VOLVO 850 R 1994-1996 Photos, engines & full specs

Volvo tried to be more appealing to the younger generation, and, for that, it introduced the 850 lineup in 1992, followed by the sporty 850 R in 1994.

The Swedish carmaker was confident that its safe cars were good enough to handle a more powerful version. So it pushed the boundaries to its engineering department and introduced a turbocharged version for the 850, and offered it in both shapes: sedan and station wagon. Moreover, in 1994, the carmaker entered the BTCC (British Touring Car Championship) with the wagon-shaped version. In the 1995 season, it entered with the more common sedan sibling, the 850 R.

The revolutionary design of the 850 was seen as a massive leap for the Swedish carmaker. Still, dropping the wedged shapes was not easy, but it was a promising start. The car featured a sloped hood with rounded edges and corners, a curved windshield, and, exclusively for the R-version, a lower front apron that sports the fog lights and three air-intakes. At the back, the car received a small wing on the trunk.

The interior was roomier since the car was no longer a front-wheel drive vehicle. There was enough legroom for both the front and the rear seat passengers. Still, the carmaker's design team didn't completely drop the squared design and apply it to the dashboard, which featured a tall center stack penned with straight lines.

Under the hood, Volvo installed a turbocharged five-cylinder engine that provided 240 PS (237 hp). The standard transmission was a five-speed manual, and power was sent to the front wheel. The 850 R featured stiffer suspension and wider light-alloy wheels, unlike its less-powered siblings.