You need to head back all the way to 1976 for the launch of this family hatchback, the first all-new model from the Dutch company Volvo Car BV. Going head-to-head with rivals from the likes of Ford and Vauxhall, it appeared first as the three-door 343, with the five-door 345 joining the range a few years later.
That nomenclature would change in the early 1980s when these became simply the 340, and it was around the same time when the more powerful 360 arrived, featuring a 2.0-litre engine and five-speed gearbox. Topping the range was the fuel-injected 360GLT, with a plusher specification that included velour trim, alloy wheels and a rear spoiler. For those buyers that preferred a traditional three-box shape, the arrival of the saloon in 1983 would have been just the ticket.
The styling might have been conservative, but the rear-wheel drive 300 Series was solidly engineered, with plenty of space and practicality, plus a wide variety of engines and trim levels. A facelift in 1985 freshened things up (more efficient engines and trim/equipment upgrades being the
