Racing a modern car against an older one with similar specs and power output doesn't seem to make much sense, in that it should be a foregone conclusion. The new car will be the victor ten times out of ten.
But wait, this plot thickens. It's not just that the two are separated by 22 years of constant innovation, other things seem to tilt the scale in the newer model's direction as well. First of all, it has a ten horsepower advantage.
The Volvo V90 D5 has a 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbodiesel engine lurking under its long hood that's good for 235 hp. The 1995 Volvo 850 T5 gets a 2.3-liter five-cylinder turbocharged gasoline engine with 225 hp and definitely less torque.
As if that wasn't enough, things get even worse for the '90s wagon. You see, the V90 has the all-important all-wheel-drive that can make a huge difference in a standing drag race. It allows the car to pull off the line with more conviction and less wheel spin, and a good start can make the difference between a loss and a win.
And we're not done. The 850 T5 is equipped with a manual transmission, and while that might be more fun under certain circumstances, it definitely doesn't help during this kind of competitions where every millisecond is important.
That being said, you might be thinking: "Alright, so why show me this clip, then?" Well, probably to ruin your day. To make you feel as if the last 22 years were in vain. Or if you own a diesel-powered car, to suggest you might have made the wrong choice. Well, at least as far as drag racing is concerned.
As it so often happens, the plans you make on paper don't always overlap perfectly with the real world. We're not going to spoil it for you, but just give this a go and try not to be impressed. And probably a little surprised.
"Boy meets car, boy loves car, boy gets journalism degree and starts job writing and editing at a car magazine" - 5/5. (Vlad Mitrache if he was a movie) Full profile
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