Among all the Volvo cars, the most popular and best-selling model has been the Volvo Amazon.
The Volvo Amazon is an iconic car that was in production throughout the 1950s and 1960s. It was considered the most beautiful vehicle at that time. The Amazon introduced three-point seatbelts in the front seats for the first time, which later became the standard in all of its models. The Amazon was even used as a police car.
The Volvo Amazon
Introduced in 1956, the Volvo Amazon was a mid-size family car developed in Sweden. It made its debut in the United States in 1959, and it became popular immediately. The luxury and the body of the led to many people considering it the most beautiful car of the time.
The Amazon was introduced to replace the old PV444, which was a 4-seater coupe. The Amazon came in 2-door and 4-door options, as well as a 5-door wagon option. The manufacturing of the car was done at the Lundby plant in Gothenburg.
The car was a big success for Volvo, and it sold a total of 667,791 vehicles by the time the Amazon was discontinued in 1970.
With the launch of the Amazon, Volvo started its tri-digit nomenclature for the first time. The first series was called the “120 series”. After its introduction, the Amazon received many upgrades in its lifespan. The first model was 121, which had a 66 bhp engine and was a 3-speed manual transmission car.
The first Amazon station wagon model was released in 1962. The pontoon-styled car was a huge success for a family car. It was even used by the police due to its good safety features of that time, including the introduction of the three-point belt system for the first time.
By the time of its discontinuation in 1970, the car had a 1.8-liter B20 engine which was 1778 cc. The Volvo Amazon is still a sought-after vintage car that people buy it for its prestige.
The best features of the time
The car was packed with the best features of its time. In addition to the all-new three-point belt system that saved many lives, the car also had a flash-to-pass feature in the car. The all-new Volvo B16 had a 3-speed manual engine and rear-wheel drive.
Additionally, the police Amazon models had hydraulically-assisted disc brakes and some other features like radial tires, a button for windscreen washers, and a fan fitted in the rear window.
Popularity
Volvo made its mark with this car in the United States. The majority of its sales were outside Sweden. A total of 60% made cars were exported, so it reached popularity all over the world and its three-point safety belt saved many lives. The Amazon also made Volvo the top car manufacturer in Sweden.
Volvo used to produce their cars in Sweden, but with the launch of Amazon, Volvo started making the car abroad for the first time. It was the second car released by Volvo after World War II and the car was designed by Jan Wilsgaard.
The car was such a success that big government officials like former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Colin Powell had Amazons. The car can even be seen in Hollywood movies, like in “All the President’s Men”, where Robert Redford drove a white Amazon in the movie.
Volvo marketed the Amazon in 1962 with the line “You can drive it like you hate it. Cheaper than psychiatry.” The ad campaign was done by New York advertising executive, Amil Gargano. It was a pretty much unusual marketing strategy that implied that this car could survive almost anything.
Other popular Volvos
The Volvo Amazon is not the only vehicle that was popular throughout Volvo’s history. Some other models were and still are quite popular around the world, including:
• Volvo 240 – A tough vehicle made in 1974. The overall 200 series sold around 2.8 million units. It was discontinued in 1994.
• Volvo P-1800 – A sports car made by Volvo in 1961. It also received a shooting-brake style in its last years. It was discontinued in 1973.
• Volvo 850 – Introduced as a saloon in 1991, it also received an estate body, which was a huge success. A total of 716,903 units were sold at the time of its discontinuation in 1996.
• Volvo S80 – A recent hit by Volvo, produced in 1998. It was an executive car, and it was replaced by none other than the S90 in 2016.
FAQ
What made Volvo so popular?
Volvo is a Swedish luxury brand. It is quite expensive compared to some other car brands, but that’s for a reason. The best thing about Volvo cars and what has made them so popular is their safety features. They even started their company to ensure safety features. Volvo even invented some of the safety features like a three-point belt.
Volvo cars are famous for their durability and long-lasting engines. Volvos are built pretty sturdily, which enables the cars to last longer. Volvos also offer premium interior seats and other impressive features.
What are the most popular cars in the USA ever?
The United States is definitely a car country. A car’s popularity can simply be interpreted by looking at the total number of sales of the car. The more cars sold, the more popular it is among the people.
These are some of the most popular car models in the United States:
1. Toyota Corolla – 37.5 million sales
2. Ford F-series – 35 million
3. Volkswagen Golf – 27.5 million
4. Volkswagen Beetle – 23.5 million
5. Ford Escort – 20 million
6. Honda Civic – 18.5 million
Are electric cars getting more popular nowadays?
The sales of electric cars increased from 300,000 in 2016 to 1.1 million in 2020 in the US alone. Therefore, this clearly tells that the popularity of electric cars is increasing.
With the growing focus on the environment and climate change, the popularity of electric cars is increasing day by day. Fuel savings and maintenance savings are also important reasons to like electric cars.
People also like the sporty looks of electric cars. Tesla cars are often considered one of the best looking in the automotive industry, and all of them are electric.
Also read about Volvos electric cars.