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Though it is inspired by NASCAR, this stately beast can still carve a canyon.
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Films:
1996 Volvo 850 R: Sleeper Estate
Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 97 Volvo V70 T5 5 speed (same engine – 2.3 L- but more power – 240 HP) driver here – 334.000 kms and counting! I went to an event this past Saturday night, and as I was leaving some people started looking – on Monday those same people asked my wife – “was that a R or a T5? Either way , what a great car your husband has :))) Thanks Petrolicious!!!
I love the fact that a young person like Hadrian “gets it”. What he gets is the concept that it’s possible to have fun and practicality in one package, they don’t have to be mutually exclusive. While I am a bigger fan (like JB21) of the 240 wagons, this 850R is worlds faster! A Dutch father- son team built the best of both worlds by putting a T-5 engine in a 240 Turbo Wagon. Sorry I can’t provide the link, but it is searchable on YouTube. Autoweek featured it. Well done Hadrian and Petrolicious! Shout out also to Alex Sobran too, I know he’s a big Volvo wagon fan!
There’a guy here who has a 380 HP (without any engine mods) V70 T5 (2005/2.4/6 speed/260 HP stock) . He wanted to buy a 911 – he wife didn’t let him – so he started mod is wagon ahaha
The mechanic (who happens to take care of my Volvo to) rides in the passenger seat and the owner, is in the back,
It’s in Portuguese, I know, but you can hear the 380 hps – that’s universal !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obAwqkPQCvs
I had T5R station wagon that broke my heart. While mechanically it was still sound, at about 200k miles it developed tons of small niggles, like HVAC vents packing up, or trims started to fall off, stuff like that. It finally got to me when rear hatch started leaking. I found it also very difficult to work on, too. I wished it was as solidly built as 240 (which I adored for many years before rust got to it). I loved it dearly, I still feel I have an unfinished business with this car.
Mine started with all of that when it did 300.000 kms – all of the parts started dying – trim, dash, alternator, radiator, sway bars, head gasket, you name it…. but I have patience and some nice friends – now the engine is as new – time to move to the other parts 😉 I just can let go this T5 go – and besides, you just don’t get to see many nowadays (it’s becoming a classic ahaha)
