The first Volvo car leaves the factory in 1927 - Poster on museum-quality matte paper

The first production car from Volvo leaves the factory. It is just after 10 am on April 14, 1927, and this Maundy Thursday is probably the most significant day in the history of the car manufacturer Volvo. Hilmer Johansson, with the title of sales director, is seen behind the wheel as he drives the new Volvo car out of the factory gate in Lundby in Gothenburg. Volvo launched the car in 1927, which had the working name Larson. It would later be given the model designation Volvo ÖV 4 in 1927. ÖV means open wagon and 4 means four cylinders and was called Jakob. The first mass-produced Swedish car was a fairly conventional construction with influences from American car design, with a wooden frame made of ash, a 28 horsepower 1.9-liter side valve engine and wheels with wooden spokes. Mechanical brakes, but only on the rear wheels and three forward gears. Only one color combination was available: dark blue with black front and rear fenders. 1000 cars of the model were planned to be built, half open and half with a covered body, but only 205 actual ÖV4s were built. Ten test cars were built already in 1926, with the first one being ready on 24 April, which was Jakob's name day. Hence the nickname. The presentation and display of the first car was actually supposed to take place the day before, on 13 April. But it had to be postponed to a day when it was discovered that the differential in the rear axle was incorrectly mounted. The car then instead went backwards when first gear was engaged. The cost of the car at the time was 4800 kronor and sales were slow. In its first year, 1927, only 297 cars were sold. Gustaf Larson. 1887-1968. Swedish civil engineer and active within the car company Volvo as its deputy managing director and technical director from the time the company was founded in 1926. Together with Assar Gabrielsson, he initiated discussions about developing a new Swedish passenger car that became the beginning of the current Volvo. In Dalarna, the car-crazy artist Helmer MasOlle was based and he was commissioned to design the body of the first Volvo car ÖV4 in 1927. Helmer MasOlle also designed the still classic Volvo emblem that is still found on the front of all Volvo cars: An oblique diagonal and the symbol for iron, also called the March sign. It symbolized Swedish expertise, quality and Swedish steel.

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