Volvo P1800 ES Reimagined as a Modern Shooting Brake with Turbo Power

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As it is, the Volvo P1800 is one of the most stylish (and longest-lasting) cars to come out of Sweden. Swedish design tends to put function over form, and while there’s nothing wrong with that at all, it’s nice to see them put their hair down from time to time. That’s exactly what Volvo did when it rolled out the P1800 ES.

Truth be told, there was no need for that product. The coupe was already a looker in the first place, and models like the Amazon, 140 Series, and 146 covered the mainstream market throughout the ’60s to the early ’70s. Then again, Volvo is synonymous with long-roofs, so perhaps it was inevitable that the company would turn the P1800 into a shooting brake.

We’re not complaining, though, as the P1800 ES launched in 1972 was an instant classic. It was also a great way to cap off P1800 production, which ended in 1973.

A Restomod Worth Doing

There have been loads of restomods and tributes done to the P1800 and P1800 ES since production stopped. Heck, Volvo itself drew inspiration from the classic shooting brake with the relatively short-lived C30 hatchback from 2006 to 2013, and let’s not forget Cyan Racing’s own take on the car. The love for that car lives on to this day, and one company brings that to a new level.

That firm is called Autoforma, a Dutch-based aftermarket and restoration company that specializes in bespoke restomods for select vehicles. Some of their pretty neat projects include a truly unique first-generation Fiat Panda 4×4, real gold trims for AMG products, and a 250 GTO-inspired Ferrari 296, among other things.

Meet the Norrsken P1800 ES

Autoforma, in cooperation with Volvo Lotte, a renowned classic Volvo dealer in the Netherlands, will be building an extremely limited number of reimagined P1800 ES models. They will offer it in three trims, ranging from faithful homage to all-out modernized. The best part is, it’s done in a rather tasteful way that won’t make purists too angry.

The three trims consist of Heritage Heaven, Modern Marvel, and Forward Fashionista. While the names sound a touch whimsical, it does match the way Autoforma described each of them. Heritage Heaven sticks to the P1800 ES’ roots, while Modern Marvel integrates more mod cons. As for the Forward Fashionista, that’s the one that gets a whole heap of goodies.

The Mods

The good news is, Autoforma won’t hack away at the original interior panels. Given that it’s a rare car to begin with, it’s good that they won’t be messing with that. Instead, it will get reupholstered with a wide selection of leather, Alcantara, and wool fabrics available for the customer. Meanwhile, the dash can be finished in painted body color, brushed aluminium, or fine wood veneers.

Modern Marvel versions feature chassis and powertrain enhancements, along with a wider selection of interior fabrics and modern lighting. Meanwhile, the Forward Fashionista gets a unique suspension arrangement, larger brakes, carbon fiber panels, and a reworked transmission. Oh, and it gets a turbocharged five-cylinder engine from the 850 T-5 — tuned, of course.

So, how much will it be? Well, the company didn’t mention it, but it’s safe to say that it won’t be cheap. Still, for the well-heeled P1800 ES fanatic who’s more than willing to splash out for a true one-of-one special, no price is high enough to stop them.