Volvo Cars has turned 80 on April 14. In connection to this

remarkable milestone, the Swedish automaker rolled off a production

consists of antique and modern product lines. As part of its 80th

anniversary, Volvo showcased a parade of cars through the Gothenburg

city which is its very own hometown.

The parade of cars includes

the Volvo OV4 - the automaker’s very first car. The parade flaunted

eighty years of history which has rolled from the Volvo museum in the

outskirts of the city to downtown Gothenburg where the public was

invited to gaze at Volvo’s engineering and vehicle know-how.

To

highlight the event, Carl-Magnus Skogh, 82, a veteran Swedish rally

legend, drove a 1927 convertible, the first car that Volvo

mass-produced. Skogh was one of the renowned names who have helped the

company to become popular on the world map. In the 1960s, along with

racing legends like Joginder "Flying Sikh" Singh and Tom Trana, Skogh

earned Volvo headlines worldwide with his achievements on the

international rally circuit from the Saharan Africa to Greek Acropolis.

Skogh

joined Volvo in 1963 after a successful stint as a rally driver for

Swedish competitor Saab. He won the Swedish championship in 1960 and

1961, driving a SAAB 96. In 1965, he won the Acropolis Rally in a Volvo

Amazon. Skogh’s automotive expertise was essential to the automaker not

only on race courses around the world, but also in product research and

development. In 1978, Skogh set the world speed record for diesel cars

with 209 kph in a Volvo 340 that he had modified. The rally legend has

also contributed to improving driveability and stability features of

the cars.

"I designed the chassis features of the 850,” stressed

Skogh. The rally legend intimated that he was happy about driving the

most important car in the parade. The CEO of Volvo Trucks, Leif

Johansson and the CEO of Volvo Cars, Fredrik Arp, were his passengers.

"I feel good today. It's an experience to have Leif Johansson and

Fredrik Arp in the backseat," said Skogh.

It can be recalled that

in 1999, the Swedish premium cars and trucks manufacturer was split

into two companies, the Ford Motor Company bought the automobile

division. Through the years, Volvo has established a good standing when

it comes to both durability and safety. At present, the company is

striving to wipe away the boxy image to complete an excellent package.

The

Swedish automaker founded in 1997 has eventually become a leading

global manufacturer of commercial vehicles. To grab a bigger slice of

the automotive market, the founders entertained several upgrades and

modifications. The ordinary Volvo brake dust shields and other auto

parts and equipment from the automaker were enhanced to offer superb

efficiency, ergonomics and safety.