Are volvos getting quicker ...

Are volvos getting quicker ... or just volvo drivers ..


I've had 3 "incidents" with volvos over the last week or so where it's taken a significant amount of effort to dispatch them ... anyone else noticed the speed these beasts go out these days?

Not many Volvos here where I live. Unless the drivers' demographics have changed, it seems hard to believe the boy racing community has taken over the marque

I think it's probably more the "mondeo rep" has changed marques ...

They might have changed marque but not taste

They changed loads on there engines about 13 years ago with the introduction of the T5 system, I have a feeling they've slipped the power into some of the new models they are knocking out.

Some of the volvos are pretty damn quick. Mate had a S70 2.5 light boost turbo that pulled like a train. Completely disconnected form the road though.

They changed their image a lot in the 90's when they entered the BTCC with those estates. They now always do a mental version of all of their cars, and they can be seriously quick.
S60R has 300bhp (or at least is supposed to)

Drivers have changed to !!! Had a V70 2.5T, it was no slouch.

i had a beautiful old '96 t5...absolute train of a car but a bit of a truck in the bends.....beautifully made tho and with a fantastic soundtrack..remember, its an eveolution of these engines that powers the much lauded focus st these days...

I really like Volvos, and the 850 was the turning point. The fact it had that thrumming and warbling 5-cylinder engine over that awful 4cyl wheeze-box Volvo used to use made it interesting. And it had cool stuff like SIPS. Then they introduced the handsome estate version, with those (then) keeeer-aaazy rear tail lights. Then came the lunatic T5, and - how bonkers was this? - our mad Swedish friends entered an estate into the BTCC.

Volvo has a sense of humour. It's not buried too deep below the cars' fabulous seats, wonderful sound systems, unbeaten safety, lovely 5-cyl engine and Swedish logic and practicality.

I can't pretend to understand their naming policy, but I love the estate they make for the Police (that's a handsome car), and the mid range saloon (not the small one or the big one); the one that has that curving rear roof line. And I'm a huge fan of the C30.

I know it's easy to bash the Germans, but their cars just pass as some sort of grey blur; but Volvo is worth a look....and as we're learning, a bit of a laugh, too. When was the last time and Audi made you smirk because of its wit of sense of fun?

g

You say everything I think G, but better than I could.

Plus my affection is gilded by owning a 440 as a youth, and my parents having Volvo estates when I was a nipper.

C70's volvo Coupe's around £3500 and 0-60 6.5 /6.9 secs.

I think they have just got a lot lighter. I remember my dads 240 estate. I was only about 13-14 years old and had trouble opening and closing the doors on it. The thing was like a tank. Nice interior, but my god it was crap.

cheers Bazza! :-)

Here's a Volvo saloon: but it's got a curiously and surprisingly warbley engine
Here's a Volvo saloon; it's got SIPs. Fun name, but Volvo's given serious attention to something that might very well kill you
Here's the estate. Crikey, that looks good! And check out the alloys. Volvo names them 'Blades'. A Volvo with 'Blades'; whatever next?
The T5, that's what came next. Oh, and then taking an estate car out of the B&Q carpark and shoving it into the BTCC line up.

If I had to pick between a 3-er, A4, or C-Klasse, my heart would sink. Stick an equivalent Ovlov in the mix, and suddenly life gets better. :-)

I don't think Volvo cares that it can't/doesn't lap the irrelevant Nurburgring as quickly as a BMW. Because when you're grid locked in a town, all that matters is comfort, harmony, peace and...a thumping great stereo. Our Swedish friends have the right approach :-)

g

s'cuse - double post.

g

Those blade alloys were bloomin fantastic. To think their marketing bods almost vetoed them

850T5R estate, in banana yellow, with blade alloys, was one of my dream cars at the time.
I remember a review in one of the car magazines of the time, touching on the insane levels of power compared to grip - double page spread of the T5 with clouds of tyre smoke billowing out of the wheel arches.

practical performance car mag recently done an a piece on making old volvo's go like stink for not much money

Originally Posted by bazza

Those blade alloys were bloomin fantastic. To think their marketing bods almost vetoed them

850T5R estate, in banana yellow, with blade alloys, was one of my dream cars at the time.
I remember a review in one of the car magazines of the time, touching on the insane levels of power compared to grip - double page spread of the T5 with clouds of tyre smoke billowing out of the wheel arches.

Ok, so now it is December 1995. I'm at a staggered junction. Opposite me is a black T5. Pulling out is precarious and dodgy. He was there first, so I let him go. But nothing...then wisps of smoke from his tyres.

Still no movement.

Wisps turn into plumes - and I mean plumes - of smoke. The T5 shudders, wobbles, and both disappears into and then emerges from it's own circle of smoke. I catch the driver, and he - like me - is laughing his head off.

T5 - way too cool for (the) school (run)

g