90 years of Volvo Taxi: commercial vehicle, streamlined, station wagon

Amazons, humpbacks and Snow White's coffins play no role in this story: the undoubtedly for the development and awareness from Volvo important models were in two of There are three cases of dead failure for the taxi industry for one reason: No one who transports people commercially can use a two-door vehicle. Certainly not a coupe. Perhaps the first car that is V olvo in the spring of 1930 to earn money at the taxi rank, derived from the commercial vehicles: TR stands for Trafikvagn, which means something like transport vehicle. There is the chassis 670, the 671 with partition for city traffic and the overland variant 672. There is space for up to seven people. The luggage travels separately on a rear rack.

Six-cylinder with 55 hp

All three variants have a wheelbase of 3.10 meters and a three-liter six-cylinder with 55 hp as drive. By 1935, Volvo expanded the range to include types 673 to 675 with a wheelbase of up to 3.25 meters and more powerful engines. The successor models TR 701 to TR 704 will be in office for a short time before a new era begins.

PV 800: streamlined passenger car

Volvo

Streamlined and six-cylinder: the Volvo PV 800 transported people, luggage and the style of the 50s until the 1980s.

From 1938 the PV 800 drives up for taxi customers. The streamlined limousine offers space for up to eight people and is part of the passenger car range; the abbreviation PV for Personenvagn proves this. The trunk is integrated into the body and hasits own flap. The drive is done by a 3.7-liter six-cylinder. Volvo does not prioritize its performance as much as its running smoothness and durability. Among other things, this ensures that the PV 800s are in service much longer than they are built: Production ends in 1958, and some of the taxis remain in use until the 1980s.

144 and 244: Taxis for decades

Volvo

Signal color and solidity: A high roof 145 brings children to school.

Maybe also, because the successors seem too matter-of-fact to some taxi drivers: Instead of expanding the Stromline to a 3.55 meter wheelbase, the 144 Objectivity, safety and solidity on the hump-wheelbase of 2.60 meters. The series offers space without end, especially as the 145: Volvo also offers the station wagon with a high roof and as a six-door Express.

When the 244 appeared in 1974, everything was not different: the rear rigid axle remains the same as the first Trunk lid. The front including the front axle is new, the braking system is no longer three-circuit but two-circuit and the steering works with a rack instead of a worm-roller system. With a six-cylinder diesel taken over by VW from 1979, Volvo has an argument for taxis who prefer to drive diesel. However, Volvo's own four-cylinder petrol engines with a displacement of two to 2.3 liters are more durable. In principle, this also applies to the successor 740. It comes in 1982, should be positioned higher and at some point the 240 replace. However, it will continue to be built after the 740 has already been discontinued for a few months.

Volvo is switching: to front-wheel drive

Volvo

Special color and diesel: In light ivory And with the Audi-TDI, the V70 finds friends at taxi ranks in Germany as well.

Volvo did not make taxi drivers who want to drive a diesel until 1995 Another offer: In the 850 TDI, a five-cylinder direct injection engine from Audi nails. A good year later, the series was given a thorough facelift and was henceforth called the V70. For its successor, Volvo is developing its own five-cylinder diesel engine, which impresses with its powerful acceleration, good running smoothness and durability.