VOLVO

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Volvo means 'I Roll' in Latin, and the arrowed Circle is merely the conventional map sign for steel - Sweden's most famous industry before iKEA came along.  The circle and arrow represent the shield and spear of Mars, which are also an alchemical symbol for iron. Each of the "classical" planets was associated with a metal: Sun=gold, Moon=silver, Mercury=quicksilver, Venus=copper, Mars=iron, Jupiter=tin, Saturn=lead. 

On May 11, 1915 AB Volvo submitted an application to have the trade mark 'Volvo' registered as a name for several different products.  Then on July 25, 1924 when Gustaf Larson and Assar Gabrielsson met by chance over a plate of crayfish, and after enjoying their meal agreed to start up production of 'The Swedish Car'.  So it was in June 1926 the first prototype cars left Galco's premises in Stockholm.  That said, Volvo considers April 14, 1927 as being the date when the company was born.  This is because on this day the first car “Jakob” left the factory in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Volvo 1927

Founded by Assar Gabrielsson and Gustaf Larsson, the company was formed on a background of quality and safety which were both of paramount importance, a concept that still applies to the Volvo cars of today.  The fledgling company produced both closed top and cabriolet models of their new four-cylinder OV4 and PV4 models, which were constructed to better withstand the harsh Swedish climate, than contemporary US imports. Both carried the Swedish symbol for iron attached to a diagonal piece if metal on the front grille – another aspect of Volvo’s heritage that can still be seen on today’s models.

In 1929 a six-cylinder PV651 model had been introduced which was both longer and wider than the Jakob. Its success helped the company to purchase its engine supplier and buy its first factory and by the end of 1931 return it’s first dividend to shareholders.  The first production milestone of 10,000 Volvo’s was reached in May 1932 and it was not long before Volvo dealers were asking the company to develop a more inexpensive car ‘for the people’. This was the PV 51 model of 1936, similar to the more expensive PV36 in design, but smaller in size and less well equipped.

Volvo PV51 1936

VOLVO TRUCKS

The 1920s was a period of rapid progress for trucks and truck transport.  In the early years of the decade, trucks were very old-fashioned, often fitted with chain-drive systems and solid rubber tyres. Drivers were all too often exposed to fluctuations in temperature and the elements. When the first Volvo truck rolled off the production lines in 1928 it was, however, shaft-driven, had pneumatic tyres and the driver sat in a fully enclosed cab.

Even at this early stage in truck development, Volvo trucks were built to a very high standard in terms of their reliability and quality, especially compared to non-Swedish trucks, which had not been designed with the poor Swedish climate and poor Swedish roads in mind.  Right from the start, a Volvo truck was considered to be (and in fact was) fairly expensive (something that also applied to Volvo cars). Customers chose a Volvo generally for its to superior quality and ruggedness in spite of its higher price.

Volvo Truck 1928

By the autumn of 1926, Volvo management was already aware that the choice of a small four-cylinder engine had not been very wise step. The development of a straight in-line six-cylinder engine was begun, by simply taking the existing four-cylinder ’DA’ engine, adding two cylinders, thus creating Volvo’s first six-cylinder engine, the ’DB’.

In the spring of 1929, both the first car and the first truck with a six-cylinder engine were introduced. Thus, Volvo got its first truck with not only a high level of quality and rugged design, but also decent performance.  Generally speaking, the first six-cylinder truck, the Series 3, was very similar to the Series 2 truck. This meant that the specification was otherwise almost unchanged, right down to the chassis wheelbase, with the result that the length of the platform was fairly limited, which was perhaps not then a severe hindrance in transport since the payload was limited to about 2 tonnes in the first edition. Later, the length of the platform was slightly increased but not significantly.

WARTIME PRODUCTION

The Second World War significantly restricted Volvo’s production of cars, but by the autumn of 1944 the company had unveiled one of its most significant cars – the PV444. Volvo’s first ‘true’ small car, its stylish design combined American flair with European size and it was an instant success. The PV444 and the PV544 would dominate Volvo production through to the mid ‘60’s and be the first models to gain Volvo a slice of the important US market during the 1950’s.

