Is the Volvo 850 Estate the coolest BTCC racer ever?

The Volvo 850 Estate remains one of the most notable cars of the Super Touring era. #FOS
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[@Rickard53]

As a Swede it is sooo good to hear that 5-cylinder screaming up the hill.. Lovely! And what a car...

[@Rickard53]

All the Volvos of the supertouring-era were fantastic and looked incredible..! However... ALL the cars of the era between 95 and 98 looked badass..!

[@tompirozek4490]

The Volvo BTCC car was the reason I bought an 850R in 1999, bright red saloon with black interior not tan and a rare manual, all I can say is what a rocketship, yeah it didn't handle particulary well, the traction control was very basic, the brakes were awful but everytime I drove it it put a smile on my face. Eventually sold it to a friend who kept it clean and nice but sold it after a few more years, twice I was sad to see it go, then one day a few years later he pulled up outside my house in a red 850R........yep it was the same one - he'd bought it back after all these years, I was so happy to see that car again. Yeah I've had plenty of faster, nicer more expensive cars since then BMW's, Merc's, Audi's but when I talk cars to people or friends I always mention the 850R as the ONLY car EVER that made me grin everytime I drove it, its up there with the best cars I've ever owned maybe even the best!

[@ccttv5206]

Tom Pirozek Yeah I wondered what all the fuss was about on these car. Then I drove one and omg it was quick. And a police friend said these were the best traffic cars and it even pulled an Arctic hgv out of a ditch. Cool cars.

[@KarlHamilton]

Sounds like my car... reg ends in DEG...

[@GreenJeep1998]

I talked to a woman 20 years at the store I was working for at the time and was loading something she bought into her husband's car....an 850R Wagon that was a match for your sedan. When she realised I knew what she was driving, she told me she had some guy in a Camaro look over at it at and stop light and start laughing at it, being a bright red Volvo wagon with (for the time) huge, gunmetal grey wheels and all........so when the light turned green, she blew his damned doors off!

[@Ash-928]

True petrol heads respect the 850R, and Volvo in general. Also it's Volvo that gave the Ford Focus ST its lovely sound.

[@peterlampropoulos3505]

Me too ✋️. And I could fit a wall unit in the back!

[@benkay8295]

Was and always will be the best era of btcc and people know it.

[@tompirozek4490]

Ben Kay without a doubt, what we have today is so watered down, I watch it but its not the same, never felt the need to attend to watch live, where as I went everywhere watching BTCC supertourers, all the way to Knockhill and right down the Snetterton, up to croft and over to Oulton and everywhere in between

[@kie_procrastinates]

such a distinctive sound. You could tell these Volvos apart from every other car on the grid.

[@Ash-928]

Also the Ford Mondeo V6, another lovely sounding car!

[@basithph8958]

Man I wish Volvo can go back to making inline-fives

[@Chris675R]

BASITH PH I recently bought a '09 C30 with the 2,4l NA 5 cylinder engine. That induction noise gets me every time. A shame they stopped building them

[@randomguyfrominterwebster]

I own 2,5 na 10v v70, the sound is just perfect, even when stock.

[@RudiHeinze]

just buy an older one, i bought last year a V70 Diesel, 5-in-line, from 2002. Made in Sweden ;-) mine is not a racecar, it's "just" a 5-in-line diesel but not slow.

[@STG44VOLVO]

Same here.

[@sonicstep]

Me too. Not going to happen. They've decided to go total electric. 😞

[@jamsee1]

The cool Volvo Estate 850 car is a beast! Loved watching Rickard Rydell and Jan Lammers manoeuvre this around back as a kid in 1994. Toca used to be an amazing combination in the BTCC.

[@DavidWilliams-nj5cn]

This is the era I fell in love with motor racing

[@fontheking5]

Yes, that 2 liter naturally aspirated 5 cylinder engine with around 280 + hp, and a revlimit of 8500 rpm, does sound awesome :) The new 2 liter Super Touring rules did start in 1991 in BTCC

[@partirbukadera]

If I recall correctly, they did some modifications to the engine head because of a regulation loophole which allowed them to reach around 320 ish HP.

[@nicolasmarolla]

Yes!! Coolest BTCC ever..

