Autoforma Norrsken is a Volvo P1800 ES estate restomod costing more than a Ferrari, and we approve
The Dutch restomod firm Autoforma and classic car specialists Volvo Lotte will build just five of these wacky wagons a year, each costing up to £260,000 – not including taxes
Estate car enthusiasts everywhere, meet your new obsession: a restomod of the Volvo P1800 ES shooting brake that features a tuned version of the Swedish firm’s famous T5 five-cylinder engine and costs more than a brand-new Ferrari.
It’s called the Norrsken – which means ‘northern light in Swedish – and this magnificent, moose-approved marvel has actually been created by two Dutch companies. The first is Autoforma, a bespoke restomod builder and car design studio “dedicated to transforming iconic vehicles into singular automotive masterpieces”, while the second is Volvo Lotte, a specialist in classic Volvos.
Autoforma says it’s “subtly” enhanced the design of the Volvo P1800 ES. However, there’s nothing subtle about the bulging carbon-fibre wheelarches that help give the once-slender seventies estate the perfect muscle car stance. There are also careful adjustments to the ride height and track width as well as the fitment of the bespoke forged alloy wheels.
Elsewhere, the bumpers and brightwork that run along the sides have been redesigned, the front grille is tweaked and the car’s iconic headlights are now LEDs. Another set of lights has been integrated into the new carbon fibre chin spoiler, while at the rear, a sizeable spoiler sits atop the enormous single-piece rear windscreen. This being a practical estate car, customers can also add a roof rack.
That’s right, customers! While we’ve only seen drawings of the Norrsken at the moment, Autoforma says it will build this car. Production will be strictly limited to five examples a year and they could potentially cost upwards of £260,000, not including local taxes.
For context, a brand-new Ferrari Amalfi costs a little over £200,000, or you can currently buy a used Ferrari F12 Berlinetta with a 730bhp naturally aspirated V12 for around £140,000 through the Auto Express Buy A Car service.
The lucky few who buy a Norrsken will be offered huge scope for personalisation but there will be three design directions to guide them: ‘Heritage Heaven’, ‘Modern Marvel’ and ‘Forward Fashionista’.
Heritage Heaven is about honouring the original design of the P1800 ES, using period-correct colours, materials and detailing, while technical updates are meant to be discreet and focused on reliability over performance. Modern Marvel, meanwhile, gives the car a more contemporary look using modern lighting, upgraded suspension, increased power outputs and a more progressive material palette.
Forward Fashionista is what you see here in these images, and is the most performance-focused interpretation. Extensive mechanical upgrades include the installation of Volvo’s T5 turbocharged five-cylinder engine and a modern transmission, plus a new braking system, quicker steering, revised suspension and chassis geometry. This version also gets bolder colour and material options.
Autoforma says it stuck to the original Volvo dashboard layout with the Norrsken. Components were either reupholstered or revamped, rather than replaced, as “the aim is refinement, not reinvention.”
So the P1800’s big round instrument dials have been preserved and sit in gleaming chrome housings, while the dashboard can be finished in body-colour metal, brushed aluminium or with wood veneer. The front seats have been redesigned with new foam structures for better ergonomics, and the centre console that flows from the dashboard to the rear seats is new.
Like the original P1800 ES, the Norrsken is a four-seater. The back seats are more sculpted than before which passengers should appreciate, or they can be lowered to provide nearly 1,000 litres of luggage space. Customers can choose to add leather straps or milled, polished aluminium rails to the boot, with bespoke fitted luggage trimmed to match the interior available as an option.
Modern creature comforts like an infotainment system and climate control also feature, though they’ve been discreetly integrated to preserve the seventies vibes. Materials available to customers include high-grade leathers, Alcantara, wool fabrics, technical textiles and even tweeds. What could be better?
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