The activity was started in 1957 because Volvo capital a sports car, admitting the actuality that their antecedent attempt, the P1900, had been a disaster, with alone 68 cars sold. The man abaft the activity was an engineering adviser to Volvo, Helmer Petterson, who in the 1940s was amenable for the Volvo PV444. The architecture assignment was done by Helmer's son Pelle Petterson, who formed at Pietro Frua at that time. Volvo insisted it was an Italian architecture by Frua and alone clearly accustomed that Pelle Petterson advised it in 2009.