[@r129r16pfl]

Because boring people can relate to it ?

[@j-psalmi8039]

Are you implying that people who drive 318i's, Primeras and Lagunas are not boring?

[@r129r16pfl]

318i people are not, rest of them are...

[@j-psalmi8039]

Ahh yes, 114 hp, that's a lot of power.

[@Pillokun]

I miss the 90s BTCC dogfight racing, best car racing ever!

[@c.frickel388]

My wife and my drive a T5R She the dark olive pearl with 250 bhp and a black stone with 300 bhp and a special exhaust for that amazing sound for myself...😍

[@b.f.g7284]

Without shadow of a doubt the best saloon car championship in the world through the early 90s best looking best sounding and most varied field lineup with the likes of Murray Walker commentating at one stage Nigel Mansell competing..... loads of close racing, and crashing! Feisty characters like John Cleland, and legends like smoking Joe Winkehock... good old days👍🏻

[@robbyjai]

i grew up watching BTCC all the way in australia...and my dad bought a Volvo which made me follow Volvo... and i loved the 850 Estate and Saloon car!!! Massive fan of Rydell .. and yep... the distinctive murray walker voice.... watching cleland.... winkelhock and rydel and everyone bash wheels was just fricken awesome!!!!!! my love of cars came from BTCC.. im now a complete and utter rev head and car nut because of!

[@sonicstep]

@@robbyjai How interesting. I knew you had your own touring car series. But I had no idea ours was also being broadcast by you.

[@robbyjai]

@@sonicstep BTCC was huge in Aus. We also had our ATCC touring championship also had volvoes and audis and bmws banging doors.. i watched both and followed Volvo for both.... Jim Richards an Australian Driving legend drove the Volvos in the ATCC series... but it was never as exciting as the BTCC.

[@hybridAbsol]

Back when i was a kid , watching Volvos racing in the BTCC was one of my childhoods , they made me love Touring Cars even more

[@jareknowak8712]

This car had very interesting "stock" head. TVR cut off the middle part at angle and put it together to get better flow for intake ports. I never seen something like it.

[@angus3963]

At the cost of about 20k British pounds per block to do all the machine work and welding too.

[@xrete]

sick

[@Cooperage911]

"This car had very interesting "stock" head." The rules said, you need to use the factory head. They use the factory head but a little bit differently :D

[@beardedgeek973]

@@Cooperage911 To quote Top Gear regarding Lancia vs Audi: "There was no rules that said you could do it, but more importantly there was no rules you said you couldn't".

[@michaelbarnett2077]

So happy to own a 97' 850 Turbo estate! Such a well built car.

[@angus3963]

The PR and Marketing worked on me, I remember seeing the Volvo ad in 93' that showed two Estate's going through a corner in a race with out BTCC sedans, it rewinds then shows it again and then the voice over of "Yup, that's a Volvo!". At 19 I was SOLD and when it came to getting my first car it was a Volvo Estate, and now own 3 Volvos.

[@ajwitt7472]

BTCC marketing was ace. Remember the Listerine "The car in front is a BMW" ad after the infamous Silverstone championship win. And Volvo bought the back cover to a lot of BTCC programmes this year (might have been '95) featuring the yellow 850 T5R

[@paulfisker]

I had a 1996 White 850 Estate with 5cyl 2.0l Turbo engine (T5 for Italian market sold in Norway somehow.) It was fantastic. I wrapped this car in BTCC livery, with different colors, colors of my company branding. It servew me well. I wanted to buy the same one now, but there are nowhere to find in this spec and working...

[@alexanderpetrov1038]

2020. Covid-19 will go away. Old Volvos will still be here.

[@Ash-928]

Big respect to Volvo for entering an estate car, it showed they had a sense of humour (even though the car was no joke)

[@sonicstep]

Oh, that sound. It gives me goose bumps.. 👏😊

[@angus3963]

Yes, yes it is. It's the reason when I saw them racing at 19 years old I fell in love with Volvo's and now own three of them. #5cylindersordeath

[@simoningram8081]

This is the reason i own a 96 850 estate.... and i foookin love it

[@__Lost_In_Translation__]

Yes no question!!!

[@RezaXGWB]

Not just BTCC... But the coolest Race Car EVER!

