Volvo Duett

The design is based on the Volvo PV sedan and shares its engine and front suspension with that model. However, unlike the PV, which had a unibody design and a coil spring rear suspension, the Duett used a ladder frame with leaf springs supporting the rear.

While the Duett has been criticised as a regressive design by those who point out that the ladder-frame car was based on Volvo's first unibodied car; the use of a separate ladder chassis provided Volvo with an easy solution in their desire to produce a suitable commercial vehicle. The availability of the bare chassis also allowed Swedish coach builders such as Grip, Valbo and Nordbergs to build Duett-based pickup trucks, convertibles and specialised commercial vehicles. The versatility of the ladder-frame design also made the Duett a popular choice as a base for customised vehicles such as hot rods and A-tractor.

The Duett was the only automobile marketed by Volvo in the United States that used a separate frame. All other models were of unibody construction.

The PV445's bodywork was based on the PV444 saloon car and shared its two-piece flat paned windshield.

The P210^[5] replaced the P445 in the fall of 1960. It is most easily distinguishable from the PV445 by its use of a single-piece curved windshield, which it shares with the PV544.