hotter version
of the 350 turbo

Greg

IN the Fall of 1992,
Volvo introduced the
front-wheel-drive 850
sedan, an entry-level lux-
q _ury sedan to replace the
aging 240.

At the time, critics called

the 850 ‘too sporty’ to be a
Volvo. It had flashy alloy

iq’ wheels, excellent handling,

and considerably better per-
foymance than the 240. Since
Volvo had built its reputation
on safety and dependability
over the years, many won-
dered whether Volvo was
;. making the right decision
_Wwith the 850's sporty design.

Then in 1993, Volvo
brought out the 850 Turbo, a
222 horsepower, tur-
bocharged version of the 850
with even better handling,
braking, and acceleration —-
and loaded with luxury fea-
tures. [t was even available
as a station wagon.

The coup de grace came
early in 1995 when Volvo
introduced a limited produc-
tion version of the 850 Furbo
called the T-5R - the most
powerful production Volvo
ever built. The T-5R had 250
horsepower, huge 17-inch
alloy wheels and Z-rated
high-performance tires, a
stiffer suspension and a
sportier interior. It was avail-
able as a sedan or wagon in
two distinct colors: black or
bright yellow. Only about
100 T5-R’s were sold in
Canada in 1995,

In the space of just four
years, Volvo had changed its
image from a maker of safe,
practical luxury curs to a
maker of safe, practical and
sporty luxury automobiles.

Was it a successful trans-

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formation? Volvo's sales tell
the story: they’ve skyrocket-
ed since 1993,

For 1996, the high-perfor-
mance T5-R was renamed
the 850R, but it’s essentially
the same car as last year —
except that it’s now available
in bright red und black, but
not yellow. (Collectors take
note: yeHow 1995 T5-R’s are
rare).

You can distinguish an
&50R from the Turbo by its
rear spoiler, front air dam,
and six-spoke “titanium-
grey” alloy wheels on low-
profile 17-inch Pirelli P-Zero
lires, These tires have fantas-
tic grip but produce a stiff
ride because of their narrow
sidewalls. | would recom-
mend ordering the no-cost
option, higher profile
205/50-16 inch radials for
improved ride comlort.

Inside the 850R, two
unique woodgrain colors are
available for the dash and
console: a light Scandinavian
Birchwood inlay with match-

See Volvo page 4

990-9221
ABBOTSFORD

Beced cn e Me mersh sumberan aera
Rep ederecen ie
New customers only. CAC: ‘ne caer

Photo submitted

THE 1996 Volvo 8508 is a sporty version of the 650 Turbo. Unique features include
lower proilie tires and 17-inch alloy wheels, rear spoiler and fzont air dam, suede-
leather inserts and sport seats, and an increase in horsepower to 250 from 222.

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