Irv Gordon's Volvo P1800 closing in on 3 million miles

Dan Roth — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 10:01:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Etc., Volvo, Celebrities

Irv Gordon and his Volvo P1800 - Click above for high-res image gallery

While Irv Gordon is already retired, he's taken to accruing miles on his already impressively well-traveled Volvo 1800 like it's his job. It took a while to rack up the first million miles, but the second million came more quickly, rolling the odometer over in Times Square back in 2002. Now Gordon is headed for 3 million a mere eight years later. Only big rigs put on a million miles more quickly, and even that might be debatable.

"Who would have thought such a decision, to buy a Volvo, would have created so many opportunities?" Gordon tells Autoblog. Some of his favorite miles out of the 2.8 million currently showing on the odometer (he was at 2.6 million the last time we checked) were his first trip across the United States and a trip to Europe where the 1800 and its intrepid driver drove from the United Kingdom into Sweden to see the car's original birthplace before rolling on to other continental hamlets and accruing 5,000 miles in a month.

Irv's 70 years old now, and he wouldn't mind selling his beloved red Volvo coupe. Asking price? "A dollar per mile," says Gordon. Despite what Irv calls "some very interesting offers," nobody has offered him his asking price. That's okay with Gordon, who acknowledges that his Volvo is the star. "Once I sell the car, no one will invite me anywhere any longer," he quips.

Should the right buyer for the trusty red 1800 come along, Gordon knows what he'll do. "It'd be nice to have a car with all the new creature comforts to travel in, and who knows, should I live another 10-15 years, I could put a million miles on my next vehicle and start the cycle all over again."

While unlikely, putting three million dollars in his bank account would make those long treks more comfortable, affording fine hotels and gourmet dining versus at times sleeping in the 1800 to save some bucks. Gordon's not complaining, "I have indeed been a very fortunate fellow," he says. You have to respect his commitment to the little Volvo coupe that was originally purchased as a refuge from a pair of demonically unreliable Chevrolets, too. A retirement lifestyle that would allow one to travel in style and worry less about finances is a nearly universal goal, too. Gordon's got a leg up on all of us, having put in the seat time to earn a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records and turn a stolid, stylish Swede into a wheeled pension plan.

Gallery: Irv Gordon and his 2.8 million mile Volvo

[Source: AOL Autos | Photos: Josh Max - Irv Gordon]

Irv Gordon's Volvo P1800 closing in on 3 million miles originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Koenigsegg engineer building modern-day Volvo P1800

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Tue, 05 May 2009 19:58:00 EST

Filed under: Classics, Coupe, Performance, Volvo, Specialty

Vox Volvo P1800 - Click above for a high-res image gallery

Mattias Vöcks is at it again. Back in 2006, the Swedish-born designer who normally spends his days hand-assembling supercars for Koenigsegg used the SEMA to debut his show-stopping custom 1967 Volvo Amazon that was once voted "Sweden's Hottest Volvo." That title may soon go out to another of Vöcks' stunning creations, this time based on the classic Volvo P1800 made famous in part as the car driven by Roger Moore in the British television series The Saint from the 1960s.

With help from Bo Zolland from Swedish design firm Vizualtech, Vöcks has added a few modifications to bring the shapely Swedish beauty to modern standards. Aerodynamics are improved by a rear diffuser, flat underbody tray and a front fascia that's been smoothed out and lengthened by 70mm. Powering the beast is a 4.4-liter V8 borrowed from a Volvo XC90 SUV that's been force-fed by a turbocharger and routes its 600 horses through a six-speed manual transmission to the rear wheels.

According to a report by Auto Express, this custom Swede is slated to enter small-scale production at some unspecified date in the future. We can hardly wait.

Gallery: Vox Volvo P1800

[Source: Motor Authority, Auto Express]

Koenigsegg engineer building modern-day Volvo P1800 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 05 May 2009 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments