Photographs can be seen in our Volvo Gallery

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Volvo cars. 80 years of serving society

11 February 2008

Different and exciting exhibition theme for Techno-Classica show in Essen

Volvo Cars will give attention to a lesser known fact at the world's largest show for classic cars and everything else to do with the classic-car hobby. The exhibition theme for this year's Volvo stand that will reflect the Volvo heritage is "Volvo cars - 80 years of serving society".

History in black, white and orange
At this year's show - held March 26-30 - it is the Volvo car as reliable and durable workhorse in the service of the society that will have the attention. Not the private passenger Volvo, but those cars that have been in governmental or municipal use. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the first deal between AB Volvo and a State-owned company was closed, and it has continued ever since.

In 1928 the Royal Swedish Telegraph Administration, which was responsible for the telephone communications in Sweden at the time, ordered 70 pickup versions of the ÖV4 model plus 24 separate chassis intended for other types of bodywork, and this already during the second year of Volvo operations. Unfortunately none of these vehicles have remained in show condition but a few of them have survived and one is currently being rebuilt to its original specification.

The oldest car at this year's Volvo stand is therefore another type of Volvo but also a vintage vehicle, a Volvo PV824 Ambulance from 1947. The oddest vehicle among the seven Volvos at display is no doubt the PV831 from 1953 which was used by the railway for inspections of the line, in other words a railcar.

Not only have Volvo delivered vehicles the Swedish state. The Volvo car as a faithful workhorse in different types, shapes and sizes have been seen on the road in many countries - as taxi cab, ambulance, police car, fire fighter or as service vehicle for different departments and companies. The enthusiasts that collect Volvo models will definitely recognise several of the cars on display since they have been very popular with manufacturers of model cars.

Together with the displayed vehicles, the show will present both the technical and the model development history of Volvo Cars, and at the same time illustrate how the design and equipment of emergency and service vehicles have developed over the years. Most of these vehicles are not so well known outside Sweden, all the more reason, then, to give them their right of place in Essen in order to show a historic reality.

The youngest commercial car on display is a Volvo Duett 210 from 1968: a fully equipped van from the National Telecommunications Administation of a type that was very common in Sweden during the 60s and 70s. This "Telephone" vehicle ties the wires from the 1928 Telegraph ÖV4 together with latter day vehicles.

Information about tradition
The large annual international Volvo meet in Göteborg, VROM, will also be represented with information in Essen. This year the big meet will be held August 8-10 and it will as usual be studded with lots of activities and hundreds of historically interesting Volvos.

GCP - Genuine Classic Parts - the company that supplies parts for classic Volvo models from the PV444 to the 140 Series through the international Volvo dealer network is also present at the stand with some exciting news for the Volvo enthusiasts that keep the older vehicles running. Among these is a new interactive home page.

Responsibility for the Volvo Cars participation at Techno-Classica is in the hands of Volvo Cars Heritage, the department whose brief is to nurture and present the company's history and rich heritage. Volvo Cars Heritage staff is present at the stand during the whole show. You will find Volvo Cars Heritage in Hall 3, stand number 3.0-302.

For more information about Volvo's classic car models, go to http://www.volvocars.com/heritage/. For information about Techno-Classica, visit http://www.siha.de/

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