This Volvo is quite a find! It is a homologation special for competition in Group A, Touring Car Racing in accordance with FISA (Fédération Internationale du Sport Automobile) regulations. It is one of 500 but has a unique difference from standard so let’s investigate and learn a bit about this Swedish tourer. This Volvo is located in Delray Beach, Florida, and is available, here on eBay for a current bid of $4,150, reserve not yet met.
As the story goes, all 500 of these”Evolutions” or what is known as “a Flat Hood” Volvo were imported through the Port of Portsmouth, Virginia and this example spent most of its life in the D.C. metro area. Only one Evo was awarded per Volvo dealer and all 500 (the minimum number for homologation) needed to be inspected to certify exactness and consistency. The fleet was split between the west and east coasts before being dispersed to the designated dealerships.
According to Hemmings, the Evolutions had “bigger turbos, modified engine control systems, and Water Turbo Traction – which involved water injection into the intake, an invention developed and patented by Volvo. Under the skin, they were equipped with “GT” suspension components and a factory-fitted intercooler“. All this goodness added $995 to the price of a 240. Specifically, the powerplant is a 161 HP, 2.1 liter in-line, four-cylinder unit. In this case, the seller has upgraded the fuel injection system and electronics and the CAT has been removed. That could make for interesting times at inspection stations in locales that require auto emission inspections – this car’s home state of Florida doesn’t. So, how’s it run? The seller advises, “Lately it hasn’t been wanting to start as it doesn’t have spark. I have replaced a couple of ignition parts but I suspect that it might need a new ignition coil or hall sensor or both“. Evolution Volvos came equipped with both automatic and manual transmissions and this example has the benefit of a four-speed manual unit with electronic overdrive.
Externally, this Volvo is fair, and silver is a very forgiving hue but there is some obvious fade that is visible. Nevertheless, the seller states, “A couple of bad attempts have been made by a previous owner to tend to some of the rust on both sides of the rear quarter panels. The rear wheel wells where the repairs took place are only about halfway rusted but the job needs to be redone”. He’s right about that, it can be seen in both profile images behind the rear wheel openings. He further adds, “For some reason, a part of the passenger side floor panel has been partially cut out and will need to be replaced. There are a few dents on the left rear quarter panel, the hood has a couple of dents in it. The rear hatch has been changed out, most likely due to parking damage. All in all, it is not at all bad with very little rust, surface rust at most“. I could have paraphrased the seller’s exterior notations but he’s pretty forthcoming so I thought it best to present things just as he sees them. Two interesting items here to consider, this Volvo is called a “Flat Hood” because the hood does not have the very mild dome that a standard 240 possesses. In actuality, this is really a depressed hood as the hood has a central dip – I guess “Depressed Hood” doesn’t sound too uplifting. Most unusual, however, is the lack of a sunroof that is supposed to be a standard item with the Evo package. All 500 were supposed to be equipped with one but this particular car lacks one, an aberration perhaps? One final note, Volvo also planned a special decklid spoiler, an item to be placed in the trunk and then installed later if the new owner so desired. That plan was later dropped, however. I tried to find an image of the planned appendage but was unsuccessful.
Inside, Volvo offered both cloth and leather upholstery, the latter is what’s found here and it’s in nice shape. The entire interior shows pretty well, it has that chocky-blocky hard-edged ’80s look about it. Dated? Yes but it’s still a pleasant trip down memory lane. In addition to the Performance/Handling Package (23/21-mm front/rear anti-roll bars, heavy-duty gas shocks, front air dam, vented front brake rotors, 195/60R15 tires on 15 x 6 “Virgo” alloy wheels, 370-mm sport steering wheel, auxiliary engine oil cooler, and intercooler and trim Package, the Evo’s previously mentioned $995 tariff also included a bank of accessory gauges placed at the top of the center stack.
