In 1927 Volvo began manufacturing vehicles in Goteborg, Sweden.  Volvo entered the U.S. market in 1955.  In 1960 the company introduced its first sports car, the P1800.  Over one million vehicles had been exported to the United States by 1980.  Volvo was founded on the idea that quality and safety were of extreme importance, and is still a concept that is applied to all Volvo cars of today.  Volvo is part of Ford's Premier Automotive Group, which consists of Aston Martin, Jaguar, and Land Rover.