Volvo PV544 Safari

Another popular model was the Volvo 120 introduced in 1956 and often called the Amazon.  Safety features and accident protection were a key factor in this cars design and this was enhanced even further in 1959 when both the Amazon and PV544 were equipped with three-point safety belts – a world first and an invention pioneered by Volvo’s head of safety engineering, Nils Bohlin.

VOLVO'S SECOND SPORTS CAR

Volvo’s first sports car was the P1800, unveiled in 1960. Considered to be an excellent touring car with it’s sleek coupe lines, the P1800 went on to find fame in “The Saint” TV series with Roger Moore behind the wheel.  By 1964 Volvo had opened a new production plant in Torslanda, Sweden capable of producing up to 200,000 cars a year and by 1966 the Volvo 140 family was introduced firstly as a saloon and later as an estate, helping to cement a family market that Volvo was rapidly claiming as its own.

A 1969 Volvo 1800s

Courtesy of the owner: Deon van Loggerenberg South Africa

THE SAINT TV SERIES

The Saint was at a peak of popularity in the 1960's. The Saint television show, starring Roger Moore and his Saintly white Volvo 1800, was a big hit. In 1966 Corgi repainted their Volvo P1800 models in white, and added a Saint logo to the hood, as a testament to the success of the show.

Saint Roger Moore The Volvo Car Corporation supplied the "The Saint" television producers a total of five P1800 models for use on their show. Volvo happily supplied the first one in 1962, registered as 71 DXC, within a week of its being requested.

In 1964, Volvo moved production of the P1800 line from England to Sweden, and sent one of the new 1800S models, registration 77 GYL, to the set of "The Saint&qout;. The first car was then chopped up for better interior shot access.

Volvo 1800 - Roger Moore as The Saint

Three years later, in 1967, Volvo supplied yet another car. This car, however, didn't get much use as it was wrecked in a crash fairly soon after its arrival. The production company did manage to salvage some of the parts, and used them to update the 1964 car with the new straight bumpers, chrome, and more modern trim rings for the wheels.

A short time after the crash, Volvo supplied two more cars. One, registered as NUV 647E, was used for Roger Moore's personal use, and the other, NUV 648E, was used for filming.

If you would like to see one of the cars, the "Cars of the Stars" museum in Keswick, England has the official 'Saint' car on display. Their car is the fully restored 1964, registration 77 GYL, with a giant Saint logo on the hood.

The Saint TV Series and Hirondel

In the Saint books by Leslie Charteris, Simon Templar drove a Hirondel. The problem that the television producers had when they started to produce the 1960's Saint TV series was that the Hirondel was a fictional car. They decided to go with a contemporary car, and had two hot new sports cars to choose from: the Volvo P1800 or the Jaguar XK-E. Volvo was happy to supply a beautiful white P1800 for the show, leaving Jaguar to regret their decision not to provide a XK-E (something they rectified in the 1970's by giving The Return of The Saint show a white XJ-S).

VOLVO P1800 ADVERTS

Innovations in safety and environmental care continued apace with crumple zones, rear facing child seats, collapsible steering columns, side collision protection and the three-way catalytic converter with Lambdasond all being introduced on Volvo’s in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s.  The Volvo 240 range replaced the 140 with even higher levels of safety and quality and was joined by the smaller Volvo 340 models from Holland to take Volvo’s sales past the 4 million mark by the end of the 1970’s.

In turn the Volvo 700 series of 1982 took Volvo yet another step into the exclusive market for personalised high-quality cars. Later in the decade the 340 was replaced by the Volvo 400 series which won plaudits for its roadholding and safety as well as its generous amount of interior space.  A completely new and different Volvo was launched to the world in June 1991. The Volvo 850 was Volvo’s first front wheel drive executive car, with a transverse, five-cylinder engine. Its high level of safety combined with real driving pleasure won the car many independent awards.

The proposed merger with Renault fell through in its final stages in 1993 leaving Volvo as one of the few remaining independent car manufacturers. This marked a key turn in the company’s plans and paved the way for Volvo’s new dynamic product strategy with the introduction in 1996 of the sleek and more rounded designs of the Volvo S40 and V40.  They, like the Volvo C70 coupe and convertible that were introduced later that year, were cars that combined all of Volvo’s traditional values of safety, environmental care with sporty, elegant and exciting design and engineering.

