By Susan Swarbrick

IT is all change at the Riverside Museum in Glasgow as the centrepiece car wall receives a new addition to its ranks.

Out goes the 1939 Vauxhall Ten Saloon and in comes the 1963 Volvo P1800S as voted for by visitors to the venue earlier this year.

The latter car was lifted into position this week and is now on show to the public.

In the 1960s, the sleek, sporty style of the Volvo P1800S was considered a radical departure from the solid, traditional cars for which the Swedish-based company had become renowned.

Powered by a four-cylinder 1778cc engine it had a top speed of 100mph. Less than 40,000 were ever made with production starting in 1961 and ending in 1972.

The car went on to achieve iconic status after featuring in the hit television series, The Saint, starring Roger Moore as the Robin Hood-esque Simon Templar.

The model has strong ties to Scotland. The Pressed Steel Company, based at Linwood, near Paisley, initially produced the P1800 bodies which were then transported to Jensen Motors Ltd in the West Midlands where the cars were assembled for Volvo.

Chairman of Glasgow Life, Councillor Archie Graham, said: "The car wall is one of the most popular exhibits in Riverside, because many people can relate to at least one of the vehicles on show, and very often more.

"Our visitors were quick to respond when we asked which car from our collection they would like to see on display. And I'm delighted to see the Volvo take pride of place on Riverside's car wall."

The Vauxhall Ten Saloon, meanwhile, will be taken to the Glasgow Museums Resource Centre (GMRC) where it can still be viewed on transport tours and by appointment.

Dubbed the "million-pound car" by its makers when it was unveiled 76 years ago, it was only produced for a year as by 1940 the Second World War saw Vauxhall switch its focus to tanks and other military equipment.

Following the war, car production re-commenced in 1946. However by 1947, the Ten Saloon was dropped from the Vauxhall range entirely. The car within the GMRC collection is among only a handful remaining from a limited production run.