Autocar road test moan

[Flatout Phil]

I do like Autocar - a real old f@rts mag. And I do enjoy their section in the most important cars ever tested - which includes the 850 R. Although if I'm honest I think it should be the T5R, and that indeed is what they have a picture of. But what ihat irks me most is the indicated performance: 0-60 7.8 and top speed 144mph. I presume the test car was an auto, but it must have been a bit off the pace? About time this apparent wrong was rectified?

[volvokid]

Ive seen these slow time in lots of reviews about these cars including V70R's

[t5 stealth]

maybe they are right.........its just everyone thinks there tank is faster lol.

[Flatout Phil]

maybe they are right.........its just everyone thinks there tank is faster lol.

Well, mine is!

[t5 stealth]

Well, mine is!

lol mines quite good too

[MIKESC70T5]

The t-5r was actually slower than a standard t5 to 60mph lol.

[p fandango]

The t-5r was actually slower than a standard t5 to 60mph lol.

both the T-5 & T-5R used the M56H gearbox, & 15g turbo. The only difference was the T-5R had a 30 second overboost to give it the higher BHP. How come its slower?

i'm not at home at the minute so can't check the press releases to see Volvo figures

[cameron]

Parkers say that the T5 Auto is 7.6 to 60 mph and the T5R Auto is 7.4 to 60mph.

T5 Auto details

T5R Auto details

[p fandango]

just had a look thru the Volvo press releases & they say 0-62mph in

T-5 = 7.4
T-5R = 6.9
850R = 6.7

[Flatout Phil]

just had a look thru the Volvo press releases & they say 0-62mph in

T-5 = 7.4
T-5R = 6.9
850R = 6.7

The Autocar test driver was probably a fat b@stard like me, with a crate of ales in the back, his pipe collection and a drum of old navy shag, three rounds of game pie, a hunting rifle and a deer strapped to the roof.

Sounds more like what I want to hear...

[Tomcat]

The Autocar test driver was probably a fat b@stard like me, with a crate of ales in the back, his pipe collection and a drum of old navy shag, three rounds of game pie, a hunting rifle and a deer strapped to the roof.

Sounds more like what I want to hear...

Lmao!!!......Funny, very funny.

[p fandango]

Sounds more like what I want to hear...

what sort of thing you after, if you give us your email address (PM it) i'll snail mail a few the pdf press releases thru

[Flatout Phil]

Cheers Duane, What a little goldmine of info. I will leaf through those during coffee breaks tomorrow!
That is brilliant,
Phil.

[Flatout Phil]

Lmao!!!......Funny, very funny.

It was probably fitted with those wind deflector things on the windows too...and towing a caravan.

[p fandango]

Cheers Duane, What a little goldmine of info. I will leaf through those during coffee breaks tomorrow!
That is brilliant

no problem mate, i've got 2gig of space of that storage site so i might as well leave them their for good

[lance]

It could have been a hot day, crap fuel, an auto, and a fat git who didnt launch properley but the top speeds are about right for a standard car. Volvos claims were optomistic.
My first 850 T5 GLE would do 147 mph speedo on 97 ron so 141 seem about right, My p1 would nudge 150 speedo as stock on 98 ron and when tunned 160 mph was a true 156 mph so 145-146 for a manual P1 is pretty similar to an 850R in specs 10 bhp less but less weight maybe so its fair to say the 850s and S70 V70s T5s are around 140-145 mph TRUE top speed, the later ME7 cars maybe be slightly faster topend and C70s are more aerodynamic.
Also V70R AWD 265 bhp and a 19T 150 mph! sounds about right in context sure it would probably read 155 maybe 160 down hill with vpower and cold air!
At the end of the day mods are required if you want to go really fast, and in 1994-95 140 mph and 60 in under 8 seconds was bloody quick for a family car espeically one that had a tank safe like image issue.

[lance]

Going the opposite way my old man had company cars a 1982 VAUXHALL CAVALIER 1.6L 4 speed manual it had a book speed of 102 mph but would regularly do 115 and once did 118! , more amazing however was its replacement a Cavalier 1.6 LD estate book speed a shocking 88 mph however it would do a ton all day long and manage 112 mph going down hill!

Just for the record my speeds were not done in Mainland uk or on Uk roads, my Dads may have been but u cant do him now and he had 15 years worth of AIM medals and could drive that Mk2 cavalier faster in his prime down a twisty road than I could drive my S4!

[Flatout Phil]

It could have been a hot day, crap fuel, an auto, and a fat git who didnt launch properley but the top speeds are about right for a standard car. Volvos claims were optomistic.
My first 850 T5 GLE would do 147 mph speedo on 97 ron so 141 seem about right, My p1 would nudge 150 speedo as stock on 98 ron and when tunned 160 mph was a true 156 mph so 145-146 for a manual P1 is pretty similar to an 850R in specs 10 bhp less but less weight maybe so its fair to say the 850s and S70 V70s T5s are around 140-145 mph TRUE top speed, the later ME7 cars maybe be slightly faster topend and C70s are more aerodynamic.
Also V70R AWD 265 bhp and a 19T 150 mph! sounds about right in context sure it would probably read 155 maybe 160 down hill with vpower and cold air!
At the end of the day mods are required if you want to go really fast, and in 1994-95 140 mph and 60 in under 8 seconds was bloody quick for a family car espeically one that had a tank safe like image issue.

I now have a copy of the original Autocar test and it says...
"The 850R proved no quicker than the T5R or the more conventional T5, only partially as a result of the wet conditions of our test." it then states "In the wet conditions of our test, the 850R scrabbled to 60mph in a disappointing 7.8sec, although on a dry track it would have come closer to matching Volvo's claim of 6.7sec." it also says, "but between 50 and 100mph it feels supercar quick: witness a 60-80mph time of 5.5sec, which is within 0.3sec of a Honda NSX."
So not all bad news...
It also calls it:
The World's Most Improbable Performance Car Which I think is about right