A touch of sporting credibility crept into the range in 1992 with the 850, which was launched with the slogan "a dynamic car with four world-beating breakthroughs". These four breakthroughs were transverse-mounted five-cylinder engines (2.0-litre, 2.3 turbo, 2.5-litre and 2.5 TDI turbodiesel), a new Delta-link rear axle, Volvo's SIPS Side Impact Protection System, including a world first, side airbags, and a self-adjusting front seat belt mechanism. The picks of the 850 range were the T5 (225 bhp) and 850R (250 bhp) estates, which quickly became known as "the flying bricks", especially when liveried up in the colours of local police forces, or on the track in the 1994 BTCC Championships, and the 2.5 AWD estates with full-time four-wheel drive, the 193 bhp light-pressure turbo engine, a variable viscous coupling, traction control and air suspension remain sought-after too. The 850s were the best-driving Volvos yet, and marked a new focus of the brand on performance as well as pragmatism. "It heralded the start of a new era. Safety, reliability functionality and environmental concern, all the famous world-famous virtues, were wrapped up in a dynamic package that would gradually change the image of Volvo during the rest of the '90s", said Volvo.

Replacing the 440/460 in 1996, and continuing today, the S40 saloon and V40 estate embodied this image change, particularly the neat, compact V40 (it's best to forget that these models share all but their body panels and superficial styling with the inappropriately-named Mitsubishi Carisma, under a collaboration and production agreement). Though well-specified with both safety and comfort features, these models weren't particularly inspiring or refined to drive at launch - their disappointing press reception caused the odd head to roll. But they've been improved over the years - they needed it - and still look smart, modern and more upmarket than some mainstream contenders in their class. And the T4 turbo is one of the fastest and most unlikely sports saloons about, though it's pretty much out-classed now.

The Saint's Volvo C70 Coupe

The latest marriage of The Saint and a Volvo, the C70 debuts at the International Automobile Show, in France on October 1, 1996. It will be Volvo's first true sports coupe since the popular P1800 series, and just in time for the new Saint movie (Val Kilmer drives a red one in the upcoming Paramount picture). Styled by Volvo's chief of design Peter Horbury, the C70 draws from Volvo's past, present and future. Horbury incorporated the traditional sloping 'V' hoodline and shouldered door panels from the P120 series, the P1800's rakish rear window and body site-line, along with today's 850 front styling, and the future of Volvo styling into a Coupe unlike any Volvo ever before.

CORGI TOY

Corgi Toys ( GB)  The "Saint's" Car, Volvo P1800

Borrowing from the proven 850 series, the C70 utilizes the 850 platform, engine, drivetrain, suspension. In total the Coupe shares the same wheelbase as the 850 but is two inches longer making this an honest four seater. New for the C70 will be a manual transmission coupled to a 2.4 liter turbocharged 230 hp, five cylinder engine. Some of the standard safety features are: dual front air bags, side impact protection system (SIPS) that includes the worlds first front occupant side impact air bags, pyrotechnic seat belt pretensioners and headrestraints in all four seating positions.  By 1998 the C70 Coupe was on sale at Volvo dealers everywhere.

Next up for the restyling and rebadging was the 850, which got smoothed-out lines and a more aerodynamic profile, to be reborn as the S70 (saloon) and V70 (estate) at the end of '96. But the car which really demonstrated the new emphasis on style was the C70 coupe - a much more convincing attempt at a grand tourer than the 262C, which actually drove more like a sports car too, thanks to the input of TWR (Tom Walkinshaw Racing), who aided its development and production at the Uddevalla factory in which it had a half-share. 

The convertible version, Volvo's first drop-top since the P1900, appeared in 1999, but has failed to make a convincing rival to the long-running, best-selling Saab 900 soft-top. Why did it take Volvo so long to make sporty cars again? Its financial situation: maintaining its independence in a market dominated by huge global corporations was becoming increasingly difficult, and in 1999 it was finally receptive to a takeover from the Americans. Volvo was bought by Ford Motor Company, and became one of its Premier Automotive Group (PAG) brands alongside other acquisitions, Jaguar and Aston Martin.

