Auction Car of the Week: 1996 Volvo 850 R Estate

This week, Car & Classic is offering something unavailable to buy new in any UK Volvo dealership: an estate.

Perhaps it was inevitable, but the news that Volvo was axing the estate and saloon from its line-up still came as a shock earlier this month. The estate is arguably the most iconic layout for a Volvo, and the 850 R is one of the most iconic of them.

The high-volume follow-up to the popular but limited edition 850 T-5 R, the 850 R epitomises the practical performance car. Making just shy of 250bhp from its 2.4-litre turbocharged engine, the 850 R could launch its fulcome 4.6-metre length to 60mph in just over six seconds, before reaching a top speed of 150mph. This was, and still is, truly fast for an estate.

With this speed came a tendency to tear through tyres. To combat this, the 850 R received a lower ride height than its predecessor, and low-profile rubber, giving the R its aggressive stance.

Despite the performance alterations, it would still come as a surprise when, in partnership with Tom Walkinshaw Racing, Volvo famously entered the 1994 British Touring Car Championship with the estate.

Volvo acheived eighth in the Manufacturers’ standings that year and, despite taking home no silverware, the 850 had certainly won the admiration of many fans.

This example was imported from Japan last year, meaning that it is both rust-free and right-hand drive. It comes with service history and the promise of a fresh MOT in time for its new ownership.

The car is mostly original, but where modifications such as the Sony touchscreen stereo and converted odometer have been made, the original units have been retained. This preserves the option to return these elements to factory standard.

Since the UK’s supply of Volvo estates is now sadly finite, values for good quality examples like this may rise, making this a great chance to get ahead of the curve.

Notably, when the similar announcement of the Ford Fiesta’s demise was made, searches for performance variants on Car & Classic increased by nearly 70 percent.

Car & Classic’s 1996 Volvo 850 R Estate, in association with Retro Motor is now live and runs until 22 August. It is expected to fetch between £7k and £10k.