Volvo 360GLS

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Launched in 1976, the Volvo 300 Series hatchback was unusual in having the gearbox mounted over the rear axle (which was of the De Dion tube type) ensuring good weight distribution and notably good balance and traction.

Initially only available as the 343 with a 1.4-litre Renault engine, from 1983 a more powerful 360 version was available with Volvo’s famously durable 2-litre ‘red block’ engine which produced 95bhp and bags of low-down torque. Allied to a 5-speed manual gearbox this gave the car a respectable top speed of 112mph which, combined with the inherent stability of the design, made it a big hit with caravanners who voted it ‘Tow car of the Year’ in 1985.

Being a Volvo it was also enormously strong and comfortable with an ergonomically designed interior and a TV advertising campaign that saw it being driven out of second floor windows by grinning crash test dummies.

First registered in December 1982, this particular 360 has had just one owner from new and has covered only 75,800 miles to date. The vendor states that the car is in “fantastic” condition having been regularly greased and waxoiled and “meticulously cared for” throughout its life.

Recently fitted with a new cam belt and a new rear exhaust the car is said to drive beautifully being “well balanced, comfortable and quiet” with an MOT until December. Amazingly only 30 examples of the 360GLS are still road registered according to DVLA figures and this cosseted one-owner example must surely be amongst the best of them.