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Highlights

Rare, desirable red paintwork
Full leather interior
Powerful and characterful 5-cylinder
Beautiful condition throughout

The Appeal

Over 26 years have passed since the mad scientists at Volvo introduced these 5-cylinder saloons, and yet we still get excited to see them pop up for sale.

Both the wagon and the saloon variants were extremely popular in BTCC during the mid 90’s, and have since gained a cult-like following due to their unassuming body shape and outrageous power output.

Volvo 850s had such a huge impact on the automaker's public image. So much so that even modern performance Volvos are compared to the 850 T-5 models. And rightly so: they were the forefront of Volvo's early success in BTCC after all. Performance cars of the time had quite the fight on their hands when coming head-to-head with one of these machines.

There’s something quite wonderful about driving something as unassuming as this, that's still as capable as a modern hot hatch.

The History and Paperwork

Fresh MOT, valid until June 2023
Valid and up-to-date V5C
Fantastic service history
Original Volvo 850 owner's manual
Volvo 850 Haynes manual
Recent service and cambelt change

The Interior

Lovely full leather interior
Wooden dashboard trim
Electric memory front seats
Carpets plush and original
All original, functional centre console
Headliner in great shape

Opening the door to this homely 850 T-5, being greeted with the whiff of leather from the slightly patinated seats is a pleasure in itself.

The seats are extremely comfortable and supportive, with the bolsters firmly holding you in place. They also offer the convenience of memory positions in case there will be multiple drivers (or if someone changes your seating position). All of the seats share a similar age-related patina, with creases here and there as you’d expect from a 90s car, but there are no rips or tears.

The instrument cluster is all original, showing 108,849 miles – rather low for a 26 year old car – and all of the dials function as they should. Even the factory boost gauge, located above the fuel and water temperature indicators, works perfectly.

All of the buttons, dials and switches function as they should, and all of the printed text and symbols throughout the dash and centre console are still easily readable and identifiable.

The carpets are still nice and plush with little sign of wear, and the floor mats are in good shape too. We’re also happy to note that the roof lining is in great condition with no sign of the separation or sagging as seen in some examples, just some odd marks throughout, but certainly nothing of any concern.

Overall, the interior of this 90s hero is still impressively lavish, with comfortable seats and a great driving position. It’s extremely well preserved thanks to the care lavished on it over the years. A truly well loved 850, like this example, is a rare find.

The Exterior

Rare red factory paintwork
Factory panel gaps
Volan style 17” alloys
Volvo “Prancing Moose” decals
No signs of rust

Even after two and a half decades, this is still an undeniably pretty car – a design that has stood the test of time and become a staple in the automaker's history.

Finished with the rare red paintwork, and sitting on the optional Volan OEM wheels, it’s somewhat reminiscent of the sportier 850R.

There are very few flaws to pick at in this example, the only issues we could find were a very small dent (approximately the size of a ten pence piece) on the front offside wing, and some minor paint chipping located on the forward edge of the driver side door and lower portion of the front bumper.

Overall, it’s a very honest, well-kept piece of machinery. All of the body panels (aside from the aforementioned wing) are straight and true, and all of the panel gaps appear to be of factory fitment. Exterior plastics seem to be in great shape too, with only very minor signs of colour fading they still retain a rich black sheen.

These cars are criminally overlooked, especially by those not in the know. Any true petrolhead with memories of the 90’s and early 2000’s will flock to this like a bee to a honeypot.

The Mechanics

Glorious 2.3L 5-cylinder
225bhp
4-speed Automatic transmission
FWD configuration
Excellent service history
Cambelt change just over 3000 miles ago
2 brand new tyres included in the sale

Powered by the famous 2.3L 20 Valve Turbo engine, producing a stout 225bhp in factory configuration, this has a rather impressive power delivery for what appears to be nothing more than a family saloon car. Especially for something from the mid 90s.

The engine power is reported to be excellent with good acceleration through the gears, thanks to the factory 15G turbo you get that ‘pinned to the seat’ experience. The 4-speed auto box is responsive and smooth throughout the changes, with no unwelcome clunks or noises.

With a fresh MOT, this example is as ‘get in and go’ as it gets. The most recent MOT does show advisories for both front tyres, however the current owner of the vehicle has purchased two brand new tyres and put them in the boot for the new owner.

Further advisories were for very slight corrosion on the offside rear brake hose ferrule, and nearside rear axle swivel pins and a slightly worn bush. Minor things for a car of this age.

Service history is fantastic with regular oil changes and necessary maintenance carried out whenever required, so the new custodian can rest easy knowing that the cambelt has been replaced just 3,000 miles ago, alongside an engine service.

Summary

Quickly becoming a recognised and appreciated classic, 850 T-5s are a fantastic investment, and an even better car to enjoy on the road. Between the unassuming, handsome exterior and the grin-inducing power, it’s an easy car to fall in love with.

A true icon of 90’s BTCC and a staple in Volvo's history - these cars will only become more difficult to get your hands on as the years go by. Especially in such good condition as this.

Notice to bidders

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