That's a beauty! Looks like a Volvo 1800 ES, assembled in the early 1970s. Not too many were built, and not too many made it to the States. In addition to the link above, you can find a decent rundown on the Volvo 1800 series at Wikipedia.

Where I grew up, that car would have been a real head-turner, but where I grew up, when I grew up, any car not half-consumed by rust would have been a head-turner.

Good eye, Red

Very nice. I have a new appreciation for older cars that look pristine since buying my '85 RX-7...they had some great style.

My grandfather had a P-1800, but his was a coupe. Except for the acceleration, handling, and brakes, it was a pretty nice car.

Back when Volvo actually made beautiful cars.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volvo_1800

Nice choice Catherine! I'm a fan of rotary engines.

It calls to mind this. When a car is that good in front, you can forgive whatever's in the back.

(This would be the part where a lesser blog commenter says that sometimes happens with women, too... But I'm not that kind of commenter.)

In a similar vein (looks good in the front, but the back? Ugh.):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jensen_Interceptor

Why this isn't off-topic: Jensen manufactured the Volvo P-1800.

Volvo began manufacturing the car when Jensen failed to resolve the quality control issues. The Volvo-built car was renamed the 1800S (S for Swedish manufacture).

That Jensen Interceptor looks like the unholy spawn of a 1965 Barracuda and an AMC Pacer!

Back when Volvo actually made beautiful cars.

The S60 is quite handsome, I find, though it's not as lovely as a 122, because what is?

(The S30 is actually growing on me, I find...)

I saw a small convertible with a Volvo badge a few years ago that I thought looked kinda nice.

Haven't seen it since.

The only ones I see today have too many angles and ridges.

That Jensen Interceptor looks like the unholy spawn of a 1965 Barracuda and an AMC Pacer!

There's an image I'll never get out of my head.

It is pretty ugly from that angle. So were the Barracuda (from the rear) and the Pacer (from any angle).

I first saw the Jensen on a British detective show on PBS. They only showed the front. I looked it up to see what it was and got a look at the rear-end. Ugh.

The character was switched to a Bristol 407 a few episodes later ... wonder why.