The Volvo Philip would certainly have appealed to the Americans
10/05/2013
At the beginning of the 1950s, Volvo developed a car for the American market in great secrecy. It was equipped with a 120 hp V8 engine and, as a "future model", it had an automatic transmission, power steering and power brakes. The six-seater, christened"Philip", was designed by Jan Wilsgaard, who was also responsible for the Amazon.
The prototype was visually very attractive, but it was also easy to see where the inspiration came from, as the Kaiser DeLuxe from 1951 resembled the Volvo like a brother.
The car was also extensively test-driven and tested, but in the end it was decided that it did not fully meet the requirements. Nevertheless, it served as a representative vehicle for a while and the engine was used in trucks and boats until 1973, and is said to have been known for its reliability, but also for its generous drinking habits.
The archive picture of the Volvo Philip can of course be found in the Zwischengas archive, and we will soon be publishing a comprehensive report on the Kaiser DeLuxe model.
