Volvo

For a century, Volvo has been one of the most distinctive names in the automotive world. The car division of this quintessentially Swedish company has been owned by the Americans and then the Chinese. However, its truck and bus operations are still in Swedish hands, keeping an important part of the company’s heritage firmly rooted in Sweden. This book charts Volvo’s first hundred years, giving a full run down of the evolution of Volvo’s model range, including the PV series, Amazon, P1800 and 140/240 series, along with the 700, 850 and 900 series and much more. Volvo is one of the most diverse and interesting automotive brands ever conceived, yet it is often dismissed as somewhat dull. Those who overlook it fail to delve beneath the surface, where they would discover a rich seam of stories. Volvo predates many of today’s automotive marques, and throughout its first century it has consistently innovated – whether by outpacing its rivals in the environmental stakes, or by introducing one groundbreaking safety innovation after another. There have always been many facets to Volvo, including aviation, agricultural machinery, trucks and buses, as well as an incredibly diverse series of cars, many of which have pioneered technologies often attributed to other brands. This book aims to set the record straight on many aspects of Volvo’s history and achievements, while also delving that bit deeper so that even the most die-hard marque enthusiast is likely to discover something new.
These chapters bring together the full breadth of Volvo’s endeavours, and while the primary focus is on its production cars, coverage is also given to its commercial vehicles and concept cars as well as its extensive environmental and safety credentials. All of this is brought to life through more than 300 pictures, many taken specially for this celebration of Volvo’s first century.