It was thirty years ago this month that Volvo, after a lot of design work with the Italian based Bertone company, premiered one of their most stylish cars, the 780 coupé. With this car Volvo wanted to show to the USA and Japanese markets that they were a “brand to be reckoned with” in the luxury segment. Sadly this head turner only sold for five years, but it certainly was one that caught the eye.

The 780 was Volvo’s return to the two-door coupé market after the 262C went out of production in 1981. The 780 was a slightly lower car than the standard 700 series, but at the same time it offered more head room than the 262C. The 780 went on sale in Europe in 1986 and made its way to the USA a year later.

The car was designed by Carozzeria Bertone and his keywords were “class” and “elegance”. Bertone was in charge of assembly and construction of the 780 and Volvo took control of sales and marketing. Volvo Car Corporation's Marketing Director, Carleric Häggström, said the following about the new car, "With the 780, we can offer an elegant car that is ideal for long journeys, incorporating a personal design, exclusive component solutions and a unique range of engines with the emphasis on comfort.”

The car was jam packed with equipment available from Volvo. Windows, seats, rear view mirrors and sunroof, were all electric. The dashboard was made of hardwood and the upholstery was leather. It even had a button that opened the fuel cap!

Between 1985 and 1990 Volvo only produced 8,518 of these vehicles before it went out of production. Engines differed depending on markets but at launch it came with a straight six-cylinder turbo diesel.

After the 780 was confined to Volvo history the manufacturer offered a smaller sporty coupé in the Volvo 480. In 1997 the 780 finally had a successor in the C70.