Let me just begin by shooting myself in the foot, and asking whether the squared-off Volvo 480 ES is a fastback. Is it a hatchback? Glassback? Shooting brake? Doorstop? An anteater? In any case, it’s one of the quirkiest Volvos ever, and it’s their pioneering front-wheel-drive outing.
I’ve always been fascinated by them, so it was crucial to take a couple photos of this one.
How many forced styling features can you see in this shot? The 480 ES wasn’t originally designed to have pop-up headlights, but the small and shallow lights above the bumper couldn’t accommodate good enough lighting, so a workaround was devised.
Also, Volvo really really wanted the 480 ES to have the diagonal bar emblem, so one was mounted underneath the bumper.
The engine here is the Renault-sourced 1.7-litre four with little more than 100 horsepower. Later on, a turbo boosted the power output to 120hp, and in the ’90s you could have a 2.0 with 110hp.
But the rear end does work, with hockey stick shaped taillights and a nice kick up the back. Shame the taillights always dim and crack, and the rear arches rust out.
But still, having these two cars would be a very complete car combination. I’m still missing a nice, neat and cheap 480.
[Images: Copyright 2015 Hooniverse/Antti Kautonen]
Fastback Friday: 1987 Volvo 480 ES
About
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As a purveyor of fine Swedish automobiles, I very much want one of these.
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” The 480 ES wasn’t originally designed to have pop-up headlights, but
the small and shallow lights above the bumper couldn’t accommodate good
enough lighting, so a workaround was devised.”
I… am in disbelief that this could happen to Volvo.. VOLVO! engineers: the design stems from the early 80ies, so both H4 and sealed beams were well -no _very_ well established as standards.
I am biased towards popups, though: Nothing says “80ies sporty” like them (even at 100hp).
And please, dear hot-hatch shooting wagon owners: please consider a horizontal wiper arm on the rear as “extra spoiler lip”, not a vertical one as “more aerodynomonic”. -
Fastback? No.
Interesting and desirable? Absolutely. -
i was all about these until i noticed that under-bumper grille.
it’s such an incredibly stupid little detail. it totally ruined the design for me. the back is great, but i cannot like a car with an underboob grille.-
Really? That’s probably my favourite feature!
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it’s so awkward, tacked-on, forced. me no likey!
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The underbite Volvo is known as the most fickle one. Lots of issues, also of the electrical sort. Imho the interesting exterior is a bit let down by the overly cubist dashboard:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2e/480-cockpit.jpg
I know a guy who is an established collector of these, even though he might have just one Turbo now. He always says “all the good ones are gone”, but you can get a tired one for very little money. Not for a 100€ though, Antti, if this is what you’ve gotten used to… 🙂 -
That thing’s a butterface. If Ford had improved the EXP by installing Triumph TR7 hoods and headlights, and then fitted a Nissan NX Sportbak just to mess with your head it still wouldn’t have that enormous gap between the hood and fender.
Did they have the sense to at least house the radio antenna in that colossal rear wiper? -
there is a lot of this car in the rear of a volvo c30. nice to know where that came from.
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What Volvo-phile can explain the 480 ES nomenclature?
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Simple, really:
4-series (i.e. more luxurious than the 340 etc, but less than the 740)
8 cylinders
0 doors
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Clear as mud, thank you!
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