‘95 Volvo 850 T-5R – The Uber Turbo Brick

By Kamil Kaluski Aug 21, 2025

I used to see it often in the mid/late 1990s, always parked along East Ridgewood Avenue in Ridgewood, New Jersey. The yellow Volvo wagon, with its (at the time) big, gray, wheels looked fast just standing there. In the heydays of loud Hondas, it was the sophisticated, grown-up, way to go fast. There was nothing else like it, and I wanted it, badly.

The 1995 850 T-5R was an experiment of sorts, a crazy single model year vehicle from a company predominantly known for safety. It made no sense – a fast Volvo wagon, it would be an oxymoron at best. And yet, people loved it and were willing to pay a lot of money for it; $37,000 in 1995 is equivalent to over $78,430 in today’s money.

The T5-R experiment was so successful that the fast Volvo sedan and wagon came back essentially unchanged a year later, but with a new name – the 850R. That model, sans its yellow paint, created a path for the later S60R and V70R.

Yes, there were other fast Volvos, such as the 240 Turbo, 740 Turbo, the recent T8 eAWD Polestar Plug-in Hybrid, and even a V8-powered S80. But none of those have quite captured the street performance aspect as the original badass T5-R and 850R.

Yup! That’s me! You’re probably wondering how I got here…

It’s not often that we get to meet our heroes. When an opportunity presented itself to drive an original 850 T5-R, one that is owned by Volvo corporate, I jumped on it, almost literally. I kept expectations low, as this is a 30-year-old vehicle. I did not expect it to be as fast as, or even handle like, a modern-day crossover. But that did not stop me from geeking out, as you see in this video.

Volvo Cars USA acquired this vehicle from its original owner. This unmolested wagon is one of 49 Cream Yellow US-spec wagons. Aside from maintenance, it is in its original condition. And this got me thinking  – with Volvo Headquarters located in Mahwah, New Jersey, what are the chances that this is the same wagon that always saw parked along East Ridgewood Avenue all those years ago?

Photos: Kevin Nguyen

SPECS (U.S. model):

  • Chassis: Front-engine, FWD, 7-pass, 4-door wagon
  • Engine: 2.3L turbocharged DOHC 20-valve inline-5, 240 hp, 221 lb-ft
  • Transmission: 4-speed automatic
  • Curb Weight: 3,387 lbs.
  • Length: 185.4 inches
  • Width: 69.3 inches
  • Height: 56.9 inches
  • Wheelbase: 104.9 inches
  • MPG: 19 city/26 highway

By Kamil Kaluski

East Coast Editor. Races crappy cars and has an unhealthy obsession with Eastern Bloc cars. Current fleet: Ford Bronco, Lexus GX 470, and a Buick Regal crapcan racecar.

3 thoughts on “‘95 Volvo 850 T-5R – The Uber Turbo Brick”
  1. that booster seat looks like another 90s classic, the IBM 701c laptop.

    i had one of these, or a similar one (99 T5 wagon with a stick shift). it’s got a surprisingly compact footprint, and inside it’s enormously capacious. you’re also right that it’s not that exciting to drive. heavy understeer, slow turn-in. but the engine sounds great and pulls hard. i had all the mods on mine, but the only ones you really need are a limited slip diff and sway bars. better to leave the rest stock. i was indeed hailed as a hero when i took it to a race track, though i did little passing that day.

    in the end i got sick of all the check engine lights, which may have been more due to my mods than any intrinsic weaknesses, and i sold it to another enthusiast. dunno where it is now. i remember it fondly.

    oh also. the reason i ever wanted one was having seen a pre-youtube-era internet video as a teenager that i could never get out of my head. the exhaust note was insane. years after the video i bought mine, and years after i sold it the video is still around. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebkqIZ5z8OM

    1. When my kid was approaching driving age, I considered adding one of these to the fleet. I found one in the right price range, but it got snapped up before I had a chance to look at it. It did inspire me to look at longroofs though, and now I have a small collection of them

      1. The video mentioned that Volvo and Mercedes were the only 90’s wagons to have 3rd row seats. Not true: Buick/Chevy/Olds B body wagons were still made during that era, and were available with rear-facing 3rd row seats capable of fitting 6-foot adults. Also Ford and Mercury still made Panther wagons in the early 90’s, and their center-facing 3rd row seats were moderately comfortable for adults to sit in.

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