Hans picked me up at World of Volvo in downtown Gothenburg, quickly briefed me on what we were doing, and the next thing I knew I was in the underground parking lot staring at a Safari Yellow P1800E.

I’ll see a blue 1966 Caprice Estate, jade green ’77 Country Squire, or a pastel yellow ’86 Volvo 240DL wagon—Mom had one when I was a kid—and think, nice! Was the Grand Safari the ...