Even after five years of his passing, Academy Award Winner Paul Newman left his mark in the world. He could make a great film come alive. He found a way to bring families together for dinner with Newman's Own salad dressing, pasta sauce, wine, and other food/drink while donating proceeds to charity. He also could make a power-thirsty Volvo.
Enter the Volvo 960 station wagon, a Newman creation.
Neman was a Volvo fan, plain and simple. He owned a 740 wagon with a turbocharged V-6. His vehicle got sufficient use, but there was something else in store for him. In partnership with Ross Converse of Converse Engineering, he helped create the ultimate 960.
In doing so, Converse swapped out the engine for an American automaker's V-8, installed sway bars, and lowered the suspension. Word spread. Before long, late night television host David Letterman and a Manhattan businessman named Ian Warburg both owned the vehicle along with Newman. Warburg swapped his company-owned BMW for the Volvo. Letterman learned--after Newman asked if he wanted it--what a puffer was (a supercharger if you were wondering). Letterman also learned that that puffer would give his Volvo the capacity to hit 400-horsepower.
A 400-horsepower Volvo station wagon. Could you imagine that on a racetrack?
We will remember Newman's influence for years to come. We do have one question, though. Where is Newman's Volvo now? The answer has yet to be revealed.
What can you do with a new Volvo? Come see what we have here at Volvo Marin, and we'd be happy to show you your options and share ideas. We're located in Corte Madera, CA, so if you're in the area, feel free to drop in for a visit!
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