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Colin Wood
Colin Wood Associate Editor
9/2/20 12:18 p.m.
feature_image

No, this isn't a half-baked render done by a college student learning to use Blender, nor is it a barely rolling SEMA build assembled the weekend before the event. This wild-looking Volvo P1800 is a fully functioning car built by  Cyan Racing, Geely's official racing team.

Powering this 2100-pound reimagined classic is a 2.0-liter, turbocharged inline-four good for 420 horsepower and 335 lb.-ft. …

Read the rest of the story

NOHOME
NOHOME MegaDork
9/2/20 1:00 p.m.

So are they selling these or is it a "One off" tribute?

bigdaddylee82
bigdaddylee82 UberDork
9/2/20 1:01 p.m.

No underhood shot?

2.7 bar is 39 PSI, that's a lot of boost.

Colin Wood
Colin Wood Associate Editor
9/2/20 1:55 p.m.

In reply to NOHOME :

As far as I can tell, it's a one-off tribute that also shows that besides building race cars, they can also "optimize" normal street cars.

They do suggest emailing info@cyanracing.com for "sales inquires" though.

Colin Wood
Colin Wood Associate Editor
9/2/20 1:58 p.m.

In reply to bigdaddylee82 :

Unfortunately no underhood shots. The media kit only had exterior shots and a few closeups. My guess would be that there are some things under the hood they don't want you to see—be it proprietary tech, or maybe just a rats nest of wiring. wink

noddaz
noddaz GRM+ Memberand UltraDork
9/2/20 1:59 p.m.

So, is this the ultimate form of the P1800, or is this an insane resto-mod that nobody asked for?

In this case, because you could is reason enough.

m4ff3w
m4ff3w GRM+ Memberand UberDork
9/2/20 2:12 p.m.
Colin Wood said:

In reply to NOHOME :

As far as I can tell, it's a one-off tribute that also shows that besides building race cars, they can also "optimize" normal street cars.

They do suggest emailing info@cyanracing.com for "sales inquires" though.

Autoblog says:

Cyan's resto-modded P1800 is not merely a one-off model built to fuel this week's pub talk. It plans to sell the coupe to the public. While production isn't limited, the company predicts its hot rod will be a low-volume model. It's already taking orders, and Autoblog can reveal pricing starts at $500,000 before options are factored in.

P3PPY
P3PPY GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
9/2/20 2:17 p.m.

huh. Once again, wheels make the car. Consider the original
Volvo P1800 Buying Guide

Streetwiseguy
Streetwiseguy MegaDork
9/2/20 2:40 p.m.

I was so hoping to be a pedantic douche, but it is actually a P1800, not an 1800S or 1800E.

Pedantic douche is sad.

Nice car, though.

Colin Wood
Colin Wood Associate Editor
9/2/20 2:42 p.m.

In reply to m4ff3w :

Even better. Guess I know what I'm putting on the top of my birthday list this year.

NOHOME
NOHOME MegaDork
9/2/20 3:26 p.m.

I should toss the Molvo on BAT and ride the wave of publicity for P1800 resto-mods!

pinchvalve (Forum Supporter)
pinchvalve (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
9/2/20 3:34 p.m.

Good lord I want one.

The only question I had after seeing this is where can I buy one. I don't care if it's a design study, one-off, vaporware, or how messy it is under the hood. 

only intense wanting...

NOHOME
NOHOME MegaDork
9/2/20 4:27 p.m.

In reply to pinchvalve (Forum Supporter) :

It is very rare that I think a restomod tribute does not lessen the body-style of the original. In this instance I cant find a single thing to complain about.

Vajingo
Vajingo New Reader
9/2/20 4:49 p.m.

Basically a tube frame baby. Nothing original except the body. 

300zxfreak
300zxfreak Reader
9/2/20 6:43 p.m.

I would put one of these in the garage in a heartbeat.  Did not ever think I would say that about a Volvo, which may or may not actually be a Volvo.

volvoclearinghouse
volvoclearinghouse PowerDork
9/2/20 8:16 p.m.

In reply to P3PPY :

You're right.  I like the original much better. 

P3PPY
P3PPY GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
9/2/20 8:50 p.m.
volvoclearinghouse said:

In reply to P3PPY :

You're right.  I like the original much better. 

I imagine that's tongue in cheek; I prefer the new look. I'd never heard of the car before now and after seeing the original with the original wheels I recognize now how it never would have stood out to me. Same can be said of the AC Ace, yet here I've gone and named a daughter after the American knockoff with the big ol racin wheels

Gearheadotaku (Forum Supporter)
Gearheadotaku (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand UltimaDork
9/2/20 9:01 p.m.

I'm sure these could sell if they were in showrooms.....

OHSCrifle
OHSCrifle GRM+ Memberand SuperDork
9/2/20 9:07 p.m.

Do want. 

TurnerX19
TurnerX19 SuperDork
9/2/20 10:48 p.m.

I'll wait for the long roof ES versiondevil

therealpinto
therealpinto GRM+ Memberand Reader
9/3/20 6:44 a.m.

I'm sorry I can't share any pictures.

However, I can ensure you that under the hood (or bonnet, or "huv" in Swedish) it is very tidy as well. The 2-litre VEA engine has a cast intake plenum, separate throttle bodies, a very nice exhaust manifold leading to the EFR turbo, and a Cyan Racing crank case ventilation cover. In short, a tidy engine bay that does not hide away the engine.

The body is still a unibody, no tube frame. The original unibody is blasted/etched and cleaned with all the improvements and modifications cleverly added.

Cyan Racing are prepared to build these to order, generally provided the customer brings along a P1800 shell to base the build on.

I was fortunate enough to visit their premises in 2018 and perform some pre-production checks on this particular build, and I have been on a NDA since then. Feels good to be able to report a little :-)

Gustaf

stylngle2003
stylngle2003 GRM+ Memberand Reader
9/3/20 7:14 a.m.

In reply to bigdaddylee82 :

I've gotta think that maximum boost figure is absolute (25psi above atmospheric) rather than 39psig.  Shouldn't need 39lbs of boost for 400hp on a 2.0 with an EFR.  Heck, a built Mitsubishi makes in the realm of 700whp with that much boost.  

volvoclearinghouse
volvoclearinghouse PowerDork
9/3/20 7:20 a.m.

In reply to P3PPY :

No, not tongue in cheek.  I'm not a fan of giant wheels tucked into oversized wheel arches "hella flush".  I can't look at the original rendering and think it doesn't look like anything but a cartoon.  Volvo was very much ahead of its time with the 1800 and 122, fitting compact cars with 15" wheels when the majority of compacts rode on 13", and even many full size cars were only 14".  To me, the originals are very nicely proportioned. 

I wouldn't go so far as to say I _don't_ like this resto-mod.  Clearly a lot of work has been put into it and the bumper treatments are slimming and work well with the rest of the car.  But it's like someone turned the knob up to 12, when 10 would have been just right.  I.e., a little less fender flare, a little smaller rubber, etc.   To me the giant wheels and fender flares make the greenhouse look tiny, whereas in the original design the proportion is better. 

But hey, opinions are like certain anatomical components, yes? 

EDIT:  Also, at "Autoblog can reveal pricing starts at $500,000 before options are factored in", that's about 10x the price of the world's nicest restored 1800 coupe. 

Donald Williams
Donald Williams
9/3/20 12:25 p.m.

Beautiful! So much for the myth about boring Volvos. 1800S With a 289 Ford was nice, too, back in the stone age.

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