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From Swedespeed.com Miscellaneous Features
The tour starts with the company’s very first OV4 automobile and ends with a display of current Volvo product just yards from where it began. In between, there’s an eclectic mix of displays. A desk shared by company founders Assar Gabrielsson and Gustaf Larson can be found, as well as a seemingly infinite collection of significant production cars.
There’s a whole section here dedicated to Volvo’s motorsport heritage. They span from PV-based rally cars to the famous 242 “flat hood” of Group A Touring Car fame and the 850 BTCC wagon that ran just one season before it was banned and Volvo was forced to go with a boring (by comparison) sedan.
Behind a glass enclosure lies a scale model of Volvo’s stillborn motorsport C70 that was under development and destined for Germany’s DTM series before it was mothballed. Nearby is a full-development 760 Turbo that Volvo was considering for its own Group A campaign, though they eventually decided to go with the 240.
As further proof of the company’s success, a healthy collection of trophies and cups won by Gothenburg over the years can also be found nearby. Prototypes like the Volvo Phiilip, VESC, the New York Taxi, ECC Hybrid, ACC and more can also be found here. We spotted a cool-looking 5-door concept that appeared to be somewhere post-850 and pre-S80 in Volvo’s design language, an interesting-looking SUV-let type of vehicle. We were told it never made an Auto Show debut, and unfortunately were unable to find any further information on the car.
Concepts aren’t the only prototypes in the Volvo Museum. Once you pass through the motorsport section, you’ll find an area of design prototypes that Volvo considered, but never built. These are some really interesting “what if” cars that show some of the ideas Gothenburg was thinking of, even if they never ended up building them. Among them, we found a 3-door hatchback 263 GL, a very VESC concept-inspired Project 1563 sedan, a prototype 262 with 164-inspired front clip and a prototype 1800 ES called “The Rocket”. Walk too quickly through the museum and you might walk right past these cars, which look practically production ready.
Since the museum pre-dates the sale of the automobile business by Volvo AB to Ford Motor Company, the facility is a joint operation for both Volvo AB and the now Ford-owned Volvo Car Corporation. As such, there’s plenty on display from Volvo Penta and Volvo Aero as well, with some cool early vehicles and technology like a 1939 radial engine and RM5B jet engine with afterburner from Volvo Aero. Exiting the exhibit, you return on the other side of the building’s entry where you can exit or peruse a small gift shop area. However, if Volvo gear is what you seek, check out the nearby Volvo Merchandise Shop – a five minute or so drive from the Volvo Museum. The Volvo Museum is open Tuesday to Friday from 12PM to 5PM and from 11AM to 4PM on Saturday and Sunday. It is closed on Mondays. Most displays have descriptions in Swedish, English and German. Over the Swedish summer vacation months of June, July and August, museum hours change, spanning 10AM to 5PM from Tuesday through Friday and 11AM to 4PM on Saturday and Sunday.
Directions: Via Bus: Tram 5 or 10 to Eketragatan. Change to bus 32 towards Sorred. Get off at Gotaverken Arendal or Arendal Skans if possible. Follow the signs to the Volvo Arendal and Volvo Museum. Via Car: From the E6, E20, rv 40 or rv 45, drive towards Hisingen and then road 155 Ockero/Torslanda. Follow the signs to Volvo Arendal and Volvo Museum. The museum can be reached by phone at +46 31 664814 or via email at museum@volvo.com .
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