The celebrations of the P1800 50th anniversary have been going on continuously since they began earlier this year. During the weekend of July 1-3, the Swedish P1800 club had their annual meeting and get-together in the Gothenburg area.
Some 200 people and more than 100 (!) cars of all the different 1800 models came from all over Sweden, from Denmark, Norway, Latvia, Germany and the Netherlands to join in the celebrations of a true icon. A car that hasn’t aged, which is of timeless design and hence a popular and practical collector’s item.
Arriving on Friday July 1, the participants visited the East Indiaman “Göteborg” – a sailing replica of a merchant ship from the 18th century, built in Gothenburg and which has sailed the world. The rest of the evening was then spent around a substantial seafood table with all the traditional Swedish West coast delicatessen.
Saturday started early at the Volvo Museum where all cars were beautifully lined up in front of the entrance – a most impressive and unforgettable sight – and left there during the following programme. Volvo Cars Heritage and Volvo Museum then entertained the guests during the day. Split into four groups, the participants were taken on guided tours in the museum, attended a most interesting lecture by retired Volvo Cars chief designer Gunnar Falck, tried out the new 2012 Volvo car model line-up at the Volvo Cars Demo Centre and were also guided through the Volvo Cars Brand Experience Centre.
In the early afternoon, the 25 km drive to the little town of Kungälv was done in perfect formation; a solid moving line of almost one kilometre’s length of polished, shining, singing 1800s with smiling drivers and passengers. All the cars were then parked in and around the town square in Kungälv for each and everyone to admire and the activities – including the formal annual members meeting and dinner party – contiuned at Hotel Fars Hatt, the venue of the first press introduction in May 1961.
The meeting was rounded off on Sunday by driving back to Gothenburg and parking the cars around the Opera House at the waterfront where lots of people move around on a sunny day, which it was. All in all, the meeting was a huge success for the organizers and a splendid occasion for all admirers of the 1800 to enjoy life and have a great time together.
The celebrations of the P1800 50th anniversary have been going on continuously since they began earlier this year. During the weekend of July 1-3, the Swedish P1800 club had their annual meeting and get-together in the Gothenburg area.