The project was started in 1957 because Volvo wanted a sports car

Sports car

A sports car is a small, usually two seat, two door automobile designed for high speed driving and maneuverability....

, despite the fact that their previous attempt, the P1900

Volvo P1900

The Volvo Sport is a Swedish fiberglass-bodied roadster of which sixty-eight units were built between 1956 and 1957 by Volvo Cars....

, had been a disaster, with only 68 cars sold. The man behind the project was an engineering consultant to Volvo, Helmer Petterson, who in the 1940s was responsible for the Volvo PV444. The design work was done by Helmer's son Pelle Petterson

Pelle Petterson

Per "Pelle" Helmer Petterson in Stockholm is an award-winning Swedish sailor and yacht designer. He is the son of Helmer Petterson, and studied design at the leading Pratt Institute in New York from 1955 through 1957. He is probably best known for designing the Maxi Class sailing boats, which...

, who worked at Pietro Frua

Pietro Frua

Pietro Frua was one of the leading Italian coachbuilders and car designers during the 1950s and 1960s.-Early years:...

 at that time. Volvo insisted it was an Italian design by Frua and only officially recognized that Pelle Petterson designed it in 2009.