Volvo by Vignale
Volvo-cars with special bodywork
A car named Elisabeth
The history of Volvo has very few low-series/sporty vehicles. Yet, some very odd
cars carrying the Volvo-logo have seen the daylight. One of them was Elisabeth
1, (see image, rearview) parked at Volvo HQ in Gothemburg. But Volvo dit not
build the car. The man behind the project was the swedish businessman Goesta
Wennberg, who made contact with Michelotti in Paris 1952. Michelotti was
supposed to design the bodywork of a car to be build by Ghia-Aigle, but the
drawings came to Vignale, Torino, instead. The work itself took place mainly at
Allemano in the same city. The nice coachwork was mounted on a P 445-chassis.
Because of the construction of the chassis there was no space for a back seat.
This was probably one of the main reasons for Volvos lack of interest in
serialproduction of Elisabeth I, which was Wennbergs original intention with this
project.
Volvo Elisabeth I "one-off"
This photo shows the rear end of the car. It was crashed in the early sixties.
Built around 1953-54 on one of many unsold Volvo 445-chassis.
Volvo Elisabeth II
A unique Volvo that has survived
The barber (also named Goesta) Thamsten in Norrbotten is leaning against his
unique car, Elisabeth II, Wennbergs second attempt as an automobile
manufacturer. This particular vehicle, in a way resembling the Amazon (P 120),
is based on the PV 444. The main issue for Volvo was the backseat spacing
which had radically improved compared to Elisabeth I. But after the Volvo-crew
estimated the manufacturing-costs even this improved version was of no
interest... Another reason for Volvos lack of interest was simply their own new
project Volvo P 1900. Elisabeth II was soon in private hands and in the
beginning of the 90`s undergoing total restauration by a new owner in western
Sweden.
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Pictures and text from: Bilar vi minns (Cars we remember)
Author: Peter Haventon
ISBN 91-552-2618-3
Many thanks to Jan Oskarsson for the contents of this page.
He once failed to buy Elisabeth II; if you have any information on the
whereabouts of this car, please let him know!
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