~ Photo submitted “THE NEW 850 T5-R Is a limited-edition sport sedan (or wagon) equipped with a more powerful ver- sion of Volvo's 2.3-litre turbocharged five-cylinder engine. The T5-R is available in two colors: bright yellow or jet black. Just 102 T5-Rs will be imported to Canada, 11 of those slated for B.C. Greg Wilson automotion “MOST PEOPLE think of : Volvos as rather ordinary, boxy, upscale family sedans “with a good crash safety ° record. The handsome 850 sedan and’ : wagon, introduced last yar, helped Volvo establish _. more “active, youthful image, but the automaker is still not considered a _ Manufacturer of performance cars, Well, Volvo is about to rev up their image with a high-perfor- ‘mance version of the 850 Turbo sedan arid wagon. The new. 850 T5-R is a limited- edition sport sedan (or wagon) . equipped with a more powerful 240 horsepower version of Volvo's " 2.3-litre turbocharged five-cylin- _ der engine. The T5-R is available in two aggressive colors: bright yellow or jet black. It comes with a standard front air-dam, projector beam fog- __ lights, and a rear-deck spoiler on “the sedan. To improve handling and : looks, the TS- Ris equipped with 38 CHEVROLET _ CAPRICE . big 17-inch alloy wheels and low- profile Pirelli P Zero tires. Larger stabilizer bars and heavy-duty shocks are also standard. Changes to the interior include simulated suede trim, dark bur! walnut trim, and a turbo boost gauge. You can choose between a standard five-speed manual trans- _ mission or a four-speed automatic transmission with driver-selec- table Sport, Economy and Winter (starts in third gear) modes. Low- speed traction control, which pre- vents wheelspin at speeds up to 40 km-h (25 m.p.h.), is also stan- dard equipment on the T5-R. In a special preview, i drove all versions of the new T5-R (sedan/wagon, manual/automatic), and came away impressed with its unique combination of perfor- mance, practicality and safety. The T5-R has a smooth, pow- erful turbocharged five-cylinder powerplant. Under acceleration, the tur- “ bocharger is surprisingly quict, there is very little torque steer for a car with so much power going through the front wheels, and acceleration is even and manage- able. Acceleration off the mark is not quick though. Volvo did this deliberately to prevent the front tires from spinning. Once above 2000 r.p.m. how- ever, the engine spins willingly up to its redline. Disc brakes on every wheel with ABS are superb, and the TS-R's handling over smooth, winding roads is incredi- bly grippy. oo However, the Pirelli radials have such a skinny profile that they provide a stiff ride. I would recommend ordering the no-cost, 733 Jeep Cherokee Sport '90 Jeep “YU” Hardtop '92 Asuna Soft-top ‘90 Ford F150 4x4 '94 Dodge Ram P/Up ‘89 Toyota '91 Chevy Ext-cab P/U 1 owner N.V. car, spot- "BA GMC “Shorty Vandur less inside & out, fully appointed including air, ‘91 Chevy Astro Pass. Van cruise, tilt, p/w, p/l AM/FM cassette St Ford Expforer “XLT 94 Jimmy 4-door 4x4 80 Chevy Nomad Van Conv. té@ minutes from Second Narrows - Exit #33 up Canada Way optional Michelin 205/55 ZR 16- inch MXM radials mounted on 6.5 in. x 16 in. alloy wheels. These will make everyday driving ‘much easier on your spine. I would also recommend the four-speed automatic transmission over the five-speed manual. Though I generally prefer manual transmissions, this one is rather stiff and has long throws — not enjoyable to shift in everyday dri- ving. Like other Volvos the T5-R is equipped with many innovative safety features such as dual front airbags and side-impact airbags for front passengers, three-point safety belts in all five seating positions, and an enormously strong passenger compartment structure which includes Volvo's unique SIPS (side impact protec- tion system). As a top-of-the line model, the TS-R comes standard with most Juxury features including leather/simulated suede uphoi- stery, black buried walnut trim, trip computer, climate control, remote keyless entry, and power- operated windows and mirrors. The only thing missing is an optional trunk-mounted CD changer. The suggested retail price of the TS-R sedan is approximately $47,000 while fully loaded wag- ons go for $50,000. T5-Rs will be extremely rare. Just 102 T5-Rs will be import- ed to Canada, 11 of those slated for B.C. Though not a volume sales contender, the T5-R will enhance Volvo’s image as a maker of cars that are exciting as well as practi- cal and safe. Friday, May 5, 1995 -~- North Shore News - 23 SERVICE & USED PARTS (MECHANICAL & BODY PARTS) 4DR SEDANS 9 DR HATCHBACKS 4 DR WAGONS at rebates assigned to dealer. 88 HONDA | ACCORD EX! 94 Honda Civic CX 93 Lumina Euro Coupe ‘88 Chevy Caprice Brougham 94 Blazer 4x4 4-coor’ ‘92 Buick Skylark 8B Acura RIS Integra ‘92 Mustang 5.0 litre 94 Supreme Converlibte 88 Accord EX! ‘Qt Cavalier 224 ‘85 Maxima GXE ‘92 Cadillac Seville léth & Queens New Westminister 521-775 power moon roof, ' fowkm's . This one must be seen.» After market tires & - wheels, auto, p/w, pA, ah ~