Vintage Volvo Cars return to classic car show

Volvo will return to the Footman James Classic Motor Show at Birmingham's NEC after a two-year absence.

The Return of Classic Volvo Cars

The Swedish manufacturer, famous for its 'boxy' car design of the 1980s and 90s, will make a comeback with a special stand housing not only Volvo Cars Heritage but the Volvo Owners Club as well.

Classic car insurance cover could well be on the minds of vintage car devotees in one of the UK's largest motoring events, which will this year help to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Volvo P1800. Powered by an Aston Martin 2.5-litre prototype engine, the 1961 P1800 was a concept model designed for test purposes, but was never fully realised by either company.

Aston Martin Volvo?

Now proudly owned by Beat Roos of Roos Engineering Switzerland, the four-cylinder Aston Martin-Volvo prototype will take centre stage at the show alongside the P958-X1 and a once-rally-ready 1800S adorned in contemporary sponsorship and rallying colours.

Volvo's exhibit at the 2011 Motor Show will form the last of events comprising the marque's hectic 2011 Volvo Cars Heritage touring season. Sponsored by Footman James, Volvo will be at stand 5T42 for the duration of the show.

Garry Carlin, Footman James' sales director, described how pleased the company was to support the flagship event of the classic car movement.

"We have sponsored the Classic Motor Show for 17 years now - this being our second year as title sponsor - and from day one, we have been immensely proud [to do so]," he added.

Volvo Sports Cars

Initially, Volvo's attempts at sports models produced modest success, according to the firm. The relative popularity of the Swedish brand's first interpretation - the two-seater mid-1950s plastic-bodied Volvo Sport - was described as "not a bad car, but a bad Volvo" by president Gunnar Engellau at the time. It was eventually decommissioned in 1957 following two years in production.</p/>

Designed in Italy by Volvo consultant Helmer Petterson's son Pelle - a recent graduate of the Pratt Institute in New York - the P1800 represented a fresh attempt for the manufacturer and was a success among both Volvo's design board and eventually the international market, the company claims. The car was even featured during the 1970s crime drama The Saint starring Roger Moore, thus increasing its profile.

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