Twenty years ago, Volvo unleashed one of the cleanest and meanest wagons ever seen. Following on the heels of the Audi/Porsche RS2 Avant, Volvo's 850 T-5R wagon taught an entire generation what the word "sleeper" really meant. The boxy 5-door packed a 240-horsepower turbocharged 5-cylinder that sent all its power to the front two wheels. While a bit hairy around the corners and not surprisingly prone to understeer, these turbo-bricks were nevertheless meant business. In a straight line or on a twisty road through hill country, the T5-R excelled at keeping the entire family alert and awake, if not astonished.
Two decades later, the Swedish Chinese automaker continues to refine this winning formula. The 2015 Volvo V60 Polestar lays down 350 horsepower to all four wheels via a six-speed automatic. 0-60 comes in just 4.9 seconds. While designers have sculpted the V60's contours, it retains the soul and grunt of its T5-R predecessor. Best of all, its on sale today in the U.S. Now Volvo just needs to throw in a proper 6-speed manual and they'll offer some real competition for Audi's S4 Avant (B8) and BMW's 335iT (F31) sport wagon.
November 10th, 2014 (Source: Volvo)
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