Prior to the P1800's arrival, Volvo was well-established as a manufacturer of rugged, dependable cars with a slightly stodgy and austere appearance. In an effort to improve its image, Volvo first introduced the P1900 sports car and then improved on it with the P1800, featuring a practical steel body and mechanical underpinnings based on the new Amazon/122 chassis. The new P1800 had a dramatic body that was quite unlike any Volvo before it. Although largely styled in-house, it did get some tweaks courtesy of Frua of Turn, who built the first prototype. The P1800 was a smashing success for Volvo. The stylish interior of this model features black upholstery, original instruments and an AM/FM/cassette stereo. Mechanically, the P1800E features Bosch D-Jetronic fuel injection and the 4-speed overdrive manual transmission's performance is brisk, as the 2-liter B20 engine produces plenty of torque. Classic Showcase recently completed a show driver-level restoration to this very original 1972 P1800E, which included disassembling the outside body parts and having the entire body worked, primed, sealed and painted. The whole body was wet-sanded and buffed to a very nice level, including the fit and finish of the body parts. The undercarriage was stripped, repainted and then all new suspension rubber was installed. The hydraulics, fuel systems and cooling system were serviced, and the car received a new radiator core and then was repainted and installed. The engine bay was stripped, cleaned, repainted and had all components serviced; some brightwork was also rechromed. The P1800E is easy to drive, very reliable and full of classic styling.