The Volvo P1800 is widely considered to be one of the most beautiful cars ever built. Immortalised in the 1960s television series The Saint, its svelte body, chrome-rimmed snout and pronounced rear fenders continue to turn heads today, and Gothenburg still uses it as an inspiration for its designs.
Now, the classic two-door coupé is being reimagined as the P1800 Cyan by reigning three-time World Touring Car Cup (WTCR) champion Cyan Racing. Despite clinching last year’s title with Lynk & Co, the race team has had a long association with Volvo as the latter’s works touring car outfit (under the name Polestar Racing), and it’s returning to its roots with this restomod.
Underneath the iconic skin is Volvo’s latest 2.0 litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which itself was used as a basis for the mill that powered the S60 TC1 to Cyan Racing’s first title in 2017. It’s been fettled to produce 420 PS at 7,000 rpm and 455 Nm of torque at 6,000 rpm.
All this is sent to the rear wheels through a bespoke five-speed Hollinger dogleg manual gearbox, selected to maintain the mechanical feel of the original while delivering more precise gear changes and increased torque capacity. The gearing was tuned to balance on-track performance with on-road civility.
Integrated into the transmission is a limited-slip differential, and the whole thing sits on the custom independent double-wishbone rear suspension, replacing the old live axle. The fully-adjustable chassis features aluminium uprights and two-way adjustable dampers with in-house hydraulics. Cyan Racing has also used carbon fibre and high-strength steel to reinforce the body shell. Curb weight is quoted at just 990 kg.
Finished in the trademark Cyan Racing, uh, cyan, the body has been massaged to fit the larger wheels and the wider track, as you can see from the broad fender extensions. Those wheels are gorgeous 18-inch Y-spoke centre-lock alloys, hiding larger unassisted brakes with four-piston front and rear callipers.
There are also some styling tweaks, including the deletion of chrome trim, pared-back bumpers, a subtle front air dam and splitter, a boot lid-mounted fuel filler cap, a large centre-exit exhaust, and louvres on the front and on the bonnet. The glasshouse has also repositioned, presumably to fit modern-day human beings.
Cyan Racing is particularly proud of the fact that the P1800 Cyan does not feature any driver aids whatsoever – not even anti-lock brakes. That’s quite a departure from Volvo’s own safety-first image, but it’s entirely appropriate for this driver-focused car. Not only that, but the company is also looking to build this car for wealthy buyers, though don’t expect it to come cheap. So, this or a Singer Porsche 911?
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