Panta Friday, December 11, 1992 —- North Shore News - 41 NEWS pholo Mike Wakofleld THE ALL-new Volve 850GLT sedan offers front-wheel drive, a transverseiy mounted 2.4-litre five-cylinder engine, an extremely roomy interior and trunk, and surpris- ingly agile handling. Inquire about the 850GLT at Specialty Motor Cars, 1235 Marine Drive, North Van. ~ Volvo 850 y import sedan with right touch of traditional appeal Contemporar Greg Wiison TEST ORIVE WHILE MOST contem- porary import sedans follow the ‘“‘aero’’ school of exte- rior design, the new Volvo 850 GLT remains defiantly angular. Critics say the 850’s styling looks dated -- or too much like other Volvos — but my guess Js that traditional Volvo owners will love it. The 850 GLT offers an unmistakable Volve family resemblance and it definitely stands out in a crowd of look- alike mid-sized sedans. Up close, the 850's subtle styl- ing nuances are more evident: soft corners, integrated hood and 44 The unique rear suspension (allows) ° quicker turn-in, a more accurate steering feei, and improved handling. 9 grille, integrated headlamps and patking lamps, and a modern cab-forward design. And then there’s those sporty six-spoke alloy wheels, front air-dam and low-profile tires. The 850 sedan is practical, yes, but it’s also unusually sporty for a Volvo. Like other Volvos, the 850 GLT is noteworthy for its many safety features. The 850 offers such innovations as increased side-impact crash protection (which meets 1997 standards), integrated rear child booster seai, driver and passenger airbags, and lap and shoulder belts for all five passengers. The front seat belts automatically adjust for height and come with pre-tensioners which pull back on the shoulder belt in a collision. The 850GLT also has front and rear energy-absorbing crumple zones, rall-over roof support, and a protected fuel tank. If f had te choose a car to have a collision in, the 8S50GLT would certainly be near the top of the list. rr Of course, safety is expected in a Volvo. What’s not expected is a front-wheel-drive layout and a five-cylinder engine mounted transversely in the engine bay. In fact, the 850GLT is the first front-wheel-drive Volvo to be of- fered in North America. The transverse layout has a number of advantages including lighter weight and better space utilization. Though the 850GLT is 20 cm shorter in length than the Volvo 960, it actually has more interior room. lu addition, all four doors open almost 90 degrees for easy entry. The 850 is the roomiest mid- sized impori sedan in its class, by my reckoning. Though five-cylinder engines are not known for their smoothness, the 168-horsepower 2.4-litre five-cylinder engine is surprisingly powerful, flexible, and quiet. The all-aluminum engine with dual overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder, mutti-port fuel injection and a variable in- duction system for increased low-speed power is comparable to a V6 engine in many respects. The torque-y five-cylinder engine will accelerate the 1,431 kg 850GLT to 100 km/h in just over 8.5 seconds — a very quick time for a mid-sized sedaa. Highway cruising is 100. At 100 km/h, the engine turns over a leisurely 2,300 rpm in top gear. The top speed of the 850GLT is estimated at 210 km/h. Fuel consumption is reasonable for this size of car, averaging 9.7 Htres per 100 km (29 mpg). Both a five-speed manual and a four-speed automatic transmission are available, and my test car had the automatic, the choice of most buyers in this class. The automatic transmission gets top marks for smoothness, respensiveness, and versatility. It offers three push-button, driver-seiectable modes: “Economy,’’ which upshifts at lower engine rpms and downshifts going downhill; ‘‘Sport mode,” which upshifts at higher rpms and doesn’t downshift as soon when going downhill; and ‘Winier’’ mode, which locks the transrnis- sion in third gear to minimize wheelspin when accelerating in icy or slippery conditions. For improved steering control and hundling, the 850GLT offers a unique rear suspension that See 850 page 42 relaxed, a cs Base price $29,160 Price as tested $33,705 Type four-dwor, passenger sedan Layout transverse engine/front-wheel drive Engine 2.4-litre five-cylinder, DOHC, 20 vaives, variable induction, Bosch LH jetronic multi-port fuel injection Horsepower 168 @ 6,200 rpm Tezque 162 @ 3,300 rpm Transmission five-speed manual/four-speed automatic (Sport/Economy/Winter transmission settings) Curb weight 1,431 kg/3,148 bs. Wheelbase in. Length 4,660 mm/1!83.5 in. Width 1,760 mm/69.3 in. Beight 1,415 min/55.7 in. Trunk capacity 416 litres/14.7 cu.ft. rear seat up; 940 litres/33.2 cu.ft. rear seat down Fuel economy City 11.6 L/ 190 km (24 mpg); Hwy 7.8 1./100 km, 36 mpg Warranty three years/80,000 kin, five- front 2,665 mm/104.9