done.

The car found itself up for renovation again in 2001. This was a far more extensive restoration – some 2500 hours-worth, which saw the Volvo totally dismantled, repainted and rebuilt. 

Mechanical and suspension components were removed, bead blasted and cleaned then zinc and powder-coated, giving a very resilient protection to corrosion. Some more mechanical fettling followed around 2008 and the car has seen generally very light use since, now being part of a larger collection.

There is a comprehensive folder of MOTs, papers and invoices to back up what has been said about the car and detailing the components/work from the various rebuilds. 

The file includes one or two insightful communications from owners, both about recommissioning the car at various stages and its ownership in general. The service records and MOTs also help authenticate the mileage.

It’s now 20 years ago since the car was repainted (yes, 2001 is that long ago), but the Volvo’s bodywork is in excellent condition. 

The paintwork itself retains a smooth, high-quality finish with a deep and consistent gloss across all panels. The car was of course fully dismantled before painting, and this can be evidenced by the total lack of overspray on seals (generally good condition) and other trim. It’s understood that much of the chrome was replaced and this too presents extremely well. 

There are a few small areas of pitting, such as the nearside quarter-light, but in general the brightwork is of a very high standard, maintaining a deep lustre. Lights and surrounds, grill and bumpers all fit precisely into position (notice how clean the screws are too), and the chrome strips down the flanks emphasise how straight the sides are. Panel gaps are narrow and the boot and bonnet fit snugly in place. 

There appears to be no rust around the car, save for perhaps a couple of very small bubbles beneath the front grill. Wheel arches are firm and areas being bumpers clean. 

A stunning example of a legendary motor.

The coupe’s cabin offers a nice balance between originality and restoration with much of the interior remaining quite original. The seats don’t look to have been retrimmed, and show the fairly gentle creasing of the years – and respectful use. They retain a good colour and show no tears or harsh scuffs. 

Their knurled adjustment wheels actually move and the mechanisms show no rust. As usual, those in the rear show little use.

The carpets are stain-free and their colour vivid –  suggesting retrimming – and the bound edges of the mats are very straight. The headlining above is also clean, with no signs of sagging.

The door cards are very smart. Their quite complex mouldings remain well defined and potential areas of wear around handles show no scuffs or fading. The window winders are in good condition.

The dashboard and steering wheel show the most wear, displaying the slightly rounded-off, faded-edge look of considerate but well-handled use. The edges of some of the instruments are a little untidy, but the whole display has an aged feel giving a nod to the car’s past, which you probably wouldn’t want to change. The car has been driven but respected.

It’s underneath that you probably see the benefit and feel the reassurance of the restoration the most. It’s obvious that the Volvo has seen little if any inclement weather since the rebuild, with the paintwork, suspension and mechanical parts remaining clean. 

There is no evidence of corrosion (save for a very localised surface rust on one or two particular parts) and all components look to have been well fettled and appear capable of easy adjustment.

Perhaps it would be wrong to call the engine bay concourse (you know how picky those judges can be) – you might need a little bit of polishing to take off the light oxidation or bloom on one or two parts – but really, the condition of everything is excellent.

While everything is clean and pretty new looking, where the car really impresses is in the details (this goes for the boot area too); look at bolts, nuts and fasteners, the crevices behind brackets, the jack – or the super-neat under-bonnet insulation. Rubber seals look new as do wiring and hoses. There are absolutely no signs of leaks. It can’t have looked much (any) better when it left the factory.

This has to be Volvo’s raciest shape ever – even in standard form it looks like a resto-mod. Yet it still manages to retain a restrained grace and elegance. 

As well as such beguiling aesthetics, this particular example offered a high-quality and thorough restoration, which, if it had to be undertaken by the new buyer, would doubtless cost far in excess of whatever this auction’s winning bid might be.