Volvo's first car with independent front suspension was named for a dance craze: 'Carioca' meant a Rio de Janeiro native and a dance fad sweeping Sweden at launch — fewer than 500 were ever built.
Lead trim: PV36 3.7 EC I6
Volvo PV36 CariocaPV36 · 1935–1938
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Volvo PV36 Carioca yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactVolvo's first car with independent front suspension was named for a dance craze: 'Carioca' meant a Rio de Janeiro native and a dance fad sweeping Sweden at launch — fewer than 500 were ever built.
The Volvo PV36 Carioca is a luxury car built between 1935 and 1938, designed by Ivan Örnberg and styled like the then strikingly modern Chrysler Airflow and Hupmobile Model J Aero-dynamic (Volvo's styling was heavily influenced by North American design trends, many of its senior engineers having worked in the US auto industry). "Carioca" means someone from Rio de Janeiro and was also the name of a dance then fashionable in Sweden. It was the first Volvo with independent front suspension, though it used the same side-valve engine as the traditional Volvos still built alongside it (a 3,670 cc EC six with a 3-speed manual); at 8,500 kronor it was expensive, and Volvo built no more than 500, the last not sold until 1938. Wheelbase 116.1 in, length 196.9 in.
Collectors Spotted in the Volvo PV36 Carioca Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Volvo PV36 Carioca yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
One published trim in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PV36 3.7 EC I6 | 1935–1938 | 3.7 L Inline-6 | 80 hp | — | — | RWD | — | — |
Owning one
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Owners’ builds
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Rivals
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