1987 Volvo 340 - Time Warp - 132 miles and in near mint condition

A 1987 Volvo 340 with just 132 miles on the clock from new has been uncovered by Anglia Car Auctions for the upcoming Classic sale on Saturday  April 5^th at its King’s Lynn auction house.

The car was bought brand new from Lancaster Volvo and was barely used by the original owner. After a few weeks the car suffered a coming together with a bollard at a garden centre, grazing the driver’s side wing.

Confidence shaken, the elderly owner put the car into garage where it stayed until the beginning of March when its was dragged out of hiding and added to the auction catalogue. 

The 340 was the result of a joint venture between Volvo and Dutch carmaker DAF. DAF were looking for a partner to help them bring the car to market, while Volvo were interested in the Renault engines that DAF had access to.

The partnership worked, and eventually DAF would be absorbed into Volvo. Compared to contemporaries from Ford and Volkswagen the Volvo stood out, thanks to its rear-wheel drive layout, De Dion suspension and rear-mounted gearbox. The 340 would go on to enjoy a successful career in motorsport and, typically for a Volvo, an enviable record for safety.

This 340 uses the 1.7 litre Renault-sourced petrol engine and still boasts its original battery, coolant, oil and spark plugs. Incredibly it’s even retained its original dealer-issue Volvo-branded paper floor mates.

Rob George, Anglia Car Auctions, said: " Plenty of people claim to offer a ‘time warp’ classic but in the case of this Volvo 340 the term was never more fitting.”

Despite its long hibernation the 340 starts and runs, though understandably items like the brakes may well require attention. There’s no sign of corrosion on the car and the interior retains that new-car smell.

For more information on Anglia Car Auctions, visit www.angliacarauctions.co.uk