Volvo and Saab - the cars of Sweden

Volvo! Is there anything more Swedish than a Volvo? Fika? IKEA? a Daclarian horse? There are many things that are distinctly Swedish but the world over everyone knows Sweden for their ability to mold both safety and style into a car that has become a symbol of automotive innovation!

The Volvo museum does justice to not only their innovation in cars but also Volvo's hand in aircrafts, trucks, and numerous other gadgets. 

The impressive Volvo museum in Göteborg does a fantastic job of mixing fun and information. You walk through the history of Volvo with its best designs littering the showroom floor. It is a must stop for any car enthusiast. 

Volvo means 'I roll' in Latin and was registered in May 1911.

The first Volvo was made 14 April 1927 and was called ÖV4

As much as Volvo cars are a symbol of Swedishness they were sold to the Ford Motor Company in 1999 and in August 2010 Ford sold it to Geely Automobile, a Chinese motor manufacturer.

The Volvo symbol is the ancient chemistry sign for Iron

Volvo invented the first three point safety belt, the first rear-facing child seat, and side airbags.

Saab, another Swedish export, also has a decorated history. One that came to a close far too soon. The Saab museum in Trollhättan is a two-story tribute to this Swedish symbol. Not nearly as exciting as the Volvo museum but one that is well worth a stop. It houses the first and last Saabs ever made as well as some pretty cool concept cars. And, just next door is the fantastic Innovatum Science Center which is bound to make you feel like a kid again!

Saab was originally an aerospace and defence company. The word Saab is actually an acronym for Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget.

Formed in 1945 Saab filed for bankruptcy in 2011

The Saab 92 was their first car model and was launched in 1949

For anyone who is a fan of Swedish cars these two museums are a must!!