The Volvo 200 Series took shape from the Volvo Experimental Safety Car (VESC) and the Experimental Safety Vehicle (ESV). The exterior of the series was almost identical to the 140 series except for the front section which adopted the experimental vehicle’s sloping profile and incorporated extended bumpers to the front and rear. This range comprises of the 240 and 260 series of midsize cars.
The Volvo 260 Series is the heftier variant of the two. It complemented the Volvo 200 series initially released in 1975 and sported 6-cylinder engines. On its first offering, there were only two trim options, the 264 DL and 264 GL, both being 4-door versions. The following year saw the release of the estate version 265. The two-door version 262 also came out but which the 262C replaced in 1977. The Bertone-designed 262C was a different car altogether from the 262, which was a 242 with a V6 engine.
The main distinction of the 260 from the 240 is its more distinctive vertical slotted rectangular grille. Facelifts followed the other 200 series with the most noticeable design change being the shift to a pair of rectangular headlights in later models.
The 260 Series adopted a front-engine rear-wheel-drive layout. It contained all the standard safety and mechanical features of the 240 but with a more luxurious interior package.
The Volvo 264, 1975-1982
Based on its model number, the 264 is a four-door version of the 200 series with a new V6 engine under the hood. The 264 was only sold from 1975 to 1982, with the 760 GLE replacing it afterwards.
On its first release, the only engine options were the petrol V6 PRV engines in either the 2,664cc (264 GL) or 2,849cc (264 GL) displacement. The 2,664cc produced a maximum power of 103 kW at 6,000 rpm and torque of 203 N⋅m at 3,000 rpm. The 2,849cc achieved a maximum power output of 114 kW at 5,500 rpm with a torque of 230 N⋅m at 3,000 rpm. Transmission options were the 4-speed manual, 4-speed manual with electric overdrive or a 3-speed automatic. In 1981, the 2,849cc (now badged as 264 GLE) received a slight upgrade increasing power to 116 kW with equal torque as before at 230 N⋅m.
In 1981, a diesel option became available and was known as the 264 D6 which had a naturally-aspirated inline-6 diesel engine from Volkswagen. Power output was 60 kW at 4,800 rpm and produced a torque of 140 N⋅m at 2,800 rpm.
In 1979, a special version of the 264 was introduced, designed by Bertone and was named the 264 TE (Top Executive). The 264 TE was Volvo’s flagship offering and was a 4-door limousine with the length extended to 5600mm from the base versions of 4,896mm. The increased length gave more room to the passenger compartment and featured longer rear doors and redesigned C-pillar section. The 264 TE also featured a telephone and a fridge. It wasn't offered for long and discontinued in 1980.
The Volvo 262, 1975-1977
The two-door version of the 260 series was the 262, sold from 1975-1977 then replaced by the Bertone-designed 262C. It was based on the 242 but incorporated the 6-cylinder engine and featured the 260 Series front grille and rectangular headlights.
The only engine offered for the 262 was the V6 OHC PRV petrol engine 2,664cc identical to 264DL with the same transmission options. This car had a top speed of 190 km/h and could accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 10.6 seconds.
The Volvo 262C, 1977-1981
The 262C, better known as the 262 Coupe, was introduced in 1977 at the Geneva Motor Show. It was a completely redesigned car replacing the model 262 lineup and was designed by the Bertone design house which was also the designer of iconic vehicles that started in the 1960s. Bertone Stile was the designer for Ferrari, Lamborghini and Lancia, to name a few.
The 262C retained the general external profile of the 262 with a notable difference being the more sloped windshield and the wider C-pillar. It also sported a different roofline compared to the basic two-door versions of the 200 series. The interior was very plush with better leather and wood accents. Initially, this was only available in silver exterior colour with a black vinyl top, but in later years, other paint options became available.
The only engine offered for the 262 was the V6 OHC PRV petrol engine 2,664cc coupled to either a 4-speed manual with electric overdrive or a 3-speed automatic. The 262C was available from 1977 until 1981.
The Volvo 265, 1975-1985
The 5-door estate version, the 265, was first available for the 1976 model year. It was the first time that Volvo had an estate version that was powered by a 6-cylinder engine. The design was identical to the 245 series but with the front grille and headlights that were the distinctive style of the 6-cylinder powered cars.
Engine and transmission options are identical to 264 year to year. It was the only 260 model offered in 1983 and thus was renamed 260 rather than 265 until its production ended in 1985. The 6-cylinder versions became obsolete with the introduction to the 240 series of more engine options that had higher power output.
Production total of these 6-cylinder powered cars only reached 176,583 units, with the 265 now becoming very popular for car collectors. The more desirable examples are the 262 series with only 9,951 units produced. The rarest 260 would be the only 264 TE built for a Norwegian in 1983. The 260 Series cars are still around for maybe a few more years in many parts of the world attesting to their durability and practicality.
-Jarad