In today’s era with all these modern technologies and facilities available to us at our fingertips, what’s the average lifetime mileage of cars can be? You might answer approximately 3,00,000 to 3,50,000 km, which is a great number. But what if we say that’s a tiny number as compared to the highest lifetime mileage of a car? Yes, it is true. In the years between 1961 to 1973, Volvo made a car that would go down in history. The Volvo P1800 is a classic and iconic Swedish sports car. Let’s see the reason why it went down in history and became a legend.
Why is P1800 Considered Legendary?
Owned by Irv Gordon this car covered over 48 lakh kilometres, you heard it right – “48 lakh kilometres”. Making itself the highest-mileage private car driven by a single owner. It made its appearance in a movie as well named “The Saint”. It holds the Guinness World Record for highest mileage car in the world.
You might be thinking how is this even possible? Well according to reports, Irv Gordon maintained the car well this included changing the oil every 5,000 kilometres and replacing the brakes every 1.60 lakh kilometres. He proved that with the right maintenance and care, your car can last a long, long time. Let’s get to know more about the Volvo’s highest mileage car.
Timeline: Models and Variants
In Volvo P1800, went through several upgrades and changes during its lifetime. Here are the changes:
- P1800 (1961 – 1969) – The original model, with simple features. More focused on performance and luxury.
- P1800 S (1961 – 1969) – This included improved features and a more powerful engine. In P1800 S, the “S” stands for Sports.
- P1800 E (1970 – 1972) – In PS 1800 E, the “E” stands for Electronic. This model packs better engine performance with electronic fuel injection and also other changes.
- P1800 ES (1972 – 1973) – Made in a short span of just 2 years P1800 Estate is one of the rare versions that is still desirable among car aficionados. This came as a large batch for increased cargo capacity.
Now, that we know why the Volvo P1800 is famous along with its variant. Let’s get to the part where we see what makes it famous. Time to open up the hood and see inside, cause such numbers cannot be achieved only by good maintenance.
Under the Hood: Technical Specifications and Performance
Technical Specifications:
| Specifications | Description |
| Engine type | Internal combustion engine (Otto) |
| Gearbox type | Manual gearbox |
| Fuel type | Normal |
| Emission category | without CAT |
| Number of gears | 4 |
| Fuel injection type | Carburetor |
| Number of valves | 2 |
| Number of cylinders | 4 |
-
- Length (mm) – 4350
- Width (mm) – 1700
- Height (mm) – 1280
- Wheelbase (mm) – 2450
Performance:
| Specifications | Description |
| Maximum power (kW) | 77 |
| Top speed (km/h) | 180 |
| Torque (Nm) | 105 |
All these – Specifications, dimensions, and performance of the P1800 also played a huge part in its success. In short, Volvo and Irv Gordon both played their part to perfection, in making such feet possible – 48 lakh kilometres isn’t easy, it’s equivalent to 13 times the distance between us and the moon.
The Question: Can Volvo Break its Own Record?
Now, Volvo cars in India and worldwide are one of the best. But, it is yet to break its records. However, we need to take into account the huge contribution of Ivr Gordon for maintaining the car helping and allowing it to exceed any car’s lifetime mileage. Volvo is constantly making advancements. Currently, one of their car – the Volvo XC90 can be considered a top contender for breaking its record. Let’s see what it has to offer.
What XC90 Offers:
Technical Specification:
| Specifications | Description |
| Engine type | Turbo MildHybrid |
| Gearbox type | Speed Hybrid Type – Mild Hybrid |
| Fuel type | Petrol |
| Emission category | BS VI 2.0 |
| Number of gears | 8 |
| Fuel injection type | Based on the type:
|
| Number of valves per cylinder | 4 |
| Number of cylinders | 4 |
This deserves your attention – Volvo India Recalls over 1800 cars over Faulty AEB systems
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- Length (mm) – 4953 mm
- Width (mm) – 2140 mm
- Height (mm) – 1773 mm
- Wheelbase (mm) – 2984 mm
Performance:
| Specifications | Description |
| Maximum power (kW) | 300 |
| Top speed (km/h) | 180 km/pl |
| Torque (Nm) | 420 |
Volvo XC90 with packed with these specifications and features. It is currently Volvo’s highest average car providing a mileage of 42 kmpl, it has become the top contender to break the record of the P1800 but, it needs another Irv Gordon, is that possible, we will have to wait and see for ourselves.
Click here to know how the Volvo XC90 stands against other cars of today.
Why was the P1800 discontinued?
With an astounding run from 1961 to 1973, Volvo’P1800 broke countless records and became Volvo’s highest mileage car ever– “Special thanks for Ivr Gordon”. But then, unfortunately, this legendary car’s manufacturing was discontinued. Here’s the reason why:
- Change in demand – The interest of buyers gradually shifted from sports coupes to more practical family cars and SUVs. This shift caused the demand for sports coupes as P1800 to get low.
- Rising production cost – The production cost of P1800 got higher over time, making it difficult for Volvo to continue its production, especially after the demand shift in the market.
- Focus on newer models – With the shift of demand from sports coupes to more family-practical cars and SUVs, Volvo had no choice but to shift its focus to newer models in order to keep up with the trend.
Volvo P1800: A Legacy
Volvo’s highest mileage car – the P1800 is proof of what a car can do if maintained with love and care. It shows that a car is not just for transportation, it can be so much more than that. With all the records it achieved, it is not surprising that it is a collector’s favourite item today. Whether you are a car enthusiast or not, it does not require much knowledge to know that the Volvo P1800 is one of the best things that happened in the automotive industry.
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