With the Volvo S80 sedan of 1998 and the V70 wagon of 1999, all of this new engineering and design was brought together in a cars that both Gustaf Larson and Assar Gabrielson would have recognised as Volvo’s that represented their wishes for safe, quality products, but that can hold a fascination and desire for customers in today’s sophisticated car market.

The 2000's Models

The V-sign

THE NEW VOLVO V70 - AN ESTATE FOR THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY

2000

The new millennium starts very well for Volvo Cars. In 2000, the company sells 422,100 vehicles, a record year.  Four new models are launched:

the Volvo V70, the Volvo Cross Country, Phase II of the Volvo S40/V40 and the new saloon model, the Volvo S60. Many feature the new rear seat with the 40/20/40 split. The new, sporty, compact saloon model, the Volvo S60, is extremely well-received by both the press and car buyers.

Other headline-grabbing innovations from Volvo are three new concept cars:
ACC - the Adventure Concept Car - a version of the Cross Country which is more like an SUV.
SCC - the Safety Concept Car - a model packed with new solutions for increased safety.
PCC - the Performance Concept Car - a high-performance model based on the Volvo S60.

A lot is happening within the company, including: Hans-Olov Olsson becomes President and CEO of Volvo Car Corporation. King Carl XVI Gustav opens the Volvo Cars Safety Centre. Volvo's Road Accident Research Team has its thir-tieth birthday. Volvo Cars sells its share of NedCar in the Netherlands to Mitsubishi. At the end of the year, Volvo Cars acquires TWR's share of the Uddevalla plant, where the Volvo C70 is made.

2001 - The Year of Refinements

After launching more new models in a single year than ever before in 2000, Volvo Cars' work in 2001 is focused on development and new technology solutions. The Volvo Cars Safety Centre is also developed, and Volvo Cars now has superior crash test capabilities in its crash laboratory. Using the new movable test track, two-vehicle crash-tests can be staged from all possible angles at any speed.

The round-the-world sailing event, Volvo Ocean Race, sets out from Southampton on 20 September 2001.  Ahead of them the yacht crews have a voyage of 32,250 nautical miles before they reach the finishing line in Kiel in June 2002. Volvo's Cannondale mountain bike team, which has dominated the World Championships since 1994, reaps new successes and celebrates the decision to make mountain biking an Olympic sport in 2004.  Volvo Cars also invests heavily in working with schools on environmental issues.  In Barcelona, Volvo Cars opens a new design centre.

A NEW GENERATION OF ENGINES

A new generation of diesel engines is launched. They are made entirely of light alloy, which gives them very low weight. Low weight is important to fuel consumption, and it also has positive effects on handling. It also helps counteract understeering.

The engines are equipped with a Common Rail fuel system. This system features "pilot injection", which achieves a smoother initial phase in combustion and thus lower noise levels. A new turbo unit develops higher pressure, resulting in better acceleration and higher torque without affecting the diesel engine's fuel consump-tion. Carbon dioxide emissions from Volvo's new diesel engines are up to 30% lower than those from petrol engines of similar power output.

The basis of Volvo's Bi Fuel system (dual fuel and tank system) is Volvo's petrol engines. The low level of friction in the engines contributes to better fuel economy and lower levels of harmful emissions. Switching between burning gas and burning petrol is fully automatic, without the driver even noticing.

These engines can be supplied for either CNG (compressed natural gas) or LPG (liquefied petroleum gas), plus petrol.
The exhaust gases from a Bi Fuel engine powered by LPG are completely free of particulates. A strong product line-up, alongside Volvo's new diesel engines.  Volvo's Bi Fuel engines reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to 20%.  Thanks to a new design, Volvo's gas tanks no longer take up any cargo space in the cars.

Volvo Sport 1955

THE VOLVO S60 AWD IS LAUNCHED

The AWD system is a further development of the earlier Volvo All Wheel Drive system. At the heart of the system is a Haldex clutch, a Swedish invention. The new AWD system is a hydraulic system with electronic control. The signals controlling the Haldex clutch are:

- Wheel speed
  (signals from the ABS sensors)
- Throttle status
- Engine torque
- Engine speed
- The braking system

OTHER ADVANCES

EBA (Emergency Brake System) senses how sharply the driver is pressing the brake pedal and therefore whether or not it is an emergency braking situation. When it senses emergency braking, the brake-system pressure is immediately maximised, considerably reducing the car's stopping distance.
Volvo's Dynamic Stability and Traction Control (DSTC) can now remain active at speeds of up to 120 km/hour and may also be combined with AWD.
A new type of headlight, GDL (Gas Discharge Lights), is introduced for Volvo cars. This uses xenon lamps, which generate a very intense light. GDL ensures that approaching drivers are not dazzled by automatically adjusting the beam width. A sensor detects how heavy the car's load is and adjusts the beam width accordingly.

