Sweden's greatest hits: Exploring the World of Volvo museum

Large windows let in huge amounts of light, in both the large atrium on the entrance floor and throughout the five levels of exhibits. It’s all thoroughly modern, and very Swedish.

The World of Volvo building is free to enter, giving access to event spaces, an exhibition centre that can house more than 1000 people and a restaurant. “The freedom to roam is really important in Swedish culture,” says Wrahme. “We want this to be a vibrant destination and a place to visit. I wouldn’t say like the Eiffel Tower in Paris, but of course we like people. We want this to be a place you need to visit if you come to Gothenburg.”

You will, though, need to buy a ticket for the exhibits. And when you do, the journey doesn’t start with the car display (we will come on to that), but with a series of interactive features – many of which focus, naturally, on safety and sustainability. Don’t worry: it’s more fun than that sounds.

There are exhibits showing how Volvo has developed new safety systems and techniques, from the seatbelt to crash test dummies.

In one notable section, you walk past portraits of people whose lives were saved by seatbelts, with audio recounting their stories. Another recaps the history of the lambda sensor, while you can also test your balance as a standing passenger on a bus simulator.

Another exhibit features a cartoonish driving sim designed to warn of the perils of distracted driving, where a character demands you conduct tasks on a large touchscreen while controlling the vehicle at speed (there’s a moral there somewhere). You can also rummage through a ball pool with some electric diggers or experience a wind tunnel.

Other exhibits are more ethereal: one art piece uses a giant curved screen that generates shapes and visual effects based on your movement, and I promise it’s way better than that description makes it sound.

“We want to show the visitors that Volvo is broader than just vehicles,” says Wrahme. “The brand is very human-centric, so it’s about how we can use technology in a way  that can help people.”

Cars featured in the World of Volvo museum

Volvo OV4 (1927-1929)

This is Volvo’s first car. The first 10 examples of the OV4 (Oppen Vagn translates as open carriage, four refers to the number of engine cylinders) were built in Stockholm before the company moved to Gothenburg.

The launch didn’t go well: the rear axle gear was installed incorrectly in the show model, so it could only run in reverse for its first test drive. Customers were also hesitant to buy an open vehicle in Sweden, especially given the high asking price, which set a trend: Volvo wouldn’t actually make any profit from its cars until the 1940s – hence why you can’t tell the history of Volvo Cars without the Volvo Group commercial vehicles that initially drove profits.

Volvo LV4 (1928-1929)

Who says platform-sharing is a modern concept? With the OV4 struggling, Volvo diversified by producing the LV4 truck – plans for which predated the car. It used the same 28bhp motor as the OV4 but with a reinforced chassis. An initial product run of 500 sold out in six months, shoring up Volvo’s future.

Volvo PV36 'Carioca' (1935-1938)

By the 1930s, Volvo still hadn’t figured out how to make cars profitable – but it could make them look good: the PV36 featured a radical streamlined body in an early push at improving efficiency. Only 500 were ever sold, sadly. Trivia: the Carioca nickname is shared with one for residents of Rio de Janeiro. It’s still unknown why it was attached to a Swedish car.

Volvo L248 (1939-1954)

Known as the Roundnose, the L248 drew inspiration from American, British and German trucks, and was the first Volvo commercial vehicle to differ significantly from the cars in terms of design. Its 99bhp diesel engine helped it become a popular hauler, and Volvo’s first sales smash.

Volvo White Bus (1945)

Currently located in a special exhibition section, the White Bus is one of the more sobering vehicles on display. In the closing months of World War II, the Swedish Red Cross dispatched fleets of vehicles to concentration camps to rescue prisoners and bring them to Sweden. The 75 vehicles, including this bus, made hundreds of trips, saving more than 15,000 prisoners.

Volvo Penta Aquamatic (1959-present)

Volvo Group doesn’t just do land vehicles: in 1959, it introduced the pioneering Penta Aquamatic boat engine, which combines the drive unit of an outboard motor with the fuel efficiency of an inboard unit. The mechanicals are inside the boat, but the propeller is placed outboard. It’s a hugely significant machine for boating history.

Volvo PV445 Duett (1953-1960)

The fortunes of Volvo’s car division transformed with the PV444, developed in the final years of World War II as a smaller, cheaper, more fuel-efficient vehicle. It was the first profitable Volvo car, and the chassis would be used for a range of models, the most significant of which is this PV445 Duett – the first Volvo estate.

Volvo P1800 S (1961-1972)

The 1800 S sports car was intended to boost Volvo’s brand internationally, with the design by student Pelle Petterson, who later went on to style lawnmowers and golf clubs. This car was bought by American teacher Irv Gordon in 1966 and he subsequently clocked up more than three million miles in it, setting a world record in 2013.

Volvo Experimental Safety Car (1972)

The VESC was unveiled at Geneva in 1972, and was a test lab for safety kit that would later become common on cars, including airbags, a rear-view camera, anti-lock brakes and an impactabsorbing bumper. The colour was chosen for visibility, while there is also an eyesight line stripe on the bonnet designed to improve depth perception.