[3] The name Duett was intended to signify a car that could be used as a delivery vehicle during the week and as a comfortable sedan away from work.

The design is based on the Volvo PV sedan and shares its engine and front suspension with that model.

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 Swedish: A-traktorer.