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The Volvo 480 was produced in the Netherlands by Volvo from 1986 to 1995. It was the first front-wheel drive car made by Volvo. The 480 was available in only one body style on a automobile platform related to the Volvo 440/460 five-door hatchback and four-door sedan models. It features an unusual 4-seat, 3-door hatchback body, somewhere between liftback and estate in form. The 480 was marketed as a coupé in Europe starting in 1986 and the U.S. as a 2+2 "sports wagon" in the fall 1987. It was built in Born, Netherlands, until 1995. ==Development== Volvo took six years from the time the 480 was conceived, through its development, and finally brought to production readiness. The press launch was on October 15, 1985, but the 480 was first put on public show at Geneva in 1986, becoming available to the buyers in 1987. The automaker described the car as a four-seater with sporty styling and the first front wheel driven Volvo. The press described it as having a "sleek hatch body" in contrast to Volvo's traditional "boxcar look". The 480 was the first Volvo of its style since the P1800ES, and the last until the unveiling of the C30. All of these models featured a frameless glass hatch for cargo access. The 480 was produced in Born, Netherlands, at the factory that built DAF cars, including the DAF 66-based Volvo 66, and later, the Volvo 300 Series. The 480 shared the platform of the Volvo 440 and 460 models. It was originally planned for the North American market (evidenced by its US-spec front and rear side markers, not used on European automobiles). Volvo also claimed that it was one of the first cars sold in Europe featuring bumpers designed to comply with U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) regulations to withstand a front rear impact without damage to the engine, lights, and safety equipment. This was the only Volvo to feature pop-up headlamps for better aerodynamics.〔 The concept was to market a modern, compact front wheel drive car with a unique low-slung design targeting buyers "between 25 and 40, probably with a higher than average education and with a career."〔 Designed by Volvo's Dutch subsidiary, the "sporty 480 ES coupe" was introduced to change the automaker's "frumpy image" and into the "yuppie" market segment.〔 Volvo highlighted that the car was "well-endowed with advanced electronics" and the automaker's press release described in detail the numerous features.〔 However, the necessary technology was still crude, and the 480 suffered electrical problems and the central electronics module needed to be replaced. Early cars also had water leaks. It is common to find 480s with a water filled spare wheel well. This is largely due to poor sealing of the glass hatch and deterioration of the rear light cluster seals. The rear lights themselves often discolour and are notoriously brittle. The 480 had good handling, due in part to its Lotus-designed suspension. The normally aspirated Renault engines were reliable.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Volvo 480」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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