4×4S.ORGTHE REGISTRY BASE MODEL · 1953–58
BASE MODELSweden

TP21 Sugga (1953–58)

The “Sow”: Volvo’s 1953–58 TP21 (P2104), a four-wheel-drive radio and staff car for the Swedish Army built from the PV830 taxi body on a TL31 truck chassis with the 3.6-litre B4B side-valve six, a two-speed transfer case and 720 built.

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Sources & evidence
TP21 Sugga (1953–58) — Essen Motor Show, 2023Thomas Vogt from Paderborn, Deutschland · CC BY 2.0 ↗
MODEL LINETP21 SuggaBUILT BYVolvo (Lundby, Gothenburg)PRODUCED1953–58PRODUCTION720LAYOUT4 wheels · 87″

The record

Volvo made its first four-wheel drive by putting the PV830 saloon body on a shortened TL31 military truck chassis in 1953 for the Army’s radio-car requirement; the TP21 (“terrängpersonvagn 21”) carried radio sets and staff on a driven front axle with the B4B six, and 720 were built to 1958. Its nickname Sugga (sow) came from its bulk.

Specification

MANUFACTURERVolvo (Lundby, Gothenburg) ↗
plant, Gothenburg
MANUFACTURED1953–58
ENGINE3.6-litre B4B side-valve petrol six, 90 hp
PRODUCTION RUN720
COUNTRY OF ORIGINSweden
STATUSreplaced by the L3314 Laplander
RECORD KINDBase model
MODEL LINETP21 Sugga
FAMILYTP21 Sugga
WHEELS4
NOMINAL WHEELBASE87″
BODY STYLERadio car / staff car
VARIANTS1

Catalogue fields describe the vehicle's structure and body as this registry records it. They are not certified factory measurements, and no performance figures are published here.

Body styles & colours

Factory colours

  • Swedish Army green

Codes on hover. Hex values are representative approximations of period paint unless a source states a measured value.

AI rendering impression

An AI rendering impression starts from a 3D model of this vehicle, which an image model then paints into a scene. It is an artist's impression of the type, made to give a feel for the vehicle in its element — not a photograph, and not a record of any particular vehicle.

Proportions, fittings, markings, colours and the setting can all drift from the original in the process. For the vehicle's actual details, rely on the specification, the photographs and the cited sources on this page.

Sources

  1. 1Volvo TP21 ↗Wikipedia · accessed 2026-09-22SOURCE
  2. 2Volvo Cars ↗Wikipedia · accessed 2026-09-22SOURCE

Registry record updated 2026-09-22 · status: researched