I recently got to meet the hero of my youth, with all of its programmed-in flaws. Volvo was the first brand that introduced me to cars, as my parents drove and still drive Volvos. This is how I learned what 5 cylinders are, heated rear seats, and what it means when a front-wheel-drive car is as good on snow as something with all-wheel-drive.
Hero of My Youth
My first dives into Wikipedia and vintage YouTube introduced me to Volvo models with the letter “R” on the trunk. Neck-grabbing colors, dark Titan wheels, and a turbo gauge on the dashboard. That’s how a hobby for life is formed.
In my opinion, it’s always worth taking the risk and meeting the god of your youth. The Volvo 850 was the beginning of so many things. It’s the first purebred, front-wheel-drive Volvo and the company’s major breakthrough.
Birth of the Volvo 850
In 1978, Project Galaxy appeared in the company’s books. From it came two new Volvos – a light city runabout (the 400 series released in 1987) and the larger sub-premium class 850. Over the next 9 years, Volvo engineers created several prototypes with compact drivetrains, 4, 5, and 6-cylinder engines, and a 5-speed transmission. The 6-cylinder engine was developed by Porsche Consulting, but it was eventually abandoned. The automatic transmission came from the then very competitive Japanese Aisin. In 1984, the famous SIPS system was developed, protecting passengers in the event of a side impact, and the DeltaLink rear suspension. The decade-long project was the most significant and expensive industrial event in Volvo’s history. On April 11, 1991, the first Volvo 850 rolled out of the gates of the Ghent factory in Belgium.
The 850 at the BTCC
A good street car wasn’t enough. Volvo wanted to raise its image further by taking on the touring car racing scene. In the 1994 British Touring Car Championship (BTCC), Volvo competed with the Tom Walkinshaw Racing-prepared 850 estate. Under the hood was a naturally aspirated 2-liter, 20-valve engine producing 290 horsepower at 8,500 rpm and a sequential 6-speed gearbox.
The car was a fan favorite. The only estate in the competition, large enough to fit half of its competitors' spare engines, with a white and blue body and the Securicor Omega sponsor, became one of the most iconic images of the golden BTCC era. The 1994 season was very successful for the newcomers. With F1 drivers Jan Lammers and Rickard Rydell behind the wheel, Volvo was a strong competitor to the BTCC veterans.
Drivers praised Volvo’s dynamics – at high speeds, the car was extremely stable and easy to maneuver through corners. The only downside – due to the estate shape and poorer weight distribution, there wasn’t enough grip in slow and sharp turns. The 1995 season was even more successful thanks to a few changes – the sedan version with a rear spoiler was introduced, improving grip on the asphalt. In 1996, Volvo won 4 races, with several podium finishes, and the best Volvo 850 BTCC result – third place in the overall season.
The 850 T5-R
The 850 T5-R was a continuation of this achievement. The engine computer and gearbox modifications for the T5 model were carried out by Porsche Consulting (they also created the semi-leather T5-R seats). With increased turbo pressure, the 2.3-liter B5234T5 engine produced 240 horsepower and 340 Nm of torque. The T5-R estate’s top speed was 250 km/h, and it could accelerate to 100 km/h in just over 6 seconds. The T5-R featured a special aerodynamic package for the model, and aluminum-trimmed sills inside. Factory-fitted lightweight 17-inch Titan wheels with Pirelli P-Zero tires were included. There were only three color options – Cream Yellow, Dark Olive Pearl, and Black Stone.
Thrills and Challenges
The racing history, low suspension, and large wheels are part of this Volvo’s DNA, but it’s still hard to escape the fact that it’s still a Volvo. Driving requires delicacy. You can rush with gear changes as if the finish line and champagne fountains were just 100 meters ahead, but Volvo will say no. The gears move with a long and slow shift. After the turbo’s sigh, the engine revs slowly descend from where they came. If the accelerator is pushed too much in the first or second gear, the torque pulls the wheel to one side, and I remain like a surprised Labrador, looking around to see what’s happening and trying to catch the leather four-spoke steering wheel.
The T5-R cuts through the air with a 0.29 drag coefficient, lower than the Pagani Huayra. The engine is vocal and intense, sometimes drowning out everything around you. The revs climb imperceptibly, without any engine vibrations, but when the turbo gates open, 240 horsepower has never felt so fun. It’s a car that’s genuinely fast in a surprising way.
Comfort Meets Sportiness
Compared to the old rear-wheel-drive Volvos, the 850 T5-R is a tiger compared to an elderly pig. Even geese have better stabilizers than some old Volvos, but the front-wheel-drive 850 is difficult to compromise with unless you suddenly release the accelerator in a turn. The moment you do so, the entire glass train carriage behind you lightens due to the changed center of gravity and tries to overtake the front of the car. If the turn is sharp enough, it wouldn’t be hard to coax a drift.
The comfort-to-sportiness ratio is 65/35. Sportiness is pulled forward by the active, powerful engine and suspension to match its energy, while long-distance comfort is reflected in the soft seats, interior ergonomics, spaciousness, coziness, and the fun chassis limits that are easy to reach. With the Mitsubishi TD04HL-16T turbo, the engine has noticeable turbolag, but it characterizes the sporty nature of an engine built on old foundations. The sound of the 5-cylinder engine with turbo sneezes is one of the most recognizable sounds in the world.
After about 100 kilometers in my drive, I could let go of the gas pedal to explore other things. I had been longing to feel the interior of an 850 for over 15 years. I first saw the high-spec 850 interior in an AutoBild used car magazine. Heavy buttons, soft materials, and a spirit of durability. I will probably be thinking about the double driver-side vent when closing my eyes for the last time. The Porsche-designed seats with the unusual leather center are very comfortable but offer minimal support in turns. The gear stick is at a very comfortable height. The pedals are light enough with a pleasant progressive clutch. The steering wheel isn’t hyperactive, but provides good feedback from the road surface.
A Car That Defines a Generation
When you add my age and the age of this Volvo’s owner together, the number doesn’t even reach 50. His parents also had Volvos, which also planted an indelible love for one of the best Swedish cars. As Jeremy Clarkson once said about the 850 T5-R: “It’s a phenomenon, it’s Terminator 2, fused with Freddy Krueger. It’s the end of the world on wheels.”
It’s the only car a car lover might ever need. Sometimes, Volvo cars and their drivers can induce pathological boredom, but when the right people with good intentions touch these cars, you cannot look away from them. The 850 T5-R, with its mix of emotion, practicality, comfort, and racing heritage, answers every question a true driver might have without the unnecessary pomposity of today’s world.
I left this experience with a headache, aching cheeks, and mixed feelings. Part of me wanted this Volvo to disappoint me, so I could forget about it and remain at peace. But after meeting the hero of my childhood, I was wrapped around its finger. To an ordinary person, it’s just a fridge on wheels, but for some, it’s the first and last automotive love affair. Perhaps the 850 wasn’t a champion on the track, but it will always be a champion in my heart.
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