Don't let the she-mullet and tie clip fool you: this couple has got style. After all, they're about to get into one of the most attractive two-doors of the 1980s.
This month marks the 25th anniversary of the Volvo 780's debut at the Geneva Motor Show. The part-Italian, part-Swedish coupe melded the looks of Sophia Loren and the practicality of Rosie the Riveter, with a body by legendary Italian *Carrozzeria *Bertone and a drivetrain from Volvo's venerable 700 series.
The 780 was the first of a series of mid-1980s flirtations between Italian designers and carmakers from colder climes, culminating in such disappointments as the Pininfarina-bodied Cadillac Allanté and the truly ghastly Chrysler TC by Maserati. These cars had the style of Sinatra, but offered the driver all the excitement of Perry Como.
While it shared the underpinnings of a Volvo 740 or 760, depending on the customer's choice of engine, the 780 borrowed no body panels from it's dowdy stablemates and featured an interior worthy of a contemporary Maserati Quattroporte, somewhat tempered with Nordic restraint and birch wood trim.
Since it was a Volvo, four-wheel ABS and a driver's side airbag came standard. Since it was the mid-1980s, an audio equalizer featured prominently in the center stack. On the road, its self-leveling rear suspension and choice of turbo four or V6 shared with Peugeot and Renault gave the coupe a vaguely French feel.
What's truly stunning about the 780, though, is how Bertone managed to interpret Volvo's square-shouldered, utilitarian design language into a thing of beauty that was still instantly recognizable as a Volvo. It made us wonder why Volvo didn't try to make every car as stylish, and why a guy whose tie ended a foot above his belt still had such good taste in cars.
Unlike Chrysler and Cadillac, Volvo offered some truth in advertising and was the first to admit that the 780 was purposely built for show, not go. "It was not a sporty car but very comfortable, luxuriously appointed and loaded with all sorts of equipment and accessories as standard features," the automaker said.
The car continued in production through the 1991 model year, with a total of only 8,518 vehicles built. Unlike navy blazers with blue khakis and high-waisted linen pantsuits, the 780 remains an eye-catching example of 1980s style to this day.
Photo: Volvo Cars
