The Volvo 850 turns 25

Volvo 850 Station Wagon

The legendary and iconic Volvo 850 turns 25. It marked a change and a true revolution within the Swedish brand, setting a before and after for the models that followed. In addition, in Spain one of these 850s, in blue with a white stripe running across the bodywork in the style of Starsky and Hutch, was the star of the film Airbag.

It came out of a project called Galaxy started in 1978 that gave rise to two different series: a Swedish one and a Dutch one. The development of the base technology was joint, but later the teams went separate ways. The Dutch company Volvo Car B.V. continued working on what would become the 400 series, while in Sweden, Volvo Cars was developing the 850 series.

It represented a change in the design style that Volvo had followed until then. Its shapes could recall the previous 700 series, but the 850 was a completely new car, giving way to a more curvaceous and streamlined exterior. The first model presented was the Volvo 850 GLT at the Globe Arena in Stockholm on 11 June 1991. It had front-wheel drive, a transversely mounted naturally aspirated 5-cylinder, 20-valve engine producing 170 CV. Other novelties it featured were: the rear axle with Delta-link designed by Volvo, the integrated side-impact protection system (SIPS) and the self-adjusting seat belts on the front seats.

Volvo 850 T-5R

The Volvo 850 offered a great driving pleasure, unimaginable until then, and even intake and exhaust noise levels were reduced. Later, in February 1993, the station wagon model was presented. This family version was characterised by the straight-cut rear end, which achieved a large load capacity. The station wagon version received the prestigious “Grand Prize for Best Design” in Japan in 1994, which was added to the Italian award for the “most beautiful family vehicle”.

Several engine options were added to the 850 range, the one presented at the Geneva Motor Show in 1994 attracting the most attention. This version was the T‑5R with yellow paintwork as its main feature. It incorporated a turbocharged engine with intercooler producing 240 CV and a maximum torque of 330 Nm. Its exterior appearance stood out, besides its eye-catching colour, due to elements such as: special spoilers, a square exhaust tip and 17″ alloy wheels named Titan. The plan was to build 2,500 units of this very special model, but they sold out within a couple of weeks, so Volvo had to build the same number of units in black and also a third series of 2,500 T-5Rs in dark green.

Interior of the Volvo 850

This model also took part in racing, more specifically in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC), but with the station wagon version, which drew considerable attention. Later, with a change in the regulations, they switched to competing with the saloon version. In 1995 Rickard Rydell finished third in the championship.

Development in safety systems is something that characterises Volvo and remains present today in the new models the brand produces, but in 1995 the Volvo 850 became the first vehicle to feature side airbags as standard, something that is now so commonplace that it is present as standard equipment on most cars on the market.

Another milestone for the Swedish brand was the arrival of the 850 AWD (All Wheel Drive), which became the first Volvo model with four-wheel drive. It had permanently engaged all-wheel drive. It consisted of a viscous coupling that automatically distributed power between the front and rear wheels. If one of the rear wheels began to slip, the TRACS electronic anti-slip system automatically sent power to the front wheel with better grip. It mounted a light-pressure turbo engine producing 193 CV.

Volvo 850 Station Wagon BTCC

The arrival in 1997 of the new models with a change of nomenclature, S70 for the saloon and V70 for the station wagon, marked the end of the legendary 850 series of Volvo, of which a total of 1,360,522 vehicles were built.

Source | Volvo