A year before the Jaguar E-Type, two years before the Ferrari 250 GTO, and three years before the Porsche 911, there was the Volvo P1800. Now, inspired in a “what if moment,” Volvo’s go-fast division, Cyan Racing (formerly known as Polestar) has developed this resto mod P1800 Cyan to give it a strong sporting credential.

Starting its life as a regular P1800 (a 1964 model in this case), Cyan Racing redesigned the entire body structure using high-strength steel and carbon fiber integrated into the chassis structure. This process enabled them to boost the car body’s rigidity while keeping its weight to just 990 kilograms (front to back weight distribution stands at 47 percent front, 53 percent rear).



Then, they gave it a wider track, larger wheels (235/40R18 at the front and 265/35R18 at the rear), beefier brakes (4-piston calipers, no brake booster or ABS), and even a repositioned greenhouse. The live rear axle has also been shelved in favor of a new independent rear suspension. It also gets a torque-biasing limited slip differential.

For the engine, Cyan Racing plopped in a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine—the same one used in the S60 TC1 race car. In this particular outing, it develops 420 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 455 Nm of torque at 6,000 rpm with a redline at 7,700 rpm. A five-speed bespoke gearbox has been selected to carry the mechanical feeling of the original Volvo P1800, but with greater gear change precision and capability of handling the increased torque.



Cyan Racing says they will be handling this project independently of Volvo Cars. They’re already accepting orders from prospective clients, but pricing depends on each individual specification.