Volvo 480

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Volvo 480
Manufacturer	Volvo Cars
Production	1986–1995
Predecessor	Volvo P1800
Successor	Volvo C30
Class	Compact
Body style	Coupe
Platform	FF
Related	Volvo 440 Volvo 460

The Volvo 480 was a car with an unusual 4 seat, 3-door hatchback body, somewhere between liftback and estate in form, though marketed as a coupé. It was the first front-wheel drive car made by Volvo Cars.

[edit] Development

First put on show at Geneva in 1985, the 480 became available to the public in 1986. Produced in Born, Netherlands, at the factory which built DAF cars, including the DAF 66-based Volvo 66 and later Volvo 300 Series. The platform that was also used in the Volvo 440 and 460. It was originally designed for the North American market (as can be evidenced by its US-spec front and rear side markers, not used on European automobiles), but in the end was never officially sold there. The 480 was the first Volvo of its style since the Volvo P1800, and the last until the unveiling of the Volvo C30.

The concept was to design a front-wheel drive car with an integral computer to control the advanced electronics found in the car. Unfortunately, the necessary technology was still in its infancy, and the 480 was plagued with electrical problems. Revisions in the early 1990s saw improved reliability.

Offsetting these problems, the car had excellent handling, due in no small part to its Lotus-designed suspension, and a series of reliable Renault engines, tuned by Porsche.

In 1992 the 480 was given new mirrors, and headrests for the back seats.

In 1988, a Turbo version was introduced, increasing the power from 109 hp to 120 hp. Maximum torque was 175 Nm instead of 140 Nm for the naturally-aspirated 1.7 L engine. In 1993, due to new legislation which meant that catalytic converters had to be fitted to unleaded petrol engines, power dropped and so the 2.0 L engine was developed; it was rated at 110 hp and 165 Nm.

Production ended on 7 September 1995 with about 80,463 units produced.

[edit] Prototypes for variants

The 480 factory also made several prototypes, including a 480 with an electric drivetrain, a supercharged version, a version with a 16-valve engine and a version with a turbocharged 2.0 L engine. However, none of these made it to production. A convertible was shown in the press in the mid 1980s but also did not make production due to a supplier going bankrupt.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] External links

• Volvo 480 Club Europe

Volvo Cars, a subsidiary of the Ford Motor Company since 1998, road car timeline, 1960s-present  v • d • e
Type	1960s										1970s										1980s										1990s										2000s
	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
Small family car	544																66
																	340
																								360
																											480																					C30
																												440 / 460
																																					S40 / V40								S40 / V50
Compact executive car	Amazon / 120 / 130
								140								240																	850						S70 / V70			S60 / V70
	Duett																									740						940
Executive car									164															760								960							S/V90	S80								S80
																260
Sport		P1800		1800S							1800E		1800ES						242 GT			240 Turbo														850 R			S/V70 R			S60/V70 T5			S60/V70 R
Coupé																			262C									780											C70								C70
Crossover																																												XC90