Volvo's sturdy 120 series "Amazon" celebrates 50 years By Heiko Haupt


dpa German Press Agency
Published: Tuesday January 16, 2007

By Heiko Haupt, Gothenberg- Swedish carmaker Volvo has an image of producing robust, nigh-on unbreakable cars and much of the credit for that must go to a model named Amazon which emerged 50 years ago. The car named after the female warriors of Greek mythology went on to become a top-seller and reinforced the company's image as a byword for safety and strength as evinced by the quality of Swedish steel.

Unfortunately, a German motorcycle firm held the rights to the name Amazon, albeit with an "e" at the end, and Volvo was forced to offer its cars outside the Nordic markets as the 120 series.

When the car first emerged in 1956, few observers thought it would take the world by storm since the company was fairly new to series production.

The story of Volvo itself goes back to Assar Gabrielson and Gustaf Larsson, two employees of the Swedish ball-bearing company, who came up with the idea of building cars. Their first model appeared in 1927.

It was not until the advent of the PV 444/544 series in the second half of the 1940s that the marque, whose name means "I roll" in Latin, began to appear in the car showrooms in any numbers. More than 400,000 of these early cars were sold but this was only the beginning.

The new Volvo Amazon adopted the unitary construction methods fashionable at the time and was premiered at the London Motor Show in 1956. Wherever the car appeared, the chunky body design came in for particular praise. The team of designers headed by Jan Wilsgard had managed to create a shape which combined modern and traditional features.

The separate mudguards of its predecessor had given way to a smooth, contemporary shape, which exuded strength and masculinity. There were vestigial fins at the rear, a popular feature of American cars at the time, and a generous use of chrome in the divided front grille flanked by round headlights.

Technically there was little innovation to speak of. Many components which had served previous models well were used in the Amazon too. The four-cylinder engine was available in a number of permutations, which included the uprated 122S (S stand for sports) with twin SU carburettors, 85 brake horsepower and four-speed gearbox. For the most powerful variant, the sporty 123 GT, output was boosted from the original 60 to 115 bhp.

The car was initially sold as a four-door saloon only but a two- door version followed. The five-door estate came out in 1962 and altogether the car proved to be an export hit, selling well in the United States and in Canada where it was marketed under the name of the Volvo Canadian. Many would argue that the 120 series really made Volvo's name in world markets.

The marque's reputation for safety began in the late 1950s when the Amazon and PV544 became the first cars in the world to feature three-point safety belts as standard. Headrests also made an early appearance in Volvo cars.

Volvo Amazons were notable for their use of Swedish steel but not because of the thickness of the panels made from it. The company was quick to see the advantages of rustproofing and such protection from the ravages of climate and time became a strong selling point. Rust has since claimed many early models, but the car has shown more longevity in this respect than many of its contemporaries.

It was not until 1967 that the last Amazon four-door saloon rolled off the conveyer belt while the estate version was offered for a further 12 months. The popular two-door model remained in production until 1970.

What remains today is an image as tough as the cars themselves. Of the 667,323 manufactured, numerous examples have survived as cosseted collectors' cars while many others around the world continue to provide reliable daily transport.

© 2006 dpa German Press Agency