Editing Volvo Amazon (section)

{{Short description|Swedish mid-size car}}
{{Infobox automobile
| image = Volvo 122 - Flickr - mick - Lumix (cropped).jpg
| caption = Volvo 122 four-door
| name = Volvo Amazon
| manufacturer = [[Volvo Cars]]
| assembly = {{ubl |Sweden: [[Lundby, Gothenburg]] |[[Torslanda]] ([[Torslandaverken]]) |Belgium: [[Ghent]] ([[Volvo Car Gent|VCG]]) |Canada: [[Halifax Regional Municipality|Halifax]] ([[Volvo Halifax Assembly|VHA]]) |South Africa: [[Durban]] |Northern Chile: [[Arica]] ([[Divolvo]])<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.volvoadventures.com/assemblyplants.html |title=Volvo assembly plants |website=www.volvoadventures.com |date=8 August 2008 |access-date=1 June 2012}}</ref>}}
| designer = [[Jan Wilsgaard]]
| production = 1956&ndash;1970<br>667,791 produced
| layout = [[FR layout]]
| wheelbase = {{convert|2590|mm|in|1|abbr=on}}
| length = {{ubl |sedan: |{{convert|4395|-|4450|mm|1|abbr=on}} |estate: |{{convert|4490|mm|in|1|abbr=on}}}}
| width = {{convert|1620|mm|in|1|abbr=on}}
| height = {{convert|1505|mm|in|1|abbr=on}}
| weight = {{convert|2400|lb|abbr=on}}
| related = [[Volvo P1800]]
| predecessor = [[Volvo PV444/544]]
| successor = [[Volvo 140 Series]]
| class = [[Compact executive car|Large family car]] ([[D-segment|D]])
| body_style = {{ubl |2-door [[Sedan (car)|sedan]] (130-series)<ref name=John_Smith/>|4-door sedan (120-series)<ref name=John_Smith/>|5-door [[station wagon]] (220-series)<ref name=John_Smith/>}}
| engine = {{ubl |1583&nbsp;cc ''[[Volvo B4B engine|B16]]'' [[Straight-four engine|I4]] |1778&nbsp;cc ''[[Volvo B18 engine|B18]]'' I4 |1986&nbsp;cc ''[[Volvo B18 engine#B20|B20]]'' I4}}
| transmission = {{ubl |3-speed ''H6'' [[manual transmission|manual]] |3-speed ''Volvo M30'' manual |3-speed ''Volvo M31'' overdrive manual |4-speed ''M4'' manual |4-speed ''[[Volvo M40 transmission|Volvo M40]]'' manual |4-speed ''Volvo M41'' overdrive manual |3-speed ''[[Borg-Warner 35 transmission|Borg-Warner 35]]'' [[automatic transmission|automatic]]}}
| aka = {{ubl | Volvo 121/122/123GT<ref name=trove>[http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/18493128 Volvo 120 series, 1961-70 autobook, trove.nla.gov.au] Retrieved 18 October 2016</ref><ref name=John_Smith>[http://www.volvoclub.org.uk/prof_120.shtml John Smith, Profile on the Volvo 120 Amazon, www.volvoclub.org.uk] Retrieved on 27 May 2013</ref> |Volvo 131/<ref>[https://www.flickr.com/photos/triggerscarstuff/albums/72157626859478717 Volvo 131 Autocar Road Test, www.flickr.com] Retrieved 18 October 2016</ref>/132<ref>Volvo advertisement, Autocar, 21 October 1966, page 32</ref>/133<ref name=trove/> |Volvo 221/222/223<ref name=trove/> |Volvo Canadian<ref>[http://www.canadiancar.technomuses.ca/images/voitures-cars/volvo_canadian/full/ad01.jpg Sales brochure for Volvo Canadian, 1800S & 544, www.canadiancar.technomuses.ca] Retrieved 18 October 2016</ref>}}
}}
[[File:Volvo Amazon Wagon 1966.jpg|thumb|right|1966 Volvo Amazon station wagon]]

The '''Volvo Amazon''' was a mid-sized car that was manufactured and marketed by [[Volvo Cars]] from 1956 to 1970.<ref name="volvoclubamazon">{{cite web |title=The Volvo Amazon: A Volvo beauty with mythological status turns 50 |publisher=Volvoclub.org, 11 July 2006 |url=http://www.volvoclub.org.uk/press/releases/2006/amason-over-50.shtml}}</ref> It was introduced in the United States as the ''122S'' at the 1959 [[New York International Auto Show]].<ref name=VolvoLindh/>

The Amazon shared the wheelbase, tall posture and high [[H-point]] seating of its predecessor, the [[Volvo PV444/544|PV444/544]], and was offered in two-door sedan, four-door sedan, and five-door [[station wagon|wagon]] body styles &mdash; all noted for their ''[[Ponton (car)|ponton]]'' styling. In 1959 Volvo became the world's first manufacturer to provide front seat belts as standard equipment &mdash; by providing them on all Amazon models,<ref name=VolvoLindh/> including the export models<ref name=VolvoLindh/> &mdash; and later becoming the first car featuring three-point [[seat belt]]s as standard equipment.

When introduced, the car was named the '''''Amason''''' (with an 's'),<ref name="volvoclubamazon"/> deriving from the fierce female warriors of Greek mythology, the [[Amazons]]. German motorcycle manufacturer [[Kreidler]] had already registered the name, and the two companies agreed that Volvo could only use the name domestically (i.e., within Sweden), modifying the spelling to Amazon.<ref name="volvoclubamazon"/> Subsequently, Volvo began its tri-digit nomenclature and the line became known as the '''120 Series'''.<ref name="volvoclubamazon"/>

The Amazon was originally manufactured at Volvo's [[Lundby, Gothenburg|Lundby plant]] in Gothenburg and subsequently at the company's [[Torslandaverken]] plant,<ref name="swedespeed">{{cite web |title=From Mass-Market Cars to Niche Sports Utility Vehicles - The Volvo Torslanda Plant Turns 40 |date=16 April 2004 |publisher=Swedespeed.com, 15 April 2004, Source: Volvo Car Corporation |url=http://www.swedespeed.com/news/publish/Volvo_News/article_221.html}}</ref> which began operating in 1964. By the end of production, 234,653 four-door models, 359,917 two-door models and 73,220 [[station wagon]]s had been produced, of which 60% were exported;<ref name=VolvoLindh/> for a total of 667,791 vehicles.