(photo courtesy of clive bullian) next to subaru, the volvo wagon is the unofficial car of the people’s republic of portland. with the pacific northwest being the unofficial scandinavia of the usa, it makes sense.

Volvo launched the PV544 in 1958, but it wasn’t an entirely new design. The PV544 was a development of the earlier PV444, which was originally launched in the 1940′s. Differences included a one piece windscreen, bigger windows all round, a new interior with a padded dashboard and a collapsible steering wheel, and new lights. The engine was a four cylinder unit, which produced up to 95bhp in it’s sportiest tune. Seatbelts were standard on all Volvo’s (which was unusual for cars in the 1950′s) Many were exported to the United States, where the car was seen as a Swedish alternative to the Volkswagen Beetle. Volvo ended production of the PV544 in 1965, after producing over 200,000 cars.