The biggest car heist in history: How 1,000 Volvos went missing
Half a century ago Volvo shipped 1,000 cars to North Korea. The Swedish Export Credit Agency is still sending reminders to pay the bill.
In 1966 Volvo launched the 144 series. The timeless design, safety features and classic Volvo practicality made it a best seller. Over the next eight years, 523,808 models were produced, making it Volvo’s biggest volume model by some margin.
The 144 attracted admirers across the globe, including in North Korea. At the time, Sweden was one of the few countries to have established diplomatic relations with the state – and some Swedish companies saw both a potential export opportunity and a means to cement that relationship.
Some of the 144s acquired by North Korea are still running, many as taxis, though likely somewhat roughly, given limited access to parts.
North Korea courts Chinese private investors for Pyongyang commercial complex
Ministry of External Economic Affairs leads effort to secure goods and foreign currency through private Chinese capital, as legal risks give investors pause
Chinese investor reaction has been mixed. Some view North Korea as an untapped market with significant upside, but others are urging caution, citing policy uncertainty and a lack of institutional stability.
"The timeless design"
ReplyDeleteI briefly drove one many years ago. Having a slush box didn't help - it seemed to want to pull away in 4th gear (even though it only had 3...). But quite how a car which might be expected to spend half its lifetime on snow & ice could feel SO disconnected from the road surface was beyond me! Yes, a Mk1 Mini offered little accident protection in comparison, but its superb feel and response made having one far less likely in the first place...
Dave - maybe it was the Mini which pushed engineers into paying more attention to handling and Volvo hadn't caught up with that. I never drove a Volvo of that era, but they always looked worthy but dull and uninteresting.
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