1927 Volvo PV4

This 1927 PV4 was given the nickname Jakob. The vehicle was treated to a complete restoration and brought to the 2007 New York International Auto Show at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. The car sat on a rotating display and was a little out of place, as it was flanked by new production vehicles. None-the-less, it was of more elegant and eye-catching displays of the day.

There were two versions of this sedan offered by Volvo in 1927, an open-bodied version covered in steel and a closed-bodied version wrapped in fabric.

Since new, this car has only had a few owners. The first was a school inspector who registered the car in November of 1927. It passed through ownership over the years, before coming into the possession of Volvo in 2001. Volvo had the car restored and it was shown at the 2007 New York International Auto Show.

By Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2015

The first saloon produced by the Volvo Motor Car Company appeared in 1927 and dubbed, the PV4. The saloon would be produced until 1929 with a total of 694 examples being created during that time. Minor aesthetic modifications occurred in 1928 and again in 1929.

These vehicles followed the Weymann principle; they had an insulated wooden frame and clothed in fabric rather than steel. The interior was very versatile, as the seats could be re-arranged into a bed for two.

Power came from a 118 cubic-inch four-cylinder engine with side valves that was capable of producing nearly 30 horsepower. There was a three-speed manual gearbox with direct-action floor lever controls. Top speed was around 55 mph with comfortable cruising speeds at about 40 mph. Braking was provided by mechanical drums in the rear. In 1928, four-wheel brakes were offered as optional equipment.

By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2007