Volvo’s first production unibody came out in the mid-1940s as a smaller, more affordable model suitable for post-World War II. It was a precursor to the more popular and arguably better looking Amazon and the company’s first model in many years to have a four-cylinder engine. Dubbed “Iron Maven,” this SEMA exhibit also has a four-pot, but it’s a modern powertrain borrowed from an S60 Recharge.
It represents the work of Bogi Lateiner and his team at Girl Gang Garage. An all-female team of over 160 amateur and professional mechanics, welders, painters and bodybuilders, the team built the restomod in 18 months. The PV544 in question is a barn find of a 1961 model from Phoenix, Arizona, found on a farm. It had to be completely disassembled before it was significantly modified to fit the much more complex PHEV setup.
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Although much shorter and narrower than the S60, the PV544 now accommodates the S60 Recharge’s turbocharged and supercharged 2.0-liter engine, producing 328 horsepower. It also borrowed its electric motor, good for 87 hp, to achieve a combined output of 415 hp. In the electrified sports sedan, total torque comes in at a respectable 472 pound-feet (640 Newton-meters).
The restomod wasn’t just about cramming modern hardware into a 61-year-old car, as the conversion also required 3D-printed parts and some handcrafted components. The revitalized PV544 received the suspension and control systems as well as the infotainment system. Girl Gang Garage decided to paint the Rebelberry as a nod to the few purple hues the Swedish automaker offered over the past few decades.
This is the third all-female build by the Girl Gang Garage, following a few classic Chevrolet trucks that have been shown at SEMA in recent years. One of them had a BMW S62 engine.
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