While Volvos are relative newcomers to the roads of New Zealand, the Swedish company has been manufacturing cars for over 70 years. The company was originaly set up with assistance from SKF, the ballbearing manufacturers, and the name Volvo which means "I roll" was originally used for bearings. Their earliest designs drew heavily from contemporary American styling and engineering, and this influence has persisted through to the latest models. Volvo tended to contract out most sub-assemblies, keeping a strict eye on the quality of the units which were supplied, rather than the vertical integration approach of many other manufacturers.

   The car which first put Volvo on the international map was the PV444, produced from 1944. Its derivative, the PV544 (from '58 to '65), was very successful in rallying due to its high power-to-weight ratio. The PV544s were only produced in LHD, and there are a handfull in New Zealand. In 1956 Volvo brought out the 120 series, or the Amazon as it was known in Sweden. This was a unitary construction saloon, fitted initially with a 1600cc 4-cylinder (B16). These cars followed in the tracks of the PV's, also doing well in rallying and saloon racing, including several raced in New Zealand. The 123GT variant is the most sought after, with a high-performance engine and "sporty" accessories.

   The P1800 coupe was first produced in 1961, and was fitted with a new 1800cc engine (B18) which was also used in the 120s. The first 6000 were assembled by Jensen in England, but manufacture was moved to Sweden in 1963, and the car became the 1800s. In 1968 the 1800s was upgraded to a 2-litre engine (B20), though the name remained. When fitted with fuel injection it became the 1800E, and a neat wagon version, the 1800ES, was brought out in 1971. Production finally ceased in 1973 when it became impractical to modify the design to cope with stricter American design requirements.

   The 120 was phased out in 1970, to be replaced by the 140 series introduced in 1968. This was the first of the "boxy" Volvos, with large bumpers and many safety features. The 140 series formalised the numbering scheme in which the first digit was the series number, the second the number of cylinders, and the last the number of doors (eg the 145 was the estate version). Strict adherence to this scheme was abandoned round 1985. The 140 saw the return of the grille flash which was a feature of the very first Volvos.

   The 140 was, in turn, replaced by the 200 series in 1974, a new generation of Volvo cars. The 240 series was powered by a new B21 engine with overhead camshaft. The 260 series also had a new engine - the B27. This new six-cylinder unit was the first result of co-operation between Volvo, Renault and Peugeot for the development of car engines. The 200 series is still the most common on the New Zealand roads, and it was the 240 Turbo which re-established Volvo as a force in saloon car racing, both in Europe and Australasia.

   In 1975 a new car model was presented: The Volvo 66, with a 1400cc Renault engine, it was produced in Holland by DAF which changed its name during the year to Volvo Car BV. In 1976 the 66 was replaced by the 343. In 1982 the 360GLT was introduced powered by Volvo's 2-litre B19E engine and with microprocessor controlled fuel injection system. The 360 was replaced by the 440 hatchback in 1988 which was powered by a 1721 cc engine. In 1993 the 440 became available with a 2 litre B20F engine in an upgraded design.

   After years of intensive development, Volvo was able to introduce the Volvo 760GLE in 1982, powered by the six cylinder B28E engine. In 1984 the gap between the 240 and the 760 was filled with introduction of the 740GLE and the 740Turbo, followed by the 700 Estates in 1985.

   In 1991 Volvo unveiled an exciting new model, the innovative 5 cylinder powered 850. It had front wheel drive with a transverse 2.5 litre 20 valve, 5 cylinder engine. In the same year two new Volvo models of the upgraded design - the 940 and the 960 - were included in the range. The 960 featured a completely new driveline with an in-line six cylinder 3-litre engine with 24 valves.

   Production of the 240 ceased in 1993. The model was in production for 19 years without much change since its introduction in 1975.

   In 1996 the new S40 / V40 series was launched. This Volvo is build in Holland in the same factory as the Mitsubishi Carisma. Only the 2 litre versions are available in NZ.

   1997 was an important year for Volvo NZ. Apart from the 40 series, which replaced the 400 series, the 70 series and the 90 series have been introduced. The 70 series is the rebadged 850 series which underwent a major revamp. The 90 series is the revamped 900 series with 3 litre, 6 cylinders in-line, engines.

   In 1998 Volvo introduced the S80, the new top of the range model with in-line six cylinder unit, transversely in the engine bay, driving the frontwheels replacing the 90 series the last of the rear-wheel drive Volvos.

   The Volvo Owners Club started in Hamilton in 1978, but wound up after 4 years. Many of the old members joined the new Volvo Enthusiasts Club, started by Dick Morrow in 1983 in Auckland. The Volvo Enthusiasts Club NZ (Inc) now has over 125 members, and the main emphasis is on doing what Volvo owners love most - driving their Volvos. Many trips have been organised, and these provide a chance for fellow enthusiasts to get together and swap notes and ideas. While most of the club's members live in the Auckland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty areas, it is a national Club.

   A cross section of members runs from the retired couple through to those much younger for whom an older Volvo is their first car. Volvo owners are lucky in that the cars really do run for many kms without giving trouble, and parts, even for the older vehicles, rarely pose a problem. Parts for older models, are readily available through Volvo dealers, and world wide specialist suppliers. Some older models are now being dismantled. Rust can be a problem on older cars imported from Britain. Working on a `60s Volvo would pose no problem to anyone familiar with British cars of the same vintage - the electrics are mainly Lucas, brakes Girling, and B18 is almost identical to the BMC B-series, and there are no tricky or unobtainable accessories.

   All of the earlier vehicles were privately imported, often when their owners moved to New Zealand, and their longevity means that most are still around today, often with their original purchaser.

   It is not unusual to have two, three or even four Volvos within the one family, and marque loyalty is high.

   The club maintains a library of parts and service manuals, magazines and technical bulletins, as well as much safety-related promotional material published by Volvo which makes for interesting reading.