1965 Volvo 122S: How Swede It Is
For folks of a certain age, Volvos were boxy for most of their lives. It was only until around 2000 that that started to change, the net result being fairly swoopy looking Volvos today—at least the sedans and the wagons. But if you’re, er, lightly middle aged, today’s subject may seem a little bit different from what you may imagine when someone says, “old Volvo.”
The 121/122 Series, dubbed “Amazon” in its home market, was a big deal when it debuted. Prior to its introduction, the primary Volvo model was the fastback 444/544 series. A success in its own right, but it was time for an addition to the family.
The new car was announced in February 1956, and the company relayed that deliveries were to begin in August of that year. For Volvo owners who were used to the PV444/544, it sounded like a pretty big deal. Volvo was initially kind of sneaky with details, saying early on that it would be a larger and roomier four-door model.
The Amazon/121/122 had its genesis via a clay model developed by Volvo stylist Jan Wilsgaard and the rest of the design staff. It was put together in their spare time and during lunch breaks, believe it or not.
The car was officially introduced at the annual dealer conference in August of 1956. It was powered by a 1.6 liter, inline four-cylinder engine, dubbed the B16A. Displacing 1,583 ccs, it had 60 hp DIN at 4500 rpm. Its public debut was on September 1st and 2nd, 1956, in Orebro. Deliveries were stated to begin in early 1957.
These cars were the first ones where Volvo began touting safety features. Among the items helpfully pointed out in showroom brochures and period advertising were a padded instrument panel and front seat belt anchorage points. Seat belts themselves were not quite yet a standard feature, but many Volvo dealers fitted them prior to sale.
Deliveries to paying customers began during February and March of 1957. Each new car had an inside hood release, rather uncommon for the time. Home market cars were dubbed Amazon, but due to the name being registered by Kreidler, a West German motorcycle company, cars exported were marketed as the 121 or 122.
Of course, as was typical of Volvo, refinements began almost from the get-go. 1959 models (introduced in August 1958) added standard front seat belts. A two-door model appeared in October 1961, it was dubbed 121. The station wagon (estate car to you Brits) debuted in February 1962.
Front disc brakes became standard on 1964 models, while a new grille, ventilated wheels and chrome plated stainless steel hubcaps were also new. In 1965, the B18D sports engine increased horsepower from 90 to 95. And speaking of, the 122S appeared in ’58 as the sporty model. Initial versions had dual carburetors and 85 hp.
After the all-new (and boxy!) 140 Series appeared in late 1966, development on the Amazon/121/122 slowed, then stopped. The four door model disappeared after the 1967 model year. And the station wagon was no longer catalogued after 1969, when the 145 replaced it.
In swan song 1970, only the two-door sedan remained in the sales brochures. The 140 and flossier 164 were replacing it, and while Volvo long had a habit of keeping older models in the roster well past new model introductions (the 544 lasted all the way to 1965, nine years after the Amazon first appeared), it was finally time to go.
The final Amazon was built on July 3, 1970. And it was immediately transferred to the Volvo Museum for posterity. All told, 234,208 sedans, 359,918 coupes and 73,197 station wagons were built. Not a bad run.
Today’s featured car was spotted by your author last summer at the most excellent Bishop Hill, Illinois show, held annually in the tiny Swedish enclave in Henry County.
There’s always a wide variety of interesting rolling stock. This past year, a 3-row 1957 Mercury station wagon, ’54 Mercury Sun Valley and others were among the attractions. But I zeroed in on this “Ovlov” immediately, because my parents drove Volvos all through my childhood, and my mom, Judy, had a bright red 1973 1800ES Sportswagon that is my most favorite car ever.
This tan 122S was mint, pretty, and especially compelling to your author. It makes me think about maybe replacing my MKZ with an S60 or S90, next time I’m ready for a new car!
I was always struck by the Virgil Exner influence on this car, and the P1800. The front grilles look like they came straight from a 1955 Imperial.
A good friend,showed up one day in one of these, and took me for a short, yet thoroughly memorable ride; (great fun, as we survived…)
He sped around all corners, accompanied by some truly doleful knocking from somewhere in the right-front.
This was an extraordinary, fully-felt thumping, even bringing a few Church sermons back to mind.
It wasn’t until my intact, though traumatized self, was deposited back home, that Mr. Schultz explained that the right-front wheel could have left us at any point.
A redemption, of sorts, arrived some months later, when John showed up in his girlfriend’s new Porsche 914.
Once again, he pushed the limits of friendship and Newtonian laws; in a seemingly determined attempt to flip it.
Of course, he did not, and our now-weakened friendship also survived.
Years later, I had a 240DL. Like most Volvos, it was a stalwart, unremarkable car, until a timing belt failure laid it low.
I then found out that MY Volvo had both Asian AND Italian distributor and ignition parts.
It was MONTHS before it rolled again.
AXIS’s revenge.
Never again.
It’s a cool little car. I do like the style.
Very nice overview of one of our favorite Volvos of all time. Absolutely identical to my wife’s 220 Kombi, other than the door count. But – the last sentence made no sense to me. Apples and Oranges.
Wonderful cars. I’d buy one again if I could find a good one. I had a 66 122S and at my age then, it got driven hard but never failed me. At on point, I had 11 people in the car and drove up a hill with no issues and dropped 8 of them off at a restaurant a few blocks away. Indestructible and fun.
It’s no accident the grilles resemble those on the Imperial. Wilsgaard and other Swedish stylists were influenced by American styles. If you look up the Volvo pv60 built from ‘46 to ‘50, you’ll find it bears more than a passing resemblance to the ‘39 Pontiac. The Volvo Philip was a running one car prototype built around 1952 that borrowed heavily from Kaiser styling.
Kind of looks a little like a Karman Ghia. And I don’t mean that in a bad way.
Great cars..tough as nails and one of the very few imports at that time that could handle a Canadian winter…other than the VW BUG.
There was an actual model called the “Canadian ” not sure if it had any thing unique other than the name…long time ago
I saw one recently here on Vancouver Island and it looked pretty good. I also saw a station wagon version… looked pretty tired.
One of the wonderful collection of foreign cars to pass through my CHP dad’s mechanic hands was an all original, 1972 (I think), low miles, red 1800ES that my new wife and I drove all over Southern California! Mom never liked it as much as her ’56 Mercedes 190SL that she owned until she retired sometime in the 80s! Love your column and selection of cars! Tim
I rallied (navigator) a 122S with sponsorship by a Toronto Volvo dealer with some success at regional level events. We finished 8th overall in the 1971 Canadian Winter Rally, Toronto to Ottawa on forestry roads and return during the worst blizzard ever experienced in that annual national level rally. With studded tires supplied by Semperit, the Volvo was fast, safe, comfortable and indestructible and was retired from rallying after a year and then served the owner as a daily driver for another five years. Great car!
…great story thanks…like I said , you couldbeat the s–t out of these cars and they come back for more
Maybe the author wasn’t around or forgot that the PV544 introduced standard shoulder belts and padded dash in the ’50s. They were very sturdy and still popular in European vintage rallying.