Here’s why the Volvo 240 was loved for being a brick on wheels

In this episode I provide the history of the Volvo 240, which was Volvo's most iconic car of the 1970s and 80s, primarily because its square shape helped identify it as likely the safest car on U.S. roads when it was first imported for the 1975 model year. Lasting for 19 years, it replaced the similarly-sized 100-series, and was initially called the 200 series, as there were several alphanumerical designations that identified the number of engine cylinders (240 or 260), the number of doors (242/244/245, 262/264/265), and trim levels (L, DL, GLT, etc). By 1982 the V6 version was dropped, and the number 240 started being used across all models. When the 700 series started imports to the U.S. in 1983, Volvo put more of their attention on the 740 and 760, despite the 240 still being a popular option. But as the square-styled 80s moved to the more rounded-styled 90s, the 240 looked like a relic of the past, and ended its long run nearly unchanged in 1993. Background music by Nick Weiss - nickweissmusic.com