[@digger330]

I love the sound it’s music to your ears

[@robertsinnott9325]

What a season...stunning Alfa’s...the volvos....loves it

[@taodej]

yes! best shooting brake ever!!!!! hands down ,after the bread van ,of course.

[@ccttv5206]

Super cool I remember watching these at snetterton and I'm sure the dog was on the roof during a parade lap.

[@ccttv5206]

I'm sure I've got a pic of it somewhere to.

[@shaunbruce3625]

Yes. They look totally amazing

[@davidbarnsley8486]

Was always my most favourite race car of the era I loved all the Volvos at that time Demo derby racing 😍😍👍👍

[@billybbutter2780]

The Volvo Estate was my fav from back In the day....... Who would have thought that a Volvo Estate would be cool!!

[@awesomeferret]

I have a currently appreciating 1996 850 Turbo (basically 850r with normal suspension and normal trim). Bought it for 1200 four years ago, was my first car and needs about 4 grand of work but it's technically not totaled yet. I should probably get rid of it but it's actually rare now and it's my first car!

[@stephenwickel5299]

I love this car . That's why I got its road car baby a modified t5r in yellow 😀

[@mattheww1038]

First! Love goodwood! Went this year and loved it!👍

[@GazzUnseen]

Yes, it is the coolest. Thank you for posing this question.

[@gordcivic]

YES! My favourite touring car EVER

[@mykweb]

One of the best looking cars around

[@frederickthorne2496]

The love I have for this car,..

[@ifanramadhana7833]

That opening song is taken from old Goodwood Shop commercial!

[@Levenstone132]

Had a good look at the car in the pits.That engine sure is lower down than my T5's.

[@hybridAbsol]

Cuz , HANDLING matters

[@reallyhappenings5597]

One of the modifications of the BTCC car was a dry sump oiling system, saved a few inches in height

[@combatmako]

I would LOVE one ! ✌️❤️😁

[@markspence3295]

Do i remember one of these rolling up to the grid with a blow up labrador in the back?

[@sebg1224]

Personal car goals

[@georgejacob3162]

I remember seeing Tim Harvey looking at the Volvo estate when he was driving for Renault and the look on his face was like "What? Surely they're not serious?"

[@murican1889]

How is the ride in these cars? Is the road noise bad? I love 850 wagons but I am spoiled in my 08 town car.

[@tokeyauto546]

Childhood memories..

[@baylessnow]

I was looking on ebay and it was a toss up as wether to buy an 850 Estate or a Mk3 Cortina. I went back to my youth and bought a Mk3 Cortina. Biggest mistake I ever made I think.

[@reallyhappenings5597]

Axles in front of the engine! Street 850s aren't that way, are they? Very cool for a FWD car

[@Distortion1971]

Jan Lammers!

[@johnkenji100]

Legend

[@jeckslerouge5026]

Definitly, yes🤘

[@radioactivepotato2068]

I missed the entire first ten seconds of what he said waiting for the dog to move.

[@poshpanda469]

More like a real car than today. 😏 (the dog was scared stiff)

[@brad270472]

Always liked the alpha 155...

[@callumfreebairn8082]

absolutely

[@sammetpuntjes]

Yess

[@KarlHamilton]

Yes is the answer, obviously.

[@anracingrsr1]

Yes

[@atzepeng35]

yep, it‘s definitely the coolest btcc car ever

[@Zkillscreen]

yes it is!

[@xXSchleudertraumaXx]

YES!!

[@panpaletkalg2550]

yes, yes it is

[@Chananda]

Yes. Yes it is.

[@stevemacfarlane3935]

The coolest 850volvo estate definitely

[@rob_boss]

Yes.

[@jamie-ox8sg]

What was done to get it that low ?

[@martinlund9524]

A shitload of stuff :P New gearbox, dryoilsump a head that is lower.

[@ausermane5926]

Man I miss my 850R

[@lukesmith5878]

Me too .........fantastic car

[@DontBeClueless514]

What engine ? Doesnt sound like their a 5pot turbo

[@Ditypo]

Siiiick

[@gin3648]

Yep.

[@achmadfajar6845]

Put Maldonado to drive this car, and nobody could overtake it!

