For sale: Paul Newman’s modified 1988 Volvo 740 Turbo estate

Paul Newman was so enamoured with his new Volvo 740 Turbo he bought in 1988, he… immediately swapped out the 2.0-litre turbo lump and replaced it with a V6.

A Buick Grand National 3.8-litre turbo V6, to be precise, installed by a company in Alabama back in ’88, along with a gearbox swap for a Borg-Warner five-speed manual. Also an ‘Aero’ style bodykit, too.

Newman of course, was a racing driver who dabbled in the movies, and annoyingly was really quite good at both. That he chose the absolute quintessential, postcard Volvo – a big, Eighties block of safety and reliability – just makes it even better.

The current owner – who bought the car in 2017 – treated the 740 to a new clutch assembly, fuel pump and even injectors, while all the lights, wipers and tailgate struts were replaced too. At some point the chassis was modified, with lowered springs matched to Bilstein struts, a limited slip diff, sway bars and better brakes.

It’s… seen better days, with the black leather interior a little worn, a sagging headliner and cracks in the dash. But then it also gets a Sony CD player! Air-con! A stowable third-row seat! And… a turbo timer in the glovebox. There’s an oil leak, but on the other hand the car’s got a custom exhaust, air intake and a remapped ECU.

The car’s showing just 76k on the clock and comes with a certificate verifying Newman’s original ownership. The auction on Bring a Trailer ends soon, with the current bid – at the time of writing – sitting at $25k. Interested?