850R
August 31st, 2010 by NZ Classic Car
A station wagon is not exactly something this writer ever expected to feature in the Future Classic column of NZ Classic Car magazine, but in 1994, Volvo set lightweight race wheels in motion that would eventually see me do exactly that. At the time, the British Touring Car Championship had been running since the ’60s in one form or another, and was hard fought by various coupes, sedans and hatches from the world’s top manufacturers.
Just prior to the start of that season, Volvo dropped a proverbial bombshell on the racing world with the unveiling of its TWR-prepped Volvo 950 T5R estate race-car and its subsequent entry into the BTCC. The move proved to be a very fruitful one for the Swedish manufacturer, gaining the company endless coverage in the press — and a brand new surge of interest from the public.
No one quite knew what to make of the large, brick-like machine muscling its way through the notoriously brutal BTCC field, but it wasn’t long before it became a well respected race machine and, although it only lasted a couple of seasons due to changes in BTCC rules, the T5R/850R production models that the racer was based on have since become a cult favourite. Whether you appreciate Volvo’s styling — or lack thereof — or not, there is no denying that this super-station wagon defined an era in European motor sport, and is destined to become a classic due to its stonking performance, durability and the substantial mark it has left in motor sport history.
They don’t come up for sale all that often here in New Zealand, but if you do see one floating around with a for sale sign, it could just be one of the best investments you ever make.
Public Approval Read the rest of this entry »
November 20th, 2009 by NZ Classic Car
Volvo has recently wandered a broken and bumpy road, but now there is some exciting speculation surrounding the troubled automaker. After a tough last couple of years that saw the Swedish brand suffer falling sales while parent company Ford desperately tried to sell the brand to the highest bidder, Volvo has gotten as far away from producing performance vehicles. All the while, its competition from Germany, Japan and the U.S. have boosted their luxury lines with mid-level or super high-performance cars like the BMW 335i/M3, Audi S4/RS4 and Cadillac CTS-V. Volvo, meanwhile, has only focused on more refined design and naturally, safety.
Unfortunately, every player in these segments has upped the ante with their designs and superior safety is no longer solely the domain of Volvo.
So it’s all getting back to the Volvo’s sports brand of R cars. Volvo had some success with the 850R in the mid-Nineties, which was a mildly sharper version than the standard box sedan on which it was based. After that, the P2-gen S60R and V70R got a solid following with their complex Haldex all-wheel-drive system, 300-hp motor, adjustable 4C suspension and Brembo stoppers. But then the R cars disappeared and were replaced only by “R Design” packages that offered the high performance look but nothing under the sheet metal to back it up.
In the home of Volvos, Sweeden, there is a big call for a return to proper R cars with the arrival of the all-new S60, and rather than be crazy quick, should offer mid-level performance like the original 850R did. Pictured is a rendered speculation of a reborn S60R from the Swedespeed website.
September 21st, 2009 by NZ Classic Car
The October 09 issue of NZ Classic Car magazine is on the shelves now, so grab your copy today.
In this month’s issue our cover car is a replica of Tom Walkinshaw’s famous TWR Jaguar XJ-S set to be a safety car on this year’s Drive NZ Classic Tour. We also feature two other safety cars from the upcoming tour, a Daimler 250-V8 and a Range Rover Vogue. With summer approaching it’s time to get your classic looking great so we have a special feature on retrimming your classic and a guide to checking your car’s engine with a compression gauge. We catch up with Denis Bulloch a dead keen Cadillac collector and profile next month’s Targa NZ. In our future classic section we get the low down on the Volvo 850R/T5R Estate and our buyer’s guide takes a look at Honda’s sports cars.
All this and more articles, news, reviews and technical support to keep you informed on the world of classic motoring.
