Difference between 740 and 760

[James Sweet]

If you look at the specs the 700 series was just a 200 series chassis with 700 series sheet metal and trim. Same power plant and transmission.

Specs aside, have you ever looked underneath them? I assure you they're very different cars in virtually all respects. Sure the engine and transmission were the same, but the chassis, suspension and electrical is all just as different as the body panels.

 

[James Sweet]

Don't 740 GLE's have chrome'd handles and trimwork around the windows tho.

The GLE's were essentially the 760 with a 4 cylinder, there's lots of little differences but they're still all pretty much the same car. 740 used all the same trim but it's painted/powder coated black. Mine had some of the black flaking off revealing chrome underneath that I had to touch up.

 

[Rob Guenther]

Were the 740 16-Valve's even more like 760s? Ours had full chrome trim, and 15" alloys... looked like brushed aluminum.

 

[James Sweet]

Were the 740 16-Valve's even more like 760s? Ours had full chrome trim, and 15" alloys... looked like brushed aluminum.

I think the 16V was only available on the GLE, I don't remember if it had a GLE badge or not, either way all that I've seen were equipped accordingly.

 

[tkarate]

The difference can usually be seen by the wheels 740 turbo usually has 5 spoke alloys .760 has better shock absorbers...nivomats I think they're called.

 

[Rob Guenther]

They have a GLE badge

VOLVO [liscence plate] GLE
16 Valve

there may have been a "DOHC" logo next to the 16 Valve.... it's been a while since I saw the car.

 

[Benjamin Smith]

A 760 was really just a fully loaded 740.

You have it backwards. The 760 came out in the early 80s as a Volvo flagship. The 740 came about 3 years later as a decontented 760 with a 4 cylinder engine. The 760 then used the turbo version of the 4 as an alternative engine. The 760, 88 and after, had independent rear suspension, the 740 always used the live axle. The 760 wagon also used the live axle.

The 760 is quieter, more luxurious, has more luxurious ride, nicer dash and console, and is the higher quality car. The 740 is nice, but 760 nicer.

Ben

 

[James Sweet]

You have it backwards. The 760 came out in the early 80s as a Volvo flagship. The 740 came about 3 years later as a decontented 760 with a 4 cylinder engine. The 760 then used the turbo version of the 4 as an alternative engine. The 760, 88 and after, had independent rear suspension, the 740 always used the live axle. The 760 wagon also used the live axle.

The 760 is quieter, more luxurious, has more luxurious ride, nicer dash and console, and is the higher quality car. The 740 is nice, but 760 nicer.

Ben

The dash in a 760 is identical to that in a 740 aside from the climate control sensor cutout. They did update the 760 sooner but eventually the 740 got the same dash as well.

Personally I'd rather have a 740 Turbo, less to go wrong, a bit lighter and therefore quicker, and I *much* prefer the 5 spoke alloys over the 760 rims but that's just a matter of opinion.

Either way you look at it, they're pretty much the same car, yes I know the 760 was introduced sooner, but my statement still applies, the 760 is a loaded 740 and vice-versa.

 

[Benjamin Smith]

The dash in a 760 is identical to that in a 740 aside from the climate control sensor cutout. They did update the 760 sooner but eventually the 740 got the same dash as well.

No, that's not true. The dash of the 1988-1990 760s is different than the 1988-1990 740s. Put pictures of them side to side and you'll see the difference. Even the 940s vs. 960s had different dashes. By dash I mean dash and console.

Personally I'd rather have a 740 Turbo, less to go wrong, a bit lighter and therefore quicker, and I *much* prefer the 5 spoke alloys over the 760 rims but that's just a matter of opinion.

I haven't found much going wrong with my 1990 760 Turbo regarding the electrics. Power sunroof, seats, windows, everything--no problems. The 740 turbo is a different car than the 760, bigger tires, better roadholding, bigger sway bars, but interior is different. The 740 turbo is more performance oriented, the 760 is more lux oriented. I like the 740 turbo, at the time, a fun-to-drive Volvo.

Either way you look at it, they're pretty much the same car, yes I know the 760 was introduced sooner, but my statement still applies, the 760 is a loaded 740 and vice-versa.

The 760 was Volvo's flagship at the time. And, it is important that Volvo started with the 760 and then made it more affordable by making the 740. That makes the 740 a version of the 760. I think from 1988 on, the independent rear suspension versus the live axle on the sedan is a significant difference. I've driven a few of both and comparing them, the 760s definitely have a ride and quality feel advantage over the 740s. The 740 turbos have a sporty quality to their ride.

Ben

 

[Alex Zepeda]

The middle number always indicated the number of cylinders in the engine until the 760 Turbo came along.

No it didn't.

Where's the 250 (200 w/ 5cyl diesel)?
Where's the four cylinder diesel in the 240 diesel?
What about the four cylinder gasser in the 260s?
Where's the two cylinder in the 122?

