Very few passers-by in Thun had expected to come across nothing but classic Volvos on the town hall square. The reactions were consistently positive: "My parents drove this Volvo, what's its name?" - "I like the design of this red one, can I sit in it? - "What, the Märit has already been dismantled? Too bad - but cool, I rarely see such a "Swedish buffet"!"
Swedish buffet: It's ready!
The unfortunately inedible buffet prompted onlookers to spontaneously take a look at the whole range of Swedish cars on Sunday. Most of the participants had planned the SVM in Heimberg well in advance - especially those from abroad. For the "Humpback Volvo" and "Unusual Volvos" exhibitions, the organizers asked owners from near and far.
Every participant was able to show off their little gem, take a stroll, look around and talk shop - the essence of every car meeting. The conclusion that even critics have to agree with: Volvos have character. They leave no one cold. They have rough edges.
And not just the models from the 80s to 2000s, but also the rounder ones before and after. Functionality and design that are tailored to people (not the other way around) can be found in every Volvo. That's why many feel at home immediately and often remain loyal to the brand for a long time. Their proud owners were as colorful as their cars:
Young4Vintage: Learn to drive a classic in 20 minutes
A special treat was the "young4vintage" driving training offered for the first time at an SVM for visitors who wanted to drive a classic vehicle themselves. A tuned humpback Volvo with rally cage, a rare Swiss 7.5l Monteverdi Safari, an Audi Quattro, a Volvo 850R station wagon and a VW Golf Cabriolet "strawberry basket" were available. The free offer from the Swiss Umbrella Association for Historic Vehicles SHVF and the Swiss Volvo Interest Group was very popular.
The brains behind the meeting
It takes a lot of planning and meetings, approvals, discussions with sponsors, phone calls, emails and WhatsApps before such a buffet of Swedish cars is set up in a public place - let alone before a meeting with several hundred participating cars and exhibitions becomes a reality.
Nobody knows this better than Stephan Würsten and Jean-Claude Rölli, who have been organizing the SVM since 1992. 33 years and 17 SVMs later, the success of the ever-growing national Volvo meeting proves them right. Even after thousands and thousands of volunteer hours for their passion, they are not a bit tired. Today, the SVM is one of the biggest Volvo meetings in Europe.
Jean-Claude Rölli: The most recent meeting here in the Bernese Oberland was a great success. It was worth investing in the website, flyers and social media. I am delighted that we are seeing more and more 20 to 30-year-olds becoming new Volvo fans. They drive 21st century cars, but are also interested in the "humpback" saloons of the 50s and 60s with the round rear end.
The fact that so many vintage and classic cars are still on the road shows how safe and high-quality they were back then and how much they are still loved today - often by new fans. In other words, generations of owners have not wanted to part with them - which is why they have been preserved. The reason: a Volvo is a secure value, you can rely on Volvo. I always feel safe in a Volvo. Everyone who drives one appreciates that.
Stephan Würsten: The SVM is different every time and not a one-off - it's a big, well-coordinated team behind it, where everyone knows what to do before, during and after the meeting. Part of our success and our reputation is certainly continuity. Apart from during Corona, the Swiss Volvo Meeting has been reliable - as reliable as our cars are.
One of the most important things is therefore that the fire, the drive, is maintained from meeting to meeting. Just like a four-stroke engine!
It keeps going because it draws in the fuel-air mixture in the first stroke, compresses it in the second, ignites and does work in the third, and cleans up in the fourth. Applied to a meeting, this means attracting a mixture of ideas, time, money and resources, planning, refining and condensing the whole thing, bringing everything to a point and implementing it on the day of the meeting, then packing up afterwards, paying bills, reporting and thanking... and already pointing to the next meeting.
This dance in four-four time gives us the strength to carry on. And in 2027, we'll be celebrating Volvo's 100th anniversary - we'll come up with something special!
