News: Review: 19th Volvo 240/260 annual meeting

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Review: 19th Volvo 240/260 annual meeting

24.07.2024

A suuuuper good meeting in Sauensiek with a little bit of bad weather

Just in time for the official start of the 19th Volvo 240/260 annual meeting, a dark wall of clouds moved over the Lower Elbe region and then a heavy shower pattered down on the 50 or so Volvos that had gathered in rows on the large meadow at Klindworths Gasthof in Sauensiek. After this humid and cheerful start, the meeting could begin after a short time and the umbrellas could be pulled in.

Participants came not only from all over Germany, but also from the Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden. A truly colorful mixture of models and model years was on display - from the signal colors of the 70s to the subtle paint jobs of the most recent model years. It was always amazing to see the variety of engines and equipment on display. A well-kept picture throughout, which was astonishing given the high mileage on the speedometers in some cases. The turbos, which still belong to the top class of this model series, were represented in greater numbers than usual. And an extremely rare Volvo 262c Solaire from 1981 was once again the eye-catcher par excellence - even though, as already mentioned, the weather was not ideal for a convertible.

The trunk parts market was rather modest due to the weather, but the focus was on the reunion anyway. There is a solid core that sticks to these Volvos and is therefore always present in Sauensiek and Kleinlüder.

But there are also "newcomers" who have fulfilled their often long-cherished wish and feel immediately welcome and at home in the 240/260 community.

After a lunchtime snack, the official welcome took place. Christiane and Karsten Schwob had once again provided a varied but uncomplicated program and the mood of the participants was excellent, as this event has become a firm fixture in the calendar of fans of the 200 series. From time to time, there was a glimpse of the sky as dark clouds drifted over the course, but their heavy rain was considerately allowed to fall elsewhere.

This meant that the road books and the bags well filled by the sponsors could be distributed. The Volvo bags were provided by Finck & Claus. The coveted rally sign, which is traditionally handed out at every meeting as proof of participation, was once again sponsored by SKANDIX this year. A very special anniversary was also discreetly included in the rally sign: 50 years of the Volvo 240/260. And as if that wasn't enough, SKANDIX also gave us a "dipstick" of special dimensions. A bag of Gifflar cinnamon buns from Pagen - Nordic, the Scandinavian magazine, had a copy ready for everyone and Caramba donated an oily emergency aid to help against squeaking and rust. The local Volvo partner Bröhan was generous, as was Volvo Germany in particular.

After distributing the sponsors' gifts, for which the participants thanked them with a big round of applause, the tour continued: through the Lower Elbe region with its picturesque little villages and huge fruit plantations to the Herzapfelhof in the Altes Land region. Over coffee and cake - both generously served - all those present then received a very special memento: an apple engraved with this year's meeting.

It was hard to resist biting into this original giveaway - but after a certain amount of time, the fresh red apple was too much to resist. After returning to Gasthof Klindworth, the first barbecue aromas were already in the air and the buffet was opened at 6 p.m. sharp. For most, it was a long evening with lots of good conversations and encounters.

In any case, 12 Volvos had already arrived on Friday and 13 Volvos only made the journey home on Sunday. The 20th meeting will once again take place in the Fulda region and the almost complete 200 series from the long construction period from 1975 to 1993 will once again be presented there, making it possible to experience the full diversity of these legendary models like nowhere else in Germany.

Our thanks go to Christiane, Karsten and the friendly helpers, because without them these wonderful meetings would be unthinkable. The participants' unanimous conclusion:

"Despite the occasional bad weather, we had a great time in Sauensiek!"
More about what was and what is to come at http://www.volvo240260.info