The seller states that this Volvo is not the perfect car but it is a perfect project. Perhaps, it’s a 215K mile example and the devil is always in the details. Nevertheless, here’s to hoping that this one gets saved! A Volvo Evolution is a cool car with an interesting history – homologation specials always are and this is one example, that I believe, has probably slipped below most car enthusiast’s radar – well maybe not if you’re a Volvo aficionado. So, a show of hands please, is anyone familiar with this seldomly seen Scandanavian performer?
It wasn’t that long ago that I read an article about this special model. Maybe the article was incorrect or I read into it wrong but I thought the evolution models we saw did not have the performance equipment due to EPA laws. If so someone fitted the car with all the go fast goods. 83 would have still been what Volvo called CI for continuous injection. Someone has gone to the trouble to fit LH injection which is more reliable and will net more power. I’m sure this runs a lot stronger now than what it did in 83.
What I heard was it was a deliberate non-homologation homologation, with the cars being built and *all* sent to the US, at which time they were cleared through customs, the paperwork sent to FISA, and stripped of unique parts.
I don’t know if it was accepted for homologation, but a couple years later either FISA or Volvo’s racing department agreed to what Marketing wanted to do all along, but they started to race the wagon. They stopped building 242s altogether at around the same time.
See, now I’ve heard a 3rd version of the story, in that these cars wouldn’t have been emissions compliant, so the engines were *shipped* the same as the 1984.5 242 Turbo Intercooler, but all the go fast bits were in the trunk, for the dealer to install prior to delivery.
In 1980 I bought a 1980 242 SRO. Two headlights/flat hood. At about that time Car&Driver or Road&Track ran a series of articles; “Blue Max” on how to build up the performance using off-the-shelf factory parts. The build was primarily focused on suspension upgrades to produce some remarkable handling stat’s…
My sister bought one of these new, the selling dealer claiming it was the LA car show car. Some paperwork that came with it seem to indicate that was true. My girlfriend, now wife, bought it and was her (ours?) daily driver for another 6 years.
From what I remember, the water injection (I thought it was alcohol injection?) and other go fast parts were shipped in the trunk and removed post importation. I went to the local Volvo dealer, circa 1994 to inquire about getting the parts. Guy was co-operative and made some calls. He told me that the parts were shipped over here and then after clearing customs were shipped back home. There wasn’t any available in stock anywhere. Maybe he was making excuses…IDK.
As to the car. Dead reliable. At the hands of me at 16 (wow it ripped!) and throughout the entire time it was in the family (sold in 1996). Its a car I wish I had kept, not for the financials because they sure haven’t appreciated aka the e30 M3’s or whatnot, but it was a really fun car to drive. It handled really well and when the turbo kicked in I would have certainly guessed a WHOLE lot more than 160 hp was on tap!
I sold it to a “volvo guy” and explained to him what it was (I called it a slant nose turbo). He had never heard of them. No one had heard of them and this was even in Seattle where the Nordic/Volvo connection runs deep.
As to this one…it looks pretty rough. But where else are you gonna find a true Homologation Special made up of 500 cars for where this one is going to sell at?!!!
Probably will need some skilled help to get it running especially since the ignition system is non-stock.. Strange too, it doesn’t have the sunroof nor an automatic, both of which all of the 500 were required to have. Also, the “intercooler” script is missing from the trunk lid. Something just doesn’t sit right with this car.
I never understood the attraction to Volvo 240’s, they were an ugly, underperforming, plastic filled mess. I was a service writer for a small repair shop, and yes they were dependable, but they were so ugly. The owners were extremely loyal, and they followed their maintenance to the tee. Which is why they lasted so long and were dependable transportation for sure. When I became a car salesman, there were 2 customers I refused to help, Volvo and Subaru. They were so opinionated about their brand, you couldn’t talk any sense to them. I ran from them like the plague.
@Terrry….My sisters car, original owner, was a 4-speed manual with Overdrive. It also had the sunroof.
Is that a b230ft motor? If it’s got the thick cylinder walls..get bigger turbo, head-work and exhaust..250 Hp and more! Ugly but beautiful! You know the type