50 years ago, the new Volvo 140 was unveiled in four cities simultaneously. Journalists gathered in Oslo, Copenhagen, Helsinki and Gothenburg. Rumors had been circulating in the media for years and now, finally, the sedan with the name Mazuo was to be presented. And it was worth the wait.
With the modern Volvo 142 and Volvo 144 saloons and the family-friendly Volvo 145 estate, Volvo successfully appealed to the upper middle class. With its clear and angular design, which according to the ideals of the 1960s gives priority to function, the Scandinavian is recognizable from afar.
The successor to the Volvo P120 was to set global standards for quality and safety technology. "Safety from Swedish steel" was the slogan in Germany. The body of the Volvo 140 was exceptionally torsionally rigid, the passenger cell had crumple zones for the first time and there were now also seat belts for the rear seats. In addition, the new Volvo had a dual-circuit braking system with disc brakes at the front and rear, which had not been available from any other manufacturer until then. Safety sells - The Volvo 140 became Sweden's first million-seller.
The series launch of the four-door Volvo 144 was followed in the spring of 1967 by the two-door Volvo 142 saloon and, for the 1968 model year, the five-door Volvo 145 estate with a large load compartment up to around 1.90 meters long. The model range was rounded off at the end of 1969 by the five-door Volvo 145 Express, which offered a load compartment height of almost one meter and was particularly popular as a fast transporter. All Volvo 140s were powered by four-cylinder engines.
