Volvo 144 and 244: Same Body for 27 Model Years

Long gone are the late 1930s and circa-1950s, along with the occasional Detroit practice in those times of keeping a design in production for only two model years.  European carmakers tended to keep models in production a lot longer.  And Volkswagen's Beetle success in the USA helped influence American firms to retain designs beyond even the typical four-year span.

All the while, European carmakers have continued long production runs.  Today's subject is an example.  It's Volvos's 140 and slightly facelifted 240 series, specifically 144 and 244 four-door sedans.  Those models were marketed model years 1967-1993: 27 years.

I selected these Volvos because my mother bought a '67 144 and I bought a '68 142 (the two-door version).  The sudden, high demand for 140 series Volvos seems to have forced the firm to push production levels to the point where quality control slipped.  My Mom's car was okay (so far as I know; she lived in Seattle, and I was in grad school in Philadelphia).  The Volvo I had twice broke down due to a loosened part of its distributer rotor.  But that was Bosch's fault, not Volvo's.  Two of my grad school buddies also bought 1968 Volvos.  The Volvo 122 Amazon owner had to have its engine replaced.  I was riding in Philly's Main Line one day with the guy who also had a '68 142.  Its engine compartment started smoking, but he switched off the motor before it actually caught fire.  Sweet days, those.

The images in the Gallery reveal little change in the main body over all those years.  There were interior changes and mechanical changes, but this styling blog focuses on exterior design.

Volvo 244s were slightly longer, having a wheelbase of 104.3 inches (2649 mm), compared to 102.5 inches (2604 mm) on 144s.

Styling was by Jan Wilsgaard.
Gallery

1967 Volvo 144 - Bilweb Auctions photos
A simple design, decent proportions.  In those days Volvos were more lower-midlevel.  My 142's floor mats were rubber, not fabric.  Its gearshift lever was floor-mounted, hence tall.  The grille seen here is inexpensively stamped metal, not really sculpted.  Those fender-mounted mirrors are not standard, so far as I know.

1990 Volvo 244 - Bilweb photos
The design as it appeared near the end of the long production run.  The front face and hood are what's changed.  The grille is more expensive to make, and Volvos had moved higher up the price/prestige ladder.

Only a single chrome strip for side decoration.

The added length is between the firewall and front wheel opening.  Passenger compartment greenhouse seems unchanged, the side chrome strip nearly so.  A non-metal rocker panel has been added.

Rear quarter view.

Revised trunk and rear end.  The gradual rear facelifting process began in the late 1960s and eventually evolved to what is seen here.

1973 Volvo 144 - unknown photo source
An intermediate frontal design.  The characteristic Volvo diagonal slash has been added.

1979 Volvo 244 - unknown photo source
The grille shape is narrower, more classical, and the hood altered to match it.  Headlight fixtures varied over time, influenced partly by fashion and mostly by regulation of various governments.