If names like Rickard Rydell, Jan Lammers and Kelvin Burt resonate with you, then you’ll be familiar with the Volvo 850 legend. For so long Volvo had been known mostly for safety rather than speed, but in just three years between 1994 and 1996 the Swedish brand had undergone a complete image transformation, capable of rubbing shoulders with the best in the business on the race track as well as protecting the family on the daily commute.
It wouldn’t be until 1998 with the smaller and curvier S40 that Volvo would actually win a BTCC title, but the 850 had already become an unexpected icon. That Volvo entered an estate version in that 1994 season helped somewhat, subverting expectations of what constituted a race car, but Volvo was only too happy to capitalise in the showroom too, selling first a sporty T-5 and then then going one step further with the T-5R.
Outwardly subtle, the T-5 R packed a real punch underneath its boxy form, with a 2.3-litre turbocharged inline-five making a nominal 222bhp and up to 237bhp on overboost, while manual and automatic versions developed 243lb ft and 221lb ft of torque respectively. Anyone who hadn’t caught the 850’s racing exploits would get a nasty surprise at the traffic lights, given the T-5R would sprint past them to 62mph in under seven seconds, but with suspension upgrades and 205-section tyres for the 17-inch wheels, it could also corner like few Volvos before it.
The car we have here is a 1995 example in appealing three-box saloon form, equipped with an automatic gearbox. That might not be the perfect combination for those wishing to live out their BTCC fantasies, but it might just be the ideal Q-car spec - and with a recent restoration, one you’d have little problem enjoying regularly.
This 850 T-5R was registered in June 1995 to an owner in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, sold at Squire Furneaux Volvo - so you could still pop in today and order the car’s modern equivalent, an S60 R-Design (though sadly, you won’t achieve quite the same kudos from those in the know…)
The car has had a number of owners since, but interestingly several, including the seller, have put their names on the V5 more than once, so it’s clearly a car that keeps people coming back for more. The Volvo enjoyed a full main dealer service history through 131,419 miles and has visited specialists since, receiving a new cam-belt at the dealer around 126k miles and another at 172k with a specialist. The car currently has around 174,600 miles on the clock.
Most recently, the car received a comprehensive overhaul in the seller’s tenure, resulting in one of the cleanest examples you’ll find. The seller has a huge fondness for the model and has had the car serviced, repaired where necessary and refurbished irrespective of cost. There are receipts for the work, a service book full of stamps, and thanks to the seller’s diligence, a comprehensive catalogue of photography from the car’s restoration.
Volvos have an enviable reputation for solidity and persistence, but all cars benefit from careful owners and preventative maintenance, and inspecting this car suggests plenty of evidence of both.
As mentioned above, this 850 T-5R has recently undergone refurbishment, and it’s a pretty comprehensive one with original equipment parts fitted wherever possible. It’s received completely new suspension, with dampers, springs, mounts, wishbones, bushes and anti-roll bars, as well as an overhauled steering rack and drive shafts. The brakes are non-standard drilled and grooved discs, fitted prior to the current ownership, but were retained for their improved stopping power - but the callipers were refurbished during the restoration, and the air conditioning system was serviced with a new compressor and dryer.
Then there’s the exterior and interior condition, both of which received plenty of attention. The front wheel arch liners are new (with the arches themselves cleaned, treated and painted during the cover replacement), new Volvo bumper brackets were fitted at the rear to replace old corroded items, and the windscreen was replaced due to pitting. The wheels were also refurbished and new 205/45 R17 Kumho Ecsta PS71 tyres fitted. Inside the seats and their electric mechanisms (including heating) have been fully refurbished, as were the door cards, and the passenger door lock was repaired.
It really is in lovely condition as a result. The interior is a particular highlight, with a solid feel and pleasingly chunky switchgear, and the steering wheel - also re-trimmed in leather and Alcantara - looks as-new. Even the 90s-standard wood-alike trim looks fantastic, and is obviously completely unmarked. The working air conditioning is obviously a bonus and the seller takes particular pride in the glovebox (which, unlike many, is in perfect working order), and the centre console armrest (re-trimmed in Alcantara and again, fully operable) and the fully functioning CD changer in the boot. We’re also impressed by the central rear child’s seat - not just a great safety idea from Volvo, but also as clean as the rest of the cabin.
The exterior looks great too, with straight panels, a deep paint finish and all the correct badging in all the right places. The wheels look fantastic, particularly given the subtlest of drops thanks to slightly lower springs, giving the car a better stance than standard. The light lenses are all clear and the lights themselves obviously work perfectly, with some of the minor bulbs replaced by aftermarket items for a greater output.
Volvo’s five-cylinder engine has a distinctive sound and while this car is lovely as a static object, being able to extend the 2.3-litre unit to the 6000rpm red line will no doubt be one of the most compelling arguments for buying a T-5R. At the same time, these aren’t “shouty” cars, so you’ll get to enjoy most of that five-cylinder experience without annoying those around you - how very Volvo.
You should be able to enjoy it for some time to come too. In some cars seeing 174k on the clock might be cause for concern, but just as the interior and exterior of this car have undergone plenty of work, so too have the mechanicals. Much of that is fairly simple but useful, such as replacement or refurbishment of several ancillaries. As such the cam-belt was replaced (at 172k miles), as was the serpentine belt, there’s a new water pump and tensioner, and a new battery.
But there are also new polyurethane engine mounts, the PCV system has been replaced, the engine fully serviced (and compression tested, with good results), and the exhaust system has been replaced, including an underbody heat shield. One of the biggest replacements was the gearbox. The old unit was making some noise, so a replacement used unit went in, with the relevant internals checked before fitting.
The five-cylinder makes a lovely burble at idle and with a strong bill of health runs and pulls smoothly, aided by smooth shifts from the automatic gearbox. The seller notes a small clunk when changing between drive and reverse at a standstill common to the model, but it’s something that affects neither the operation nor reliability of the gearbox. With the new suspension, new tyres and refurbished running gear the car handles exactly as it should to - and is probably as close to the cars those magazines originally tested as you’re likely to find.
The high-performance saloon has always been an appealing concept but it’s also one that has changed considerably over the years. Performance, road-holding and technology have all taken big leaps forward as a result - cars in this class regularly make upwards of 500bhp today - but actual levels of enjoyment haven’t risen at quite the same rate.
The T-5R was always quite different from cars you might have considered rivals, and that’s still the case today. It’s an altogether more understated, less attention-seeking way of travelling in speed and comfort, and perhaps all the better for it. As a product of the 1990s, it also currently lies in that sweet spot between offering old-school levels of driver interaction at sensible speeds, and fairly modern levels of performance, comfort and equipment.
And if that’s not enough on its own, well, then you’ve also got that fabulous era of BTCC racing to fall back on. Not many manufacturers made full use of their racing programmes back in the day, and fewer still made products that have endured quite as well as the 850 - just try finding a clean Laguna or Mondeo these days. Volvo though made a proper sports saloon from its racer, and built it properly too. Throw in the care and attention this particular car has had lavished upon it, and there’s a lot to like.
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Although every care is taken to ensure this listing is as factual and transparent as possible, all details within the listing are subject to the information provided to us by the seller. Car & Classic does not take responsibility for any information missing from the listing.
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1995 Volvo 850 T-5R
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