Volvo Cars has turned 80 on April 14. In connection to this remarkable milestone, the Swedish automaker rolled off a production consists of antique and modern product lines. As part of its 80th anniversary, Volvo showcased a parade of cars through the Gothenburg city which is its very own hometown.
The parade of cars includes the Volvo OV4 - the automaker's very first car. The parade flaunted eighty years of history which has rolled from the Volvo museum in the outskirts of the city to downtown Gothenburg where the public was invited to gaze at Volvo's engineering and vehicle know-how.
To highlight the event, Carl-Magnus Skogh, 82, a veteran Swedish rally legend, drove a 1927 convertible, the first car that Volvo mass-produced. Skogh was one of the renowned names who have helped the company to become popular on the world map. In the 1960s, along with racing legends like Joginder "Flying Sikh" Singh and Tom Trana, Skogh earned Volvo headlines worldwide with his achievements on the international rally circuit from the Saharan Africa to Greek Acropolis.
Skogh joined Volvo in 1963 after a successful stint as a rally driver for Swedish competitor Saab. He won the Swedish championship in 1960 and 1961, driving a SAAB 96. In 1965, he won the Acropolis Rally in a Volvo Amazon. Skogh's automotive expertise was essential to the automaker not only on race courses around the world, but also in product research and development. In 1978, Skogh set the world speed record for diesel cars with 209 kph in a Volvo 340 that he had modified. The rally legend has also contributed to improving driveability and stability features of the cars.
"I designed the chassis features of the 850," stressed Skogh. The rally legend intimated that he was happy about driving the most important car in the parade. The CEO of Volvo Trucks, Leif Johansson and the CEO of Volvo Cars, Fredrik Arp, were his passengers. "I feel good today. It's an experience to have Leif Johansson and Fredrik Arp in the backseat," said Skogh.
It can be recalled that in 1999, the Swedish premium cars and trucks manufacturer was split into two companies, the Ford Motor Company bought the automobile division. Through the years, Volvo has established a good standing when it comes to both durability and safety. At present, the company is striving to wipe away the boxy image to complete an excellent package.
The Swedish automaker founded in 1997 has eventually become a leading global manufacturer of commercial vehicles. To grab a bigger slice of the automotive market, the founders entertained several upgrades and modifications. The ordinary Volvo brake dust shields and other auto parts and equipment from the automaker were enhanced to offer superb efficiency, ergonomics and safety.
