This was a special narrow-cab export derivative of Volvo’s heavy F12 range, created to meet markets with stricter width limits, especially Switzerland. Rather than using the standard F12 sleeper cab, Volvo paired the F12 chassis and driveline with the smaller F7 Club of Four cab, producing a lighter and more compact truck for operators who needed full heavy-haul capability in a reduced-width package. The best-known version was the CH230, introduced in 1980, which used the F12’s larger-engine layout with the narrower cab structure and modified wings. It filled a practical niche in Alpine and other width-restricted markets, where payload, maneuverability, and legal compliance mattered as much as long-haul comfort. The special F12/F7-cab arrangement remained a limited production solution rather than a mainstream model, and it was ultimately replaced by the FS10 in 1986.
MODEL HISTORY