Other than that one car, most have still
followed the old rules. 140 is a 4 cyl, 160 is a 6 cyl, 240 is a 4, 260 is a 6, 740 is a 4, and until the turbo the 760 was a 6. Same applies as far up as the 850 and 960. The Diesel cars though were another series that were "mislabeled".

Right, so it's a trim level, not an engine identifier.

 

[Alex Zepeda]

Were the 740 16-Valve's even more like 760s? Ours had full chrome trim, and 15" alloys... looked like brushed aluminum.

They were probably equipped with 760-like goodies, but they never got ECC or the 760/960 style dash.

 

[Rob Guenther]

Probably, they had standard leather and power sunroof... I'm surprised the 16 Valve 4 never made it into the 760, to replace the V6. I was told the 16 Valve was a lot smoother then the 8 Vavle, and it had very good power - you just had to rev it a little harder then the 8V (we had an 8V 740 before the 16V). Apparantly we almost bought a V6 760, but my father found the 4 banger to be the better engine, with better fuel economy, in a slightly cheaper car to buy - he didn't trust the turbo's of the 1980's, as many turbo cars of that day were problematic, supposedly.

 

[The Boss]

Where's the 250 (200 w/ 5cyl diesel)?

What 5cyl diesel? 200 diesel was a sixpot.

Where's the four cylinder diesel in the 240 diesel?

OP does state that the diesels were misnumbered.

What about the four cylinder gasser in the 260s?

What engine is that? All 260s had the PRV v6 motor, did they not?

Where's the two cylinder in the 122?

This system omly started with the 140s.

Right, so it's a trim level, not an engine identifier.

It's neither. As a generalisation , most Volvos from the '70s and '80s followed the series/engine cylinder number/doors convention in their names, but exceptions did occur. The diesels, having "bought-in" engines are a case in point. The 240, 740 and 940 diesels are so-called because they are diesel versions of the 240, 740 and 940 respectively. If diesel versions of the 260, 760 and 960 had been made, they would have been called 260, 760 and 960. At least 1 960 diesel does exist, it was sold on UK ebay earlier this year. It was a conversion from a petrol-engined 960, and is thus a 960 diesel, not a 940. AFAICS, the middle number is not *just* an engine identifier, nor is it
*just* a trim level identifier.

 

[Peter Milnes]

You forgot the 760 turbodiesel with intercooler, mate. Mine is still sitting in my garage awaiting final strip-out and sending the shell to the scrappy (worth £60 as scrap metal).

Cheers, Peter.

In article ,
says...
<snip>
Where's the 250 (200 w/ 5cyl diesel)?
What 5cyl diesel? 200 diesel was a sixpot.
Where's the four cylinder diesel in the 240 diesel? OP does state that the diesels were misnumbered. What about the four cylinder gasser in the 260s? What engine is that? All 260s had the PRV v6 motor, did they not? Where's the two cylinder in the 122?
This system omly started with the 140s.
Right, so it's a trim level, not an engine identifier. ...

 

[Rob Guenther]

Then there is the 780... by all rights it should have been an 840 or 860... I remember the first time I saw one, I was about 10 years old or so, and my dad sped up in our 740 16V to catch up to the first "V8" powered Volvo he had ever seen... he thougth it was a new V8 powered coupe in testing... Of course the next trip to the dealer gave him the correct information.

 

[The Boss]

You forgot the 760 turbodiesel with intercooler, mate. Mine is still sitting in my garage awaiting final strip-out and sending the shell to the scrappy (worth £60 as scrap metal).

Cheers, Peter.

Funny you should mention that, Peter. I was waiting at some traffic lights today in my 944TD, when a 700 series estate pulled up in the next lane. It was obviously a workhorse (roofrack full of ladders), and quite tatty-looking, but I thought " my engine sounds quite loud, or is this...?" and sure enough, the tailgate badges read 760GLE Turbodiesel.

 

[James Sweet]

You forgot the 760 turbodiesel with intercooler, mate. Mine is still sitting in my garage awaiting final strip-out and sending the shell to the scrappy (worth £60 as scrap metal).

Cheers, Peter.

Funny you should mention that, Peter. I was waiting at some traffic lights today in my 944TD, when a 700 series estate pulled up in the next lane. It was obviously a workhorse (roofrack full of ladders), and quite tatty-looking, but I thought " my engine sounds quite loud, or is this...?" and sure enough, the tailgate badges read 760GLE Turbodiesel.

Did the 940TD's use the same VW motor?

 

[The Boss]

Funny you should mention that, Peter. I was waiting at some traffic lights today in my 944TD, when a 700 series estate pulled up in the next lane. It was obviously a workhorse (roofrack full of ladders), and quite tatty-looking, but I thought " my engine sounds quite loud, or is this...?" and sure enough, the tailgate badges read 760GLE Turbodiesel.

Did the 940TD's use the same VW motor?

Yes, James, the same 6cyl VW. There's an intercooler on the 940s, I don't know if the 740s had this. 122bhp, BTW.