This is a 1985 Volvo 740 sedan that has been given a series of major updates, headlined by the fitment of a 400 bhp LS6 from a Cadillac CTS-V, mated to a Tremec T56 6-speed manual transmission.
The car also benefits from major updates to the suspension, exhaust system, cooling system, and unsurprisingly a heavy duty clutch has been installed to handle that 400 bhp – an LS7-specification clutch kit.
Fast Facts: An LS6-Swapped Volvo 740 Sleeper
- This 1985 Volvo 740 sedan has undergone an extensive performance transformation centered around a 400 bhp 5.7 liter LS6 V8 from a 2004 Cadillac CTS-V, paired with a Tremec T56 six-speed manual transmission. Supporting upgrades include an MS3Pro ECU, Do88 aluminum radiator, LS7-spec clutch, AEM fuel pump, and a custom one-piece driveshaft leading to a 960 rear axle with 3.31:1 gearing.
- Chassis improvements include iPd springs, Bilstein dampers, upgraded sway bars and bushings, and a reinforced rear subframe with adjustable torque rods. The car rides on powder-coated 16-inch Gemini wheels fitted with Bridgestone Potenza tires, while braking is handled by front and rear discs.
- The interior remains largely true to its 1980s roots, with striped velour upholstery and wood veneer trim. Modern additions include a Hurst pistol-grip shifter, Pioneer touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Kenwood speakers, and Alpine subwoofers. The air-conditioning setup combines Volvo and aftermarket parts, using a Dirty Dingo compressor and RedTek refrigerant. Despite 294,000 miles on the odometer, only about 4,000 were added by the current owner after the mods.
- Originally introduced in 1982, the Volvo 700 Series marked a shift toward a more upscale image for the Swedish automaker. Designed by Jan Wilsgaard, the 760 GLE and later 740 models were developed to join Volvo’s emphasis on safety with new comfort and performance elements.
History Speedrun: The Volvo 700 Series
When Volvo unveiled the 700 series in 1982 with the 760 GLE, it wasn’t just another boxy saloon from the Swedish automaker, it was the start of a process that would see the company redefining its core identity.
When Volvo unveiled the 700 series in 1982 with the 760 GLE, it wasn’t just another boxy saloon from the Swedish automaker, it was the start of a process that would see the company redefining its core identity. Image courtesy of Volvo.
Volvo had built its reputation on safety, reliability, restraint, and, well, boxiness, but the 700 Series was designed to prove that Swedish cars could be luxurious, powerful, and globally competitive. But still boxy.
The car was a calculated move aimed at critically important markets like North America, where Volvo wanted to compete with Mercedes-Benz and BMW at the higher end of the market where the profit margins were a little fatter, rather than just duking it out with the likes of Peugeot and Saab.
700 series development began in the late 1970s under project code P31, when Volvo’s management decided that the aging 200 Series couldn’t carry the brand into the next decade. The new car needed to feel higher-end but still stay true to Volvo’s famously pragmatic DNA.
Jan Wilsgaard, Volvo’s long-serving chief designer, was tasked with the styling. His design was unapologetically angular – straight lines, large glass areas, and a sense of almost tank-like toughness. Critics called the design “brick-like,” but that was already a signature design language for Volvo by this time.
The first production model was the Volvo 760 GLE, it debuted in February of 1982. It came standard with rear-wheel drive, an independent front end, a live rear axle, and a choice of engines including a 2.8 liter PRV V6, co-developed with Peugeot and Renault. Interestingly, this was the same engine that would also be used in the DeLorean DMC-12.
In key markets like the US, Volvo made a point of emphasizing the model’s comfort and luxury – its leather interiors, automatic transmissions, and air conditioning – unusually high end touches for a Volvo at the time. Safety improvements like crumple zones and energy-absorbing bumpers came as standard, though features like this were already expected by Volvo buyers – the brand’s bread and butter selling point had been safety since the 1960s.
In 1984 Volvo further expanded the 700 series range with the 740, a slightly more affordable sibling to the 760. The 740 shared much of the same platform and body but offered smaller four-cylinder engines, including the turbocharged B230FT in later models. Image courtesy of Volvo.
In 1984 Volvo further expanded the 700 series range with the 740, a slightly more affordable sibling to the 760. The 740 shared much of the same platform and body but offered smaller four-cylinder engines, including the turbocharged B230FT in later models.
This turbo version gave the boxy Volvo surprising pace, turning it into an unexpected performance sleeper. The 740 Turbo could reach 60 mph in under nine seconds – quick for a big estate or saloon in the mid-1980s. It also helped Volvo establish credibility among younger family buyers who wanted something quick but still somewhat sensible.
