We really enjoy a well-made restomod here at Double Apex. We’ve featured quite a few of them on our site, as you can see if you click here. The process of updating an old car with new mechanicals and technology is quite an attractive way of making classics more user-friendly and practical. If this Volvo P1800 Cyan is anything to go by it seems even OEMs are keen to get in on the act.

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Iconic nod

The Volvo P1800 Cyan was built by Cyan Racing, the chaps who prepare and race Volvos; they were the company’s de facto racing arm. They built the P1800 has a nod back to the famous Volvo that was one of the iconic sportscars of its era.

“The Jaguar E-Type, the Ferrari 250 GTO and the Porsche 911 are all cars with a continuation,” said Christian Dahl, CEO and founder of Cyan Racing. “That left us with inspiration to create what could have been if we as a race team had been there during the sixties, racing the P1800, and got to design a road version of our racecar.”

Read about one of the most famous classic BMWs, the CSL Batmobile at this link.

Old looks, modern tech

The Volvo P1800 Cyan started life as a 1964 Volvo P1800 that has been refined and reinforced utilising high-strength steel and carbon-fibre. Its body has been altered to accommodate a wider track, larger wheels and repositioned greenhouse, among a long list of redesigns. The carbon-fibre body isn’t just a skin, but rather but rather structural components joined with high-strength adhesive to the steel. A titanium roll-cage adds further stiffness without a severe mass penalty. All told the car weighs a scant 990 kg.

Turbo power

The lightweight bonnet hides a two-litre turbocharged four-cylinder Volvo engine that revs to 7 700 r/min. It produces 308 kW and 7 000 r/min and 455 N.m of torque. Cyan say they’ve tuned the motor to deliver its power in a linear fashion, more in line with that of a naturally aspirated engine as raced when the P1800 was new. Power is sent to a limited-slip diff in the rear axle through a five-speed bespoke Holinger gearbox.

The original Volvo P1800 live rear axle is replaced with an independent rear suspension. Fully adjustable front and rear suspension features bespoke lightweight components, including aluminium uprights, double wishbones and two-way adjustable dampers. 18-inch forged rims are shod with Pirelli P Zero tyres. These alloys cover 362 mm front- and 330 mm rear discs that are clamped by four-piston calipers.