The forgotten Coggiola alternative to the Volvo P 1800 ES
In 1971, Volvo presented the " Snow White's Coffin", a Volvo P1800 with an estate rear end. In the same year, a much more modern coupé with the same technical basis was also presented at the Paris Motor Show.
The creator of the alternative, which focused primarily on safety, was the Italian specialist Coggiola.
Automobil Revue described this little-known coachbuilder in 1977 as follows:
"Coggiola specializes in the production of functional prototypes, for which the mechanical parts are supplied by customers, and of plaster models. The company employs forty people and its annual production reaches ten 1:1 scale plaster models and about the same number of operational prototypes. Coggiola is a consultant to Italian, other European and Japanese companies."
The Coggiola company, founded at the end of the 1960s, was still active into the new century, working on the Lamborghini Portofino and the prototype of the Renault Mégane, among other things. The Saab Sonett III is attributed to Sergio Coggoila and is regarded as the only Coggiola design to have been produced in large numbers.
The Volvo P 1800 ESC (also known as the Viking Coupé) was not destined for a great future, although the design was certainly appealing and looked much more modern than the rather rustic Volvo.