The estate (wagon) versions appeared in 1985, first with the 760 Estate, followed by the 740 Estate later that same year. These long-roof models quickly became Volvo’s best sellers. Their immense cargo capacity, reliability, and distinctive silhouette made them staples of suburban driveways and cross-country highways alike.
Hollywood A-list actor and talented racing driver Paul Newman famously loved the 700 series station wagons, owning a number of them and later getting a pair of matching sleeper Volvo V90s made with late night talkshow host David Letterman – another avowed car guy.
In 1986, the range was joined by the Volvo 780, a grand touring coupe designed by Bertone in Italy – unlike the angular 700 series sedans, the 780 had a lower roofline and perhaps a little more refined detailing. It was built largely by hand at Bertone’s plant in Turin and came with the PRV V6 or turbo four-cylinder engines.
While it never sold in large numbers, just over 9,000 examples were made in total, it gave Volvo an aspirational halo car that was a sign of its global ambitions.
This turbo version gave the boxy Volvo surprising pace, turning it into an unexpected performance sleeper. The 740 Turbo could reach 60 mph in under nine seconds – quick for a big estate or saloon in the mid-1980s. Image courtesy of Volvo.
A significant update arrived for the 700 series cars in 1987, it brought smoother styling, improved interiors, and the introduction of the multi-link independent rear suspension on the 760 in place of the earlier live axle.
A more notable visual facelift, with composite headlights and revised front-end styling, followed for the 1990 model year, aligning the 700 Series closer in appearance to the then-new 900 Series. The long-serving 200 Series remained in production until 1993, overlapping both generations and vastly surpassing its original intended production run.
Volvo refined the 700 platform continuously throughout its production run, updates included anti-lock brakes, more powerful engines, and incremental design updates to the body and interior. The lineup spanned everything from diesel economy models to high-performance turbocharged versions.
In total approximately 1.2 million 700 series cars were built between 1982 and 1992 – it was a remarkable success for Volvo with what had begun as a risky push upmarket into German territory.
The LS6-Swapped Volvo 740 Sleeper Shown Here
This 1985 Volvo 740 sedan has been extensively modified from factory condition – it was originally fitted with an anemic four-banger – but it’s now powered by a 400 bhp (and 395 lb ft) 5.7 liter LS6 V8 paired with a Tremec T56 6-speed manual box.
This 1985 Volvo 740 sedan has been extensively modified from factory-original condition when it was fitted with an anemic four-banger – it’s now powered by a 400 bhp (and 395 lb ft) 5.7 liter LS6 V8 paired with a Tremec T56 6-speed manual box.
This LS6, sourced from a 2004 Cadillac CTS-V, was installed in 2020 and fitted with new gaskets, belts, and a Motion Raceworks steam port kit. Engine management comes from an MS3Pro ECU, and additional new parts include a Do88 aluminum radiator, an AEM high-flow fuel pump, and an LS7-spec clutch. Power is sent through a one-piece driveshaft to a 960 rear axle with 3.31:1 gearing.
The car rides on powder-coated 16-inch Gemini wheels with Bridgestone Potenza tires and suspension upgrades include iPd springs, new sway bars and bushings, Bilstein dampers, and it has a reinforced rear subframe with adjustable torque rods. The braking system consists of discs front and back, as you would expect.
The interior retains its period-correct striped velour seats with wood trim, but a Hurst pistol-grip shifter was added, as well as a Pioneer touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Kenwood speakers, and Alpine subwoofers.
The air conditioning system uses a Dirty Dingo compressor, a Volvo 960 condenser, and RedTek refrigerant. The driver’s seat shows some seam wear, and the odometer reads 294,000 miles, though only about 4,000 of them were added under current ownership.
The interior retains its period-correct striped velour seats with wood trim, but a Hurst pistol-grip shifter was added, as well as a Pioneer touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Kenwood speakers, and Alpine subwoofers.
Instrumentation includes standard Volvo gauges plus A-pillar pods for vacuum and temperature, a Megasquirt digital display, and added indicator lights for cooling and A/C systems. The seller notes the fuel gauge only functions when the tank is above one-third full.
The car is now being offered for sale out of Bozeman, Montana with service records, manuals, spare parts, and a clean Carfax and Montana title.If you’d like to read more or register to bid you can visit the listing here.
Images courtesy of Bring a Trailer
Articles that Ben Branch has written have been covered on CNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the official Pinterest blog, the official eBay Motors blog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more.
Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.