2002

Just days into the new year, an outstanding new Volvo is launched at the international motor show in Detroit: the Volvo XC90.

Volvo XC90 - the next generation SUV

The Volvo XC90 is an SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle) derived from Volvo’s large-car development platform. Safety was an overriding consideration throughout its development, including the safety of other road users: smaller cars, pedestrians and cyclists.  The Volvo XC90’s centre of gravity is lower than that of conventional SUVs. This in itself helps reduce the risk of rollover accidents, and the Volco XC90 also has a sophisticated Rollover Protection System (ROPS).

The Volvo XC90 is also the only vehicle in its size class which is offered with forward-facing seats for seven people in three rows.  From the outset, buyers were offered the choice of a five or six-cylinder petrol engine or a five-cylinder turbodiesel.

Volvo S60 R and VOLVO V70 R unveiled at the Paris Motor Show 2002.

The new high-performance models, the Volvo S60 R and the Volvo V70 R, were first shown to the world at the Paris Motor Show. With a 300 bhp engine developing 400 Nm of torque, these cars have a six-speed manual gearbox and AWD. First introduced in these models was the Four-C (Continuously Controlled Chassis Concept) system, which allows the driver to switch between the suspension modes Comfort, Sport and Advanced Sport at the touch of a button.

Volvo Car Corporation celebrated the 75th anniversary of its founding with a banquet for 500 guests. Amongst them were HRH Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden and the actor Roger Moore.

At the end of the Volvo Ocean Race, the German yacht illbruck Challenge skippered by John Kosteck was watched by a jubilant crowd as it crossed the finishing line in Kiel. Just before the last leg, the race fleet made a memorable stopover of several days in Volvo’s home city, Gothenburg.

Volvo Concept car Chicago 2001

2003

The year started off with the Volvo XC90 receiving the "North American Truck of the Year 2003" award from a panel of leading motoring journalists, making this the model with the greatest number of awards to its name in Volvo’s entire history. With five stars in Euro-NCAP, the XC90 received the highest possible safety rating in this safety test. It marked the first time an SUV (Sports Utility Vehicle) secured the highest rating.

The Volvo S80 was launched with both exterior and interior changes. The Volvo S80 was now available for the first time with AWD (all-wheel drive).

The major event in 2003 was the launch of the new generation Volvo S40 at the Frankfurt motor show. The new S40 is somewhat shorter, wider and taller than its predecessor. The exterior puts the emphasis on sporty, dynamic appeal. The interior has an entirely new design language, clearly anchored in Scandinavian heritage. For the first time, Volvo is offering 5-cylinder engines in this size of car, with power outputs from 140 bhp all the way to 220 bhp. The new Volvo S40 boasts an extremely high safety level, with features such as an entirely new patented frontal structure with several crumple zones and a body that is almost 68% more torsionally rigid than before. Side-impact protection is of the same type as found on Volvo’s larger models.

The next new model was the Volvo V50, a sports wagon that replaces the Volvo V40. The V50 was unveiled at the end of 2003 and entered the showrooms during the first half of 2004.

At the Geneva motor show, Volvo surprised everyone by pulling the wraps off an entirely new concept model called the VCC, Versatility Concept Car - a vision of the future showing a premium-class estate car. The VCC has a number of innovative features, not least as regards comfort and environmental compatibility.

THE ALL-NEW VOLVO S40

• Distinctive Scandinavian design

• Unique centre stack

• Innovative interior styling

The biggest event by far in 2003 was the launch of the all-new Volvo S40 at the Frankfurt International Motor Show. The all-new S40 is not as long as the earlier model of the same name, but it is slightly wider and taller. The exterior styling is sporty and dynamic. The interior is in a completely new idiom, taking much inspiration from classic Scandinavian design. The all-new S40 is to be offered in a wide range of engine options, with five-cylinder engines available for the first time in this class. The power options range from 140 bhp right up to 220 bhp. The all-new S40 has been designed from scratch to Volvo’s high environmental standards.

