WHEN | first heard Volvo's
claims that the new 850
Turbo Wagon is a family car,
I couldn't help but be a litle
skeptical.

My experience with cars that

fant to be all things to all people is
that they compromise the benefits
of cach for the greater whole.

Well. be prepared to be
impressed when you test-drive the
new Volvo 850 Turba Wagon.

Starting with the turbocharged,
transversely-mounted 2.3-litre five-
cylinder engine (a derivative of the
2.4-litre engine in the non-tur-
bocharged mode!}, packing 222
horsepower, the front-wheel drive
850 Turbo streaks from zero to 100
km/h (62 mph) in a most un-wagon-
like fashion. There's little turbo-lig
here.

Volvo engincers geared the
powertrain to deliver peak torque
(221 ft-lbs) at just 2,100 rpm.
Acceleration is immediate and sat-
isfying, and there's very little turbo
whine.

Though five-cylinder engines
are inherently less well-balanced
than those with an even number of
cylinders, the Volvo's five-banger
is very quict and reasonably
smooth, turning over just 2.200 rpm
at 100 km/h (62 mph) on a level
stretch of highway.

Cruising is made even more
pleasant by a distinct lack of wind
and tire noise.

The only transmission available
in the Turbo Wagon and Turbo
Sedan is a very smooth electronical-
ly-controlled four-speed automatic.

This one features driver-selec-
table Sport and Economy modes, as
well as a Winter mode which starts
the car in third gear for better trac-
tion on ice and snow.

The Turbo Wagon is also a very
competent high-speed touring vehi-
cle — the Europeans just seem to
have a way with suspensions, The
850’s MacPherson struts and rear
Delia-Link semi-independent sus-
pension offers sure-footed, stable
handling, and a firm, well-modulat-
ed ride. ;
~ Some credit must go to the low-
profile 205/50-16 inch Michelin
Pilot radials which offer particular-
ly good performance in wet weather
conditions.

Four-wheel dise brakes with a
three-channel ABS (anti-lock brak-
ing system) are standard equipment
on the Turbo Wagon and Sedan.
The brakes yank the 1.450 kg
(3.190 Ibs) Wagon to a stop in very.
very short order.

A tight 10.2m (33.5 ft) turning
circle makes U-turns and parking

Soe
Ponsa

practical, luxurious well-desig

Ea
a REIS
ate

*
See

ned family car

NEWS photog Neif Lucente

The new Volvo 850 Wagon combines the practicality of a station wagon with the performance of a turbocharged 222 horsepower
five-cylinder engine. Safety features abound too, such as Volvo’s patented Side-Impact Protection System, five three-point seat-

belts, and dual airbags.

manocuvres cusy.

As with other Volvos, safety
features abound on the $50 Turbo
Wagon, with most being standard
equipment.

The list includes: driver and pas-
senger airbags with knee bolsters:
Volvo's patented side-impact pro-
tection system: head restraints on
all five seats: lap and shoulder belts
on all five seats (pretensioners on
front seats}: child booster seat in
rear centre armrest: front and rear
crumple zones: and extra-high tail-
lights for increased visabitity.

Equipped with ABS and option-
al traction control, the 850
Wagon/Turbo Wagon is probably
one of the safest vehicles on the
road today.

The interior of the Turbo Wagon
seats five adults very comfortably.
with plenty of head and leg room,

Big families may want to take
advantage of a two-passenger. rear-
facing seat that is available as an
option,

Standard interior fare on the
Turbo Wagon includes electronic
climate control and CFC-free air-
conditioning, rear wiper/washer
with intermittent capability,
tachometer, power windows, central
door/trunk/fuel filler locks, power-
assisted steering with tilt and tele-
scoping steering wheel, and 80 watt
AM/FM stereo cassette player wilh
eight speakers.

Some of the more attractive
options are walnut-trimimed instru-

THE TURBO-CHARGED transverseiy-mounted 2.3-litre five-
cylinder engine streaks from 0 to 100 km/h in a most un-wag-
onlike fashion. Inquire about the Voivo 850 at Specialty Motor
Cars, 1235 Marine Dr., North Van.

ment panel, cight-way power driver
and passenger seats, leather seating,
headlamp window wipers, and heat-
ed front and rear seats.

The cargo-carrying capabilities
of the 850 Wagon are the most ver-
satile I've seen,

‘One or both of the 60/40 split
rear-seats can be folded down, and
the front passenger seat can also be
folded flat to accommodite long
objects.

I carried three 8° X 3° sheets of
particle board in the Wagon with
room to spare.

It's obvious that the engineers
who designed the 850 Turbo
Wagon really did their homework.
i's hard to believe that one vehicle
can be so handsome, practical, fast.
luxurious, sufe and reasonably
priced.

‘Price of the Turbo Wagon is
$38,495.

Base price: $38,495

Type: four-door, five-pas-
seniger station- wagon
Layouts transverse front
engine/front-wheel-drive
Engine: 2.3-litre five-cylin-
der, turbocharged/inter-
cooled. DOHC four valves
per-eylinder, Bosch
Motronic fuel injection
Horsepower: 222 @ 5.200
rpm

Torque: 221 @ 2.100 rpm
Transmission: four-speed
automatic, Econamy, Spart,
Winter modes

Tires: 205/50-16 Michelin
Pilot

Curb weight: [458 kg
(3.208 Ibs.)

Wheelbase: 2,664 mm
(104.9 in.)

Length: 4.700 min (185.4
in.)

Width: 1,760 min (69,3 in.)
Height: 1.415 mm °35.7 in.)
Cargo capacity: seas up:
1,100 L (37.1 cu. fy: seats
down: 1.890 1. (67 cu. ft.)
Fuel conswmpiion: City
12.1 7100 kin (23 mpy)
Hwy 8.2 1/100 kin (34 mpg)
Warranty: four
yeurs/80,000 km