I have a '88 760 turbo/intercooler, and I have a '91 940 SE with the same turbo/intercooler engine. What i'm asking is why do some of you call the cars a 765 or 945, 965 etc. are they diff. numbers in other countrys??

I just don't get it

alex

Once, a long time ago (about 1966, with the introduction of the 140 series), in a country far away (Sweden), a wise king (or more likely, some engineer) had a flash of insight: How about instituting a consistent numbering scheme? first digit is the series, second digit the number of cylinders, third digit the number of doors. Hence, a 164 was series 1, 6 cylinders, 4 doors (ie. a sedan), 245 was series 1, 4 cylinders, 5 doors (ie. a wagon), 345 was series 3 (never sold in the US), 4 cylinders, 5 doors (ie. a (gotcha!) hatchback). Then, as usual, the evil witch named marketing waltzed in and started mucking up the party. They started dropping the number of doors in the published model number (so cars became 240, 340, 740, etc). Then the 6 and 8 designations in the second position became ambivalent. A 260 always has a V6, a 960 always has a straight 6, but a 760 can be a V6 or a turbo 4 (and in some markets a 16 valve 4, or even a 16 valve turbo 4), a 360 is a 2 litre (B200) 340 (which had either a 1.4 or 1.7 renault straight 4). In some markets (mainly the US) the 240 was at some point in time the only model sold and had even the number dropped (so it was merely a DL or GL or whatever). Volvo itself, however, has never stopped using the full designation internally. If you look at invoices an 850 wagon was still an 855, the first generation S/V70 (the ones that looked like an 850) were 874/875, etc. I don't know the internal designations for the current cars (S/V40, S60, V70, S80), but I'm sure they're more informative than the badging.

Bram

The first digit is the model line (2, 7, 9, etc.), the second digit is the number of cylinders (4 or 6), the third digit is the number of doors (2 for coupe, 4 for sedan, or 5 for wagon). Back in the 70's Volvo actually badged the cars this way, we just tend to like the idea... :0)

Except that a 900 is basically a 700 and many 760's had fours. Don't forget the 780 which had different body-work from the 740 and a four or a six but never a (stock) eight. Also, a V90 is virtually identical to a 965 but a V70 is quite evolved from an 855.

Basically logical with many exceptions, like English!

Oh yeah, T means Turbo and Ti means Turbo Intercooler, sometimes written out. Don't count on it, though, there are 944 Ti's labeled just 940 and there is your 940 SE!

All x6x cars (recently anyway) have had independent rear suspension (with Nivomats) and automatic climate control, unless of course they don't. Or they might have and be x4x cars!

And then there is the 1993 740 wagon my neighbour has, which as near as we can figure out is identical to our 1994 940 wagon, except his was assembled in Sweden and ours in halifax.

The 940 SE seems to break the most rules. Seems like a nice car, though.

And that naming convention worked too good, so Volvo had to go and change it.

Now they're named things like S40, C70, etc., where the letter indicates body style (S=sedan, C=convertible), and the number indicates how many months it takes a person of average income to pay the car off.

C stands for coupe, not convertible. Also, V stands for versitility.

LOL,

but I think it is more the first number indicates the number of years it takes to pay off and the 0 is just tacked on to avoid confusion with certain Audis :)

And don't forget that system is in the process of evolving too, it is now s and an even number + 0 = sedan v and odd number +0 = wagon(or versitile). At least it sounds like they intend to stick with this system for a little while now.

"odd number +0 = wagon(or versitile)"

V40 is a wagon, and not an odd number. I think it has more to do with size than odd/even, since 40 is the smallest, then the 60/70 are in the middle, then the 80 is the largest.

Actually Michael the V40 is an interm car, the next generation will be S40 and V50, there may also be a hatchback (might not be available in North America) the V30, and a coupe C30. yes the wagons fit between the sedans, but there will be no v40, v60, or v80 (may be a V90 when the SUV comes out)