85 per cent (by weight) of all materials used in the car are recyclable, and recycled materials have been used for certain interior components. A pollen filter for the cabin air is standard equipment. Like other Volvos, the new Volvo S40 is supplied with an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD). Safety was, as always, a prime consideration in the new Volvo S40. The patented front-end design of the new car has been divided into a series of crumple zones, each with a specific role in the event of a collision. The torsional rigidity of the body is 68 per cent higher than that of the old S40. The side-impact protection system is the same type as used in the larger Volvos.  The Volvo V50, a sports wagon, reached dealership showrooms in the first half of 2004

VERSATILITY CONCEPT CAR

When the 2003 Geneva Motor Show opened its doors, Volvo had a brand new concept car to share with the world - the Versatility Concept Car (VCC). Volvo’s vision of a premium estate car of the future.

Its exterior styling draws on classic Volvo features: the distinctive broad shoulders, the styling of the grille and bonnet, the tailgate tending towards the vertical in traditional Volvo estate car style. The VCC’s highly distinctive headlights include a system known as "Static Bending Light" - three light units per side aimed at different angles.

Some point straight ahead, others are activated only when the car is cornering to left or right. The X-framed roof is mostly of semi-transparent glass, vastly increasing the passengers’ sense of space. Solar panels in the roof produce electricity for the VAAC, Volvo Ambient Air Cleaner system, an innovation which removes pollutants from the air outside the car even when the engine is not running. The four individual seats are covered with saddle-quality Swedish leather, complemented by soft Nubuck.

The aluminium centre console extends right through the car, incorporating many of the driver’s controls. Another striking feature is the Volvo V-Pulse. A further development of existing remote controls for central locking, the V-Pulse goes with the driver when out of the car. It remains in contact with systems in the car at all times. When all is normal, its pulse rate is calm and regular. But if the car’s alarm sounds or a door is opened, its pulse rate quickens noticeably. Open it up, and the display inside tells you what has happened.

The floor of the load space is electrically operated, sliding in and out for more convenient loading and unloading. Beneath the floor there are two storage compartments. One is heated - for hot food. The other is cooled - for chilled drinks. On the left there is a removable over-night bag in matching leather. As a concept car, obviously the VCC is not for sale, but many of its genes are very likely to set their stamp on the Volvos of the future.

7 BOATS SEPTEMBER 2005 START ............... HOW MANY WILL COMPLETE

PLEASE USE THE LINKS ABOVE TO FOLLOW THE VOLVO OCEAN RACERS

Volvo Links:

• Annual Report 1958

• Volvo 1927-1965 By Volvo AB

• 30 Year History by Assar Gabrielsson. 1959

• What's Behind Volvo. 1959

• Volvo World. Vol 1 No 1. 1961

• Volvo World. Vol 1 No 3. 1961/2

• Ratten Issue 2. 1962

• Rust Protecting A Volvo. 1960's

• What Do You Know About Swedish Quality. 1960's

• The Volvo Group Of Companies. 1974

• Volvo's Family Protection Plan. 1974

• British Components In Volvo Cars. 1974

• Volvo Fact File. 1974

• Volvo Survival Stories. 1975

• Volvo Car Division. 1975

• 200,000 Volvo Hands. 1975

• British Components In Volvo Cars. 1976

• Volvo's Component Pipeline. 1977

• Volvo's Parts Division, 1970's

• VCC Presentation. 1980

• 3-Point Safety Belt. 1999

• The True Family Car. About Estates

• 4-Point Safety belt. 2000

• Volvo's Estate Cars. 2003

• Volvo Museum Brochure

• VCC Annual Stats 2003

• VCC Annual Stats 2004

• http://www.solarnavigator.net/volvo_ocean_race.htm

Volvo Owners Club of South Africa

+ 27 (0)11 768 4493 (Office)

+ 27 (0)11 768 4793 (Fax)

www.volvoadventures.com/sa/

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