The Most Important Automobile Question

[dnastrau]

Volvo 240 manual

Hi Dave:

Volvo actually offered a manual on the 240 up until the end of production in '93 but they are much harder to find than the automatics. Here is a '92 that was just on Ebay...

Sometime around '90 they stopped using the 4 speed manual with overdrive switch on the shift knob and started using a "normal" 5 speed. It apparently isn't as durable as the old 4 speed + OD though.

I have a '91 740 and it has the AW70L automatic. As a person who normally favors manual transmission cars it makes the car sluggish in my opinion. I would much prefer the manual but non-turbo 740s with manual are even rarer than the later 240s with manual.

Andrew S.

Pardon Our Interruption...

 

[volvoguy87]

More Volvos.

The last year of the 4 speed + overdrive M46 manual transmission in 240s was 1986. From 1987-1993 (end of 240 production) they used a conventional 5 speed called an M47. The M47 is a good bit lighter than an M46 with its bolted on overdrive. Unfortunately, the M47 is not as strong as the M46, therefore Volvo's more powerful/heavier cars continued to use the old M46. Examples include all 700 series cars with manual transmissions and all turbo models without Automatics. (The 240 Turbo ceased being sold in the US after 1985, but continued in Europe).

It is true that Volvo used off the shelf automatic transmissions. Prior to the introduction of the AW70 and more robust AW71 transmissions in 1983, Volvo used Borg Warner 3 speeds (BW55 and BW35).

I would love to drive an M46 Volvo at some point. I would imagine the clutch lasts longer than in the M47 5 speed cars because the M46 shifts into overdrive without using the clutch.

Dave

 

[dnastrau]

M46 Volvos

Ah - I see. You were referring to the end of the M46 equipped 240s in '86. I wish my '91 740 had an M46 instead of the automatic. I drove an M46 equipped 240 wagon once and it was a lot peppier than my automatic 740...

Andrew S.

 

[launderess]

From Last Sunday's NYT

Whilst reading last Sunday's Times, there was this tidbit in the automotive section.

Apparently even Porsche is putting one's left foot out of business for driving purposes:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/03/automobiles/autoreviews/03porsche.html?hpw

 

[hydralique]

I've seen this article before. My favorite part is Derek Bell bitching about the extra weight of the dual clutch box on the race cars, plus questions about reliability. Porsches are nice cars, but stuff like this is one reason a 911 has become so fat: new ones often weigh in the neighborhood of 3500 lbs. depending on equipment, which is 1000 lbs. more than a classic early 901 chassis car. Corvettes used to be famous for being heavyweight sports cars, but now they often weight less than 911s!