I am sure there is a great system as to how Volvo named their cars, but can anyone explain to me the system. Example: difference between 940 and 960, so on. Thanks!

 

940 is a four cylinder motor, 960 has the six cylinder motor...so on and so on.

944T is a four cylinder turbo motor in a sedan, 965 is a six cylinder wagon. Expect for some models, like the 760 turbo, which is a four cylinder turbo.

Same goes for all the other models.

Your car would be a 744T if your turbo'd or a 744 if your NA. It is on the VIN plate.

 

They stopped using the third digit to refer to the number of doors sometime in the mid eighties. What I got is a 245, 200-series, 4 cylinder engine, 5 doors. By the time the 700-series rolled around it was just series number and cylinder number, 740, 760, 850, and so on.

Also 240 diesels are called 240s even though they got six cylinders.

100-series
200-series (awesome)
300-series (horrible overbuilt RWD hatchbacks built in the Netherlands and unavailable in the U.S.)
400-series (slightly less horrible FWD hatchbacks built in the Netherlands and unavailable in the U.S. There was also a 480 which did not have an 8-cylinder. That was a sleek glassy hatchback with pop-up headlights.)
700-series (originally meant to be a replacement for the venerable 200-series but ended up meeting its fate a year before the 200-series was discontinued.)
800-series
900-series (the last RWD volvo, made up until 1998)

 

Thanks! That makes a lot of sense now

 

A little further information about the models.

the 760 model had independent rear suspension.

I believe it was in 1986 that Volvo went to the 2.3 liter motor and ditched the 2.1 liter.

The 242 was made up until 1985 when it then was removed from the lineup.

1983-1985 240 models did have a turbo option from the factory.

Those are a few of the big ones. There are a lot of other little nuances to be found.