﹒Leather/Suede interior with electric heated memory front seats

﹒£2,000 spent on recommissioning

﹒2 owner original UK spec car

The Volvo 850 T5-R can be best described as the car that gave Volvo a new lease of life. At the time they were producing worthy but not exactly soul-stirring cars. Most Volvo’s were being used to transport offspring to gymkhana or hauling grandfather clocks from antique centres.

Enter the 850 T5-R. Produced as a limited-run edition, the T5-R was an update on the original 850 Turbo offering an extra 18bhp, which resulted in a 0-60 time of 6.5 seconds. The engine had been co-developed by Porsche and the T5-R can be distinguished by the additional side skirts, front and rear spoilers as well as OBDII diagnostic system, heated rear seats and the titanium-grey 5 spoke 17x7 wheels. The 850 Turbo famously competed in Touring car championships, which gave the brand an effective promotional tool in light of its successes.

It was sold by William A Lewis in Shrewsbury, a long established Volvo dealer in October 1995, and has evidence of the service history being carried out by the main dealer and specialists. The car was kept by its first owner for 2 years and sold to a new owner in Bristol, who owned the car until recently.

The Volvo is now being sold via a specialist car dealer near Stockport, who came across the car mentioning that it had been sat in storage since 2011. He has an eye for modern classics and saw this car as a perfect opportunity to recommission and get back on to the road. It soon became apparent that the car was in very good order and did not need any form of welding, just some mechanical renewal. Once brought into the workshop, all the fluids were replaced, with new springs, discs and pads all round including new callipers. A whole clutch assembly and timing belt have also been installed and it will be receiving a new windscreen prior to it being dispatched to its new owner. Around £2000 has been spent on getting the car up to scratch.

The car has had a cherished life and comes with full-service history. In addition, the car has only had 2 owners since new, with the previous keeper owning it since 1997. The invoices and paperwork from recent work are also included. It comes with a recent MOT.

The interior is in very good shape, with the headlining, door cards and carpet in good condition. The leather seats are sumptuous and inviting but the drivers suede insert bolster is visibly damaged with a small hole. Aside from this blemish, the overall condition of the seats are very good. The trim and fittings show expected wear for a well looked after 25-year-old car.

The dials and controls are all said to be functional, all warning lights go off on startup too.  The overall physical condition of the dashboard and wood trim is in good order. The boot area is also very clean with no obvious evidence of messy pets or heavy use.

The bodywork is straight throughout, with equal panel gaps. The metallic olive green paint is a rare finish for the T5-R and is in very good condition, with no hazing or major scratches. There are a handful of small dents on the lower door sections, again in keeping in line with the age of the car. The front nearside indicator will need replacing, the rear items were replaced for its MOT and are refurbished stock. The wheel arches and sills look solid, with no signs of rust coming through. The glass and rubber is in generally good condition with just age related marks and imperfections to be expected. The Titan alloys have been refurbished with well above legal tyres. The underside of the car is in remarkably good condition too.

The car drives well, with no obvious issues that concerned the current owner. The release bearing made a noise when the clutch was dipped, so that was replaced as the car was booked for its recent MOT. The engine is said to pull well with no smoke from the engine or exhaust. Several service items have been renewed, including the timing belt but the engine itself hasn’t needed a significant amount of work, a tribute to Volvo engineering and its careful previous owners. The owner has stated the car comes up to temperature as normal and doesn’t overheat.

The Volvo 850 T5-R caused a stir when first released, it was the brand's most powerful car at that point of its history.  A premium product, benefiting from Volvos vast safety development and years of quality engineering. The earth-shattering performance in an estate car was simply unheard of at the time, combining a great 5-cylinder soundtrack with utter practicality. 

As an investment, the 850 T5-R is a cert. Good standard examples are hard to find and this car benefits from low miles, as well as full-service history. It has been under the command of two owners and has received a recent recommissioning by a car specialist. It's still a bit of sleeper thanks to the subtle styling and colour but that brutal power within those front wheels can still surprise.


** The pictures in this listing have been provided to us by the seller **


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