In Torslanda, near Gothenburg, Sweden, is the Volvo Museum. There, you can learn how businessman Assar Gabrielsson and engineer Gustaf Larson, both working for ball bearing manufacturer AB SKF, started building the first-ever Volvos in 1924 before the company was officially founded three years later. (Volvo, by the way, means "I roll".) The ÖV4, nicknamed Jakob, was their first creation. This cabriolet was soon followed by a sedan called PV4. AB Volvo was born.
The poor quality of existing vehicles and their inability to start and drive in Sweden's tough weather conditions convinced Gabrielsson, Larson and SKF to take the matter into their own hands. And they never looked back.
Inspired by America
Volvo's styling has long been inspired from American cars. For instance, the PV36 (or Carioca), introduced in 1936, is reminiscent of the famous Chrysler Airflow. Likewise, the legendary PV444, launched at the end of World War II, resembled Fords and Mercurys of the time. This car became one of the pillars of the Swedish firm. A wagon variant, called Duett, enjoyed a huge success for a number of years. In fact, some of them are still on the road!
In North America
Volvo quickly understood the importance of the North American market. The first export was the PV544, heir to the PV444. Then came the famous P120 (122, 124, 125 and 123GT over here, Amazone in Sweden). However, the introduction of the P1800, Volvo's second sports car, really put the company on the map. The car driven by Simon Templar a.k.a. "The Saint" (Roger Moore) did more for Volvo that many of its advertising campaigns. A manufacturing facility was even built in Halifax, Nova Scotia (and operated from 1967 to 1998). Later, the famous 144 and 240 series were rewarded for being the safest cars on the road. The rest is history...
Trucks, tractors, buses...
Who hasn't seen a truck or tractor bearing the Volvo logo? The Globetrotter and N60 immediately come to mind. On this side of the Atlantic, Volvo purchased White and GMC to expand its retailing network. Also, does the name Penta ring any bell? Boating enthusiasts are now quite familiar with these outboard engines.
As you can see, Volvo worked in various fields in order to meet the needs of Scandinavian countries. The manufacturer even produced jet engines for aircraft. Such facts and information can be found at the Volvo Museum.
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The poor quality of existing vehicles and their inability to start and drive in Sweden's tough weather conditions convinced Gabrielsson, Larson and SKF to take the matter into their own hands. And they never looked back.
Inspired by America
Volvo's styling has long been inspired from American cars. For instance, the PV36 (or Carioca), introduced in 1936, is reminiscent of the famous Chrysler Airflow. Likewise, the legendary PV444, launched at the end of World War II, resembled Fords and Mercurys of the time. This car became one of the pillars of the Swedish firm. A wagon variant, called Duett, enjoyed a huge success for a number of years. In fact, some of them are still on the road!
In North America
Volvo quickly understood the importance of the North American market. The first export was the PV544, heir to the PV444. Then came the famous P120 (122, 124, 125 and 123GT over here, Amazone in Sweden). However, the introduction of the P1800, Volvo's second sports car, really put the company on the map. The car driven by Simon Templar a.k.a. "The Saint" (Roger Moore) did more for Volvo that many of its advertising campaigns. A manufacturing facility was even built in Halifax, Nova Scotia (and operated from 1967 to 1998). Later, the famous 144 and 240 series were rewarded for being the safest cars on the road. The rest is history...
Trucks, tractors, buses...
Who hasn't seen a truck or tractor bearing the Volvo logo? The Globetrotter and N60 immediately come to mind. On this side of the Atlantic, Volvo purchased White and GMC to expand its retailing network. Also, does the name Penta ring any bell? Boating enthusiasts are now quite familiar with these outboard engines.
As you can see, Volvo worked in various fields in order to meet the needs of Scandinavian countries. The manufacturer even produced jet engines for aircraft. Such facts and information can be found at the Volvo Museum.
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