Check out Cyan Racing’s exquisite Volvo P1800.
Inside and out the car is a cool blue interpretation of the iconic P1800 fom the Sixties, the car favoured by The Saint in the TV series of the same name.
This is a car truly worthy of Roger Moore who starred as Simon Templar in the series that ran for 118 episodes from 1962 to 1969.
The P1800 features a leather clad titanium roll hoop, racing seats, racing harnesses and bespoke digital instruments with a clear link to the original design.
“We have focused on creating an interior that reflects the car décor of the Sixties in a modern version,”Head of Design at Cyan Racing, Ola Granlund, said.
“We have kept the clean and driver-oriented interior of the original car, carefully moving it forward with modern materials and technology.
The 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine is a lift from the world beating Volvo S60 TC1 race car, and pumps out 308kW of power and 455Nm of torque.
Just a tad more than the original car’s twin SU fed 75kW.
The engine has been re-engineered by Cyan, keeping a clean design for a clear link with the original, in combination with a contemporary performance level.
“The engine is designed for high revs, with the torque intuitively linear to the pedal,” Project Manager and Head of Engineering at Cyan Racing, Mattias Evensson, said.
“We have learnt from racing where the drivers want perfect control of the torque, increasing precision and driving pleasure at the same time,”
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“Another area of attention is the design of the engine and the engine bay.
“We have made an effort to highlight the light and nimble VEA Volvo engine, liberated from all elements of modern engines, with clear ties to the original Volvo P1800 of the Sixties.”
The chassis is fully re-engineered by Cyan with the purpose of delivering an unfiltered driving experience reminiscent of the Sixties, but with modern day performance.
“As with most cars from the past, they tend to be less rewarding to drive then we might want to remember them,” Evensson said.
“We have designed a completely new chassis for the Volvo P1800 Cyan that keeps the analogue direct unfiltered connection with the road, but with much more control and predictiveness.”
The chassis features rack and pinion steering, replacing the original Volvo P1800 steering box, bespoke lightweight aluminium uprights, double wishbones, two-way adjustable dampers with Cyan hydraulics and an independent rear suspension.
“It was of course a challenge to fuse our new technology with the constraints of the sixties base car,” Evensson said.
“The end result is however a car that at a first glance is a P1800 with a wider track, but when you start driving, it delivers at a completely different level.
“The suspension is fully adjustable and can be set up to whichever way the customer wants, be it a more track-focused car, or a one that will be predominantly used for enjoying your favourite canyon roads, or for just visiting your local barista.”
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Technical specifications
Engine
Size: 2.0-litre
Number of cylinders: 4
Cylinder alignment: Inline
Valves per cylinder: 4
Bore x stroke: 82 x 93.2 mm
Compression ratio: 10.2:1
Aspiration: Turbocharged
Maximum power: 308 kW @ 7000 rpm
Maximum torque: 455Nm @ 6000 rpm
Maximum boost: 2.7 bar
Maximum RPM: 7700 rpm
Fuel system: Direct injection
Turbo: Borg Warner EFR, ceramic ball bearings, gamma-ti turbine wheel
Exhaust: Dual tube stainless steel, twin catalytic converters
Transmission
Drive wheels: RWD
Gearbox type: Manual synchromesh helical cut dog leg
Number of gears: 5
Clutch: 200 mm, organic disc
Flywheel: Single mass steel
Prop shaft: Carbon fibre
Final drive: LSD with customisation ratio
Dimensions
Wheelbase: 2446 mm
Length: 4203 mm
Width: 1748 mm
Height: 1220 mm
Track front: 1466 mm
Track rear: 1489 mm
Fuel tank capacity: 57 litres
Suspension and body
Front: Double wishbone, adjustable camber, caster, toe and bumpsteer
Rear: Double wishbone, adjustable camber and toe
Dampers: Adjustable compression and rebound front and rear
Anti-roll bars: Tubular anti-roll bars front and rear, adjustable rear stiffness
Steering rack: Rack and pinion with adjustable ratio
High-strength steel and carbon fibre body
Roll cage made in titanium
Brakes
Front: 4-piston caliper, 362 x 32 mm disc
Rear: 4-piston caliper, 330 x 25.4 mm disc
Wheels
Front tyre size: Pirelli P Zero 245/40-R18
Rear tyre size: Pirelli P Zero 265/35-R18
Front rim size: 8.5 x 18 inch
Rear rim size: 9.5 x 18 inch
Centrelock wheels
Weight
Curb weight: 990kg
Weight distribution: F:R 47:53
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