This classic 420 hp Volvo P1800 is so beautiful it’ll make you cry



If there is one car made this year that’s so beautiful, it can make a grown man giggle and cry at the same time, it should be this – the Volvo P1800 Cyan made by Cyan Racing. Cyan Racing was the mastermind behind the first world title-winning Volvo race car and the Volvo C30 Polestar Concept Prototype. It is also motorsport partners with the Geely Group.

But forget all that and let’s just gawk at the marvel they’ve created. They’ve literally taken an original P1800 classic from 1964 and made it more rigid with high strength steel to go with a new carbon fibre body.

As a result, the Volvo P1800 Cyan weighs just 990 kg. Scary stuff when you consider how much power it now makes – 420 hp and 455 Nm of torque. That’s as much power as a Mercedes-AMG A 45 in a car that weighs less than a Perodua Myvi! Power now comes from the same 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbocharged engine used in the world title-winning Volvo S60 TC1 race car.

It’s said to be a turbocharged engine with “the linear power delivery of a naturally-aspirated engine”. With a redline of 7,700 rpm, a 5-speed manual gearbox, a limited-slip differential and newly swapped Cyan-designed independent rear suspension, this rear-wheel drive restomod is just to die for.

“The power peaks late. It is designed for high revs a lot, with the torque intuitively linear to the pedal. We have learnt from racing where the drivers want perfect control of the torque, increasing precision and driving pleasure at the same time,” said Cyan Racing.

As the Volvo P1800 was built with driving purity and driver connection in mind, it is void of all driving aids such as stability control, ABS or even a brake booster. Helping maintain the P1800 Cyan’s composure on the tarmac are 2-way adjustable dampers and bespoke lightweight components such as aluminium double wishbones.

“The car goes where you point it. You can be brutal going into a corner and still find your apex and exit within millimetres. The settings of the car are not aimed at fast lap times but rather to deliver an enjoyable and exciting driving experience,” said Cyan Racing.

Brakes are 4-pot caliper units in the front and back, tucked behind 18-inch forged rims wrapped in Pirelli P Zero 235/40 tyres at the front and 265/35 at the rear. The only assurance of safety behind the wheel of the Volvo P1800 is a roll cage made of titanium.

Probably wouldn’t stop you from driving its wheels out, wouldn’t you?


GALLERY