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Three-numbered Volvos
Starting with the 140 series in 1968, Volvo used a three number system for their cars. The first number was the series, the second number the number of cylinders and the third number the number of doors; so a 164 was a 1-series with a 6-cylinder engine and 4 doors. However there were exceptions to this rule—the 780 for example, came with turbocharged I4 and naturally-aspirated V6 petrol engines and I6 diesel engines, but never an eight cylinder as the 8 would suggest. Similarly, the 760 often was equipped with a turbocharged I4 engine and the Volvo 360 only had four cylinders. Some 240GLT had a V6 engine. The company dropped the meaning of the final digit for later cars like the 740, but the digit continued to identify cars underhood on the identification plate.

Volvo 140 (Volvo 142, Volvo 144, Volvo 145)
Volvo 164
Volvo 240 (Volvo 242, 244, 245)
Volvo 260 (Volvo 262C, 264, 265)
Volvo 340 (Volvo 343, 345)
Volvo 360
Volvo 440
Volvo 460
Volvo 480
Volvo 740
Volvo 760
Volvo 780
Volvo 850
Volvo 940
Volvo 960

Today, the company uses a system of letters denoting body style followed by the series number. S stands for saloon or sedan, C stands for coupe or convertible and V stands for versatile or estate car. XC stands for cross country originally added to a more rugged V70 model as the V70XC and indicates all wheel drive paired with a raised suspension to give it a mock SUV look. Volvo would later change the name to the XC70 in keeping with its car naming consistent with the XC90. So a V50 is an estate ("V") that is smaller than the V70.