It became the first foreign car adopted by a UK police force, joining Hampshire Constabulary's fleet in 1965.
Median 109 hp across 548 similar cars
Lead trim: 121 B16 1.6 single carburettor (66 bhp) · up to 85 hp
Volvo Amazon 121 / 122 / 123GT120 series · 1956–1970
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Volvo Amazon 121 / 122 / 123GT yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactIt became the first foreign car adopted by a UK police force, joining Hampshire Constabulary's fleet in 1965.
Volvo's mid-size ponton-styled family car (667,791 built), designed by Jan Wilsgaard, offered as a two-door (130-series), four-door (120-series) and five-door estate (220-series) on the PV444/544 wheelbase, tall posture and high H-point. Announced in February 1956 under prototype designation 1200, production began that July and deliveries in August; introduced in the US as the 122S at the 1959 New York show. The 121 had a single-carburettor 66 bhp engine, the 122S (from 1958) a dual-carb 85 bhp. The estate, launched at the 1962 Stockholm show, sold 73,000 to 1969, and it was the first foreign police car in the UK (Hampshire Constabulary, 1965). The Amazon platform underpinned the P1800 and 1800ES; the cheaper, chrome-free three-speed Amazon Favorit replaced the PV in 1966.
Collectors Spotted in the Volvo Amazon Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Volvo Amazon yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
4 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 121 B16 1.6 single carburettor (66 bhp) | 1956–1970 | 1.6 L Inline-4 | 66 hp | — | — | RWD | — | — |
| 122S B16 1.6 dual carburettor (85 bhp) | 1958–1970 | 1.6 L Inline-4 | 85 hp | — | — | RWD | — | — |
| B18 1.8 | 1961–1970 | 1.8 L Inline-4 | — | — | — | RWD | — | — |
| B20 2.0 | 1966–1970 | 2.0 L Inline-4 | — | — | — | RWD | — | — |
Owning one
We don’t estimate running costs for a car like this. What it costs depends on its condition, its specialist and how it is driven, and an average would mislead.
Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
Photographs
The 123GT wasn't just a dressed-up Amazon — Volvo dropped in the high-compression B18B four-cylinder borrowed straight from its P1800 sports car, plus a sportier gearbox and a dash-mounted tachometer.
It became the first foreign car adopted by a UK police force, joining Hampshire Constabulary's fleet in 1965.
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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