Words by Andrew Hayes
Apart from the Vikings, there was absolutely nothing important in Swedish history that actually did anything for anyone. Don’t get me wrong, Sweden is a beautiful country, and one I will travel someday, but their history is a bit boring. Anyway, enough of me bashing what made Sweden the modern and gorgeous country it is, because now it’s time to bring up their cars.
As you would never know, Volvo came out with their first car in 1927. However, the company – and the Swedish car market in general, was never considered until 1924, three years prior. The idea came about because two men who carried the names Gustav Larson and Assar Gabrielsson saw a sign. They opened up their eyes and saw a sign. The sign was for crayfish.
In Stockholm, there is a seafood restaurant that goes by the name Sturehof. Upon going by the said restaurant, both men, at different times, saw a sign for freshly caught crayfish. Personally, as a seafood hater, I would rather shove a cylindrical dog turd down my throat, but anyway, the two men go into the establishment after a long day’s work expectation just a nice plate of fresh crayfish.
Soon enough, as both of them were past colleagues at a Swedish ball Bearing company, they saw each other and started talking. Gabrielsson, an economist, and Larson, an engineer and scientist, soon turned their attention to the Swedish car market… which didn’t exist. And boom, three months later, the first ever Swedish car was in the works.
The actual reason for the creation was not to just create a Swedish car, but create a car that would make sense. As Assar was an economist, it made more sense for Sweden to produce their own cars, rather than import thousands and thousands a year from the United States and nearby European countries like Germany, Britain, and France. And because of this meeting in a restaurant over a plate of crayfish, the first Volvo was created in 1927. Talk about an interesting beginning to an ultimately boring company.