Volvo History
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| 1915 | The Swedish SKF-Kugellagerfabrik establishes company 'Volvo'. 'volvere' in Latin means 'roll' and 'volvo' then accordingly 'I roll'. There are many possible production targets being considered in the automotive sector. The First World War interrupts, however, the planning. |
| 1922 | Sweden imports almost 9.000 cars. |
| 1924 | Engineer Gustaf Larson and sales manager Assar Gabrielsson, two former colleagues with different characters,join together to deliver to the (apparently existing) Swedish market with own products. |
| 1926 | Schweden imports just under 19.000 cars. |
| 1926 | Ten prototypes, mostly open, of which a limousine. Larson and Gabrielson achieve in their company SKF a participation and the possibility of using a factory building as a production facility. The company Volvo is newly created as an auto producer. As logo is selected the ancient chemical symbol for iron, a circle with an right emerging arrow. The diagonal beam is necessary due to the cooler mounting. |
| 1927 | First car 'ÖV 4' from the factory Hisingen, engine from the Penta-Motorenwerken. |
| 1928 | Beginning of truck production |
| 1929 | PV 651 with six-cylinder in-line and American design |
| 1929 | Volvo magazine Rats (steering wheel) |
| 1929 | First business year with profit |
| 1930 | PV 652 with hydraulic drum brake, TR-version ('trafikbil' - truck) with an extended wheelbase for Taxi companies, majority of the Penta-Engine Plants and taking over the factory of SKF |
| 1931 | Advertising with 'cars from Sweden' |
| 1933 | PV 653 with less edged body and free-wheel for reducing consumption |
| 1934 | TR 676 with more height of the roof |
| 1935 | Transformation into joint-stock company, complete takeover of the Penta-Motoren Werke, PV 657 with streamlined body, PV 36 ('Carioca' - Fashion dance) with all-steel body and front wheel suspension, bus production |
| 1936 | PV 51 derived from PV 36 |
| 1937 | PV 52 derived from PV 51 |
| 1938 | PV 53 with forward extended front, PV 56 |
| 1938 | PV 800 successfully as a taxi |
| 1939 | PV 801 with wood gasification |
| 1940 | Prototype PV 40, larger model with four-cylinder raial rear engine |
| 1941 | 800 series with independent front suspension |
| 1941 | Volvo Aero, before Svenska Flygmotor |
| 1942 | Takeover of previous gearbox supplier (Köpings Mekaniska Verkstad) |
| 1944 | PV 444, Safety passenger compartment, windscreen of laminated glass, no more brand mark (cars), TVP (Terräng Person Vagn - off-road vehicle), PV 60 as the last Volvo with side controlled six-cylinder |
| 1947 | PV 444, Start of delivery in greater numbers |
| 1949 | More cars produced than trucks and buses |
| 1952 | Retirement for Gustaf Larson |
| 1953 | PV 445, estate car of the 444 with the name 'duet' on box frame, luxury model PV 831 |
| 1954 | Five-year warranty on engine failure |
| 1955 | U.S.-exports, test facility near Gothenburg |
| 1956 | 120 ('Amazon'), upholstered dash board, management board changes to Gunnar Engellau |
| 1957 | 1,6 liter and 44 kW (60 hp) in PV 444, preparation two-point belt, sign of iron as a brand symbol reappears (US-version PV 444), PV 445 ('Duett') estate version |
| 1958 | PV 544 with a through windscreen, Volvo Germany |
| 1959 | P 1800, fixing points for three-point belts in front, new factory created on the island Hisingen |
| 1961 | Standard in the front seat belts, 1,8 liter engine (B 18) with two carburetors |
| 1962 | Cavity conservation, Amazon estate car |
| 1963 | PV 445 Duett |
| 1965 | Victory in the East African Safari Rally (Singh, PV 544), mounting plant in Belgium |
| 1966 | 140, two-circuit brake system with dual front axle circuit, only disc brakes, front and rear crumple zones, integrated roll bar |
| 1967 | P 140, safety belts for rear seats |
| 1968 | Front head restraints |
| 1969 | B18-engine with D-Jetronic, automatic seat belts, rear window heating, end estate car Duett |
| 1970 | Research group for traffic accidents, end Amazon |
| 1971 | P 1800 ES, 'Snow White's Coffin, ' change in management board to Pehr Gustav Gyllenhammer |
| 1972 | 760 with very edged body, rear seatbelts, child seat against driving direction, child protection, rear hazard warning flashers |
| 1973 | New plant in Kalmar, abolition of the assembly line, energy-absorbing steering column and bumpers, headlamp washers, the first Volvo Ocean Race (all 4 years) |
| 1974 | Tank away from the impact zone, safety steering |
| 1975 | Takeover of DAF passenger cars |
| 1979 | Wide-angle outside mirrors |
| 1982 | Volvo 340, reinforcement of the front seat edge, protection from slippage in seat belts, warning lights at the interior door edges |
| 1984 | ABS, anti-slip regulation |
| 1986 | Volvo 480, additional brake light |
| 1987 | Belt tightener, driver's airbag |
| 1991 | Reinforced sides construction, seat belt height adjustment |
| 1992 | Airbag passenger |
| 1994 | Side airbags |
| 1998 | Whiplash protection system |
| 1999 | Takeover by the Ford Group |
| 2000 | Safety Centre in Gothenburg |
| 2002 | Test with "pregnant" dummy |
| 2003 | XC 90 as the first SUV with 5 stars at NCAP-Test |
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2001 - 2013 Copyright for programs, texts, animations and pictures: H. Huppertz - Email: harald.huppertz@t-online.de
Translator: Don Leslie - Email: lesdon@t-online.de
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