Volvo PV444/544 History

The PV444 was introduced to an eager public in 1944 — during World War II — but materials shortages meant series production did not begin until 1947. It was Volvo's first car with a unitary body (no separate frame) and a laminated windscreen, and its monocoque construction was a generation ahead of many competitors.

Nearly 200,000 PV444s were built before the refreshed PV544 replaced it in 1958. The 544 continued essentially the same silhouette with a wider windshield and a more powerful engine, and it became the model that first put Volvo on the US map. The combined PV444/544 run ended in 1965 with over 440,000 cars produced.