[@kevgreenhalgh263]

Why, because it would be on it's roof? ;)

[@georgejacob3162]

Everybody would overtake it cos Maldonado would be off the track!

[@SabberJupp]

Yes, it is.

[@martinandreas6486]

To me, the rs500 was the coolest btcc race car

[@daftlad526]

I think it is

[@andrewdrabble8939]

Still one of the most beautiful BTCC cars ever built. I still remember all the incredulity surrounding TWR when they decided to campaign the 850 estate for that season and although not as successful as they would have liked unlike the S40 that came later, it was a magnificently competitive machine. Look at the smash Kelvin Burt had in the 850 saloon. Although hurt, being in a Volvo, he survived because of Volvo's reputation for toughness and the 850 estate made Volvo's desirable for a change too

[@niconicht4982]

Is there someone doubting it?

[@ernestocolchado1873]

Oh yeah..

[@revsonsrc9573]

I don't think I'll ever not own a turbo Volvo estate. Not much better that the looks you get lol

[@drowsy_mouse8406]

2 oil filler caps?

[@cmartin_ok]

Looks like it: www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/799389002581619435/

[@itsmephil2255]

Proving the old adage Volvo....they are boxy But they're good

[@_louis.se_]

Is it FWD or RWD?(very curious... And really want to know)

[@stelamo]

FWD

[@_louis.se_]

Thx a lot

[@andycapo9you]

Guy adores Volvo, wears a BMW tshirt...

[@doka3465]

talking about Volvo with BMW M3 T-Shirt.....

[@Volvo8Fifty4Life]

I guess he could also be a BMW fan. I love and own both the Volvo 850 T-5R and the BMW e46 328i. They are completely different animals but are a blast to drive!

[@mrsneakyburt6305]

If only the 850 was RWD...

[@tommy.eklund]

It really doesn't have to be... I bought one a couple of months ago and it's a joy to drive! I really don't feel like I'd rather have it RWD.. And it turns great because of the passive 4-wheel steering.

[@robivlahov]

if the delta links have not been done , do them. and poli bush your subframe and wishbones. gets a whole lot better after it , much more eager to turn ;) not so slow on transitions etc

[@TheRevo33]

Well there is an 850 awd which is close enough. I own one with forged internals and 400hp and I can tell you that the 4wd system is amazing!! :)

[@frederickthorne2496]

why? Volvo made the 900 series for that. The whole idea of the 850 was to be FWD.

[@mrsneakyburt6305]

None of the 900 series cars had the straight 5 engine, and in my humble opinion RWD is superior, and i find that it enhances my driving experience, plus who doesnt like to go skidding on a snowy winters day.

[@918davisable]

got a 97 t5. had her SW since 02, from AZ, ill NEVER sell her Lov my white girl !!

[@xsduprwd3937]

Yes coolest estate.. I have got a 850r sedan which is awsome! But my URS4 Avant def challenges the 850 for estate honours..

[@baylessnow]

Saloon not Sedan.

[@xsduprwd3937]

baylessnow nah saloon is just a British word, I'm from NZ. If you want to be picky try salongsvagn. In the correct language.

[@sadvi4]

Я тоже езжу на Вольво 850 сделайте мне тоже токай же из моей))))

[@puntocell4095]

Pepa

[@hondamanvtec2894]

Its one of the coolest Btcc cars...just not the street version

[@irvsstella]

This is a serious question, no doubt ill be ridiculed, I know about scrutiny, but why does the Volvo have a roll cage??? Trucks come off worse if they hit a Volvo, unless its a Volvo truck, then the Earth spins backwards.

[@stefanjansson3625]

M’

[@callumfreebairn8082]

what britain does best

[@nerothostv]

Put the R wing on it. Looks ugly af without them

[@mrford70]

NO. Like The. Mondeo better wery. Cool. In btcc

[@dodzy31]

Is water wet? what a silly question, of course it is!

[@thor_4017]

Except volvo 850 didn't win anything. The only estate to win in btcc is Subaru levorg.

[@user-nm4gt9zx7k]

Awful color grading. Not cool at all.

[@ee3140]

Yes

[@tommy.eklund]

Yes.

[@Hoff-km1vp]

Yes