Ikea has paid tribute to its famously frugal founder, Ingvar Kamprad, by building a custom version of his favorite car—a Volvo 245—wrapped in a unique design.
Even though Kamprad was one of Sweden’s wealthiest people during his lifetime, he was known for his thriftiness, even in his later years of success.
In 2019, Volvo honored Kamprad by showcasing his personal Volvo 245 GL from 1993 at their museum. It was noted that Kamprad replaced the rear window with Plexiglas after repeatedly backing into things over the years.
“He was quite special. Nothing had to cost unnecessary money,” said Mattias Gustafsson, then head of vehicles at the Volvo Museum.
Photo: Inter IKEA Systems BV 2024
Now, six years after Kamprad’s death, Ikea has unveiled a tribute to their founder by showcasing a nearly identical Volvo 245 in Stockholm, wrapped in custom foil as part of a special pop-up shop.
“We want more people to experience the stories behind Ikea,” said Pär Gustafsson, CEO of the Ikea Museum, in a press release about the display.
Beyond the outer design, Ikea’s homage extends to the interior of the car.
It has been filled with PS 2002 water jugs—a simple white jug that holds 1.2 liters and costs about $2, perfectly embodying Kamprad’s spirit of not wasting money.
Ingvar Kamprad passed away in January 2018 with an estimated net worth of $56,3 billion.
Before his death, Kamprad publicly expressed regret over his past ties to Sweden’s Nazi party and offered apologies to Jewish employees within the Ikea group.
