Sommer's Automobile Museum in Denmark

Although Denmark is a small country it still has anchase in the 1975 film 'Famillien Gyldenkal.'
excellent repertoire of automobile collections inThe Joker was a boxy style van with a totally
museums throughout the nation. While by noflat roof and windows all around. It was built with
means the largest, the Sommer's AutomobileVolvo 140 parts. At the time it was built, Ole's
Museum might be one of the most interesting dueVolvo dealership had become the largest in
to its unique background. Ole Sommer'sDenmark.
grandfather owned a Ford Dealership, "SIMO" inOver the years, in addition to his many businesses
Frederiksberg, a suburb of Copenhagen. Ole'sand other activities, Ole had started collecting
parents lived in an apartment above thevintage cars and entering some of them in
dealership so Ole developed an interest inVeteran Car Rallies. In addition he was
automobiles at a very young age. Ole went toinstrumental in organizing the Copenhagen Classic
England in 1949 as a student at the JaguarCar Cup, which featured historic cars racing in
Factory. He then transferred to Jowett where hefront of the Danish Parliament. The cars had also
earned a Certificate of Competence as abeen loaned out to various other Danish
toolmaker. Upon returning to Copenhagen, hemuseums. Finally, in 1980 they were all gathered
entered the Copenhagen Technical University andtogether on the top floor of the Sommer Car
graduated in 1956 with a M. of Sc. At the sameDealership at Naerum Hovedgade. It is the quality
time, he was also the owner of the family ownedrather than the quantity that attracts visitors to
automotive company as a result of his father'sthis collection. The exhibit emphasizes the history
death in 1952. The company, E. Sommer,of technology but also reflects Ole's involvement
imported cars including Jaguars. In 1957 however,with the industry. This is evident in the presence
Ole started his own company, called O. Sommer,of the Jaguars and Volvos.
a Volvo dealership, which would, became theA sample Joker and Oscar, representing Ole's
largest Danish Volvo dealership. Sommer alsoefforts to create a Danish production car, are also
started other businesses including a factory forpresent.
Optimist dinghies and the import of marineIn 2004, the building, comprising three floors, was
engines from England, France and Spain.designed for museum use. Now on display are
Then in the 1970's Ole tried to realize his dreammore than sixty veteran and vintage cars,
of a Danish production car and beganelectrically driven cars, sixteen engines from
manufacturing automobiles. He built a car namedvarious cars, airplanes and ships together with a
Joker and later in the eighties he built a sports carcollection of two thousand model cars. Each car in
known as the OScar (Ole Sommer car). Thethe museum contains a description specifying the
OScar was based on Volvo parts. Although 20technical specifications plus anecdotes about the
OScars were made, only seven Jokers were builtcar itself.
however one of them was featured in a car