| All good things must come to an end, that is. And | | | | horsepower five-cylinder was more than enough |
| the same is true with the R badge of Volvo Cars. | | | | to keep it in the rearview mirrors of M3s and |
| The Swedish automaker has started its venture | | | | S4s. But the performance was not the end-all for |
| involving high-performance cars in 1995 with the | | | | the R, as Volvo took comfort in stride with |
| introduction of the 850 T-5R. But Volvo earlier | | | | wonderful seats and a bump-absorbing |
| said that it will be stopping the production of the | | | | “Comfort” setting on the adaptive |
| range. | | | | damping suspension system. These cars were |
| The Volvo 850, which comes as a compact | | | | some of the best to travel in for long distances. |
| luxury car, is available in both sedan and station | | | | For the “R” designation, the automaker |
| wagon body styles. The vehicle is notable as the | | | | said it is permanently over. The demise of |
| first front-wheel drive car from this Swedish | | | | performance models was attributed to the slow |
| manufacturer to be exported to North America. | | | | sales. This was the plight of Volvo's Rs. The |
| The vehicle was yellow, boxy, and above all, very, | | | | automaker was hoping to sell a combined total of |
| very fast. For the automaker, the T-5R model is | | | | 3,800 S60 and V70 Rs, but was only able to shift |
| a milestone vehicle. As a fact, Volvo yielded a | | | | 1,600 cars. What's more, the biggest market for |
| series of striking racing successes in connection | | | | the Swedish automaker failed to pick up on the |
| with the model. The car pushed the Swedish | | | | car. The target sales were not met and the sales |
| automaker to global auto stardom. The car | | | | numbers for other countries were also missed. |
| proves to the world that Sweden could make | | | | At present the automaker is looking beyond the |
| performance machines for both the road and | | | | present to 2008, there are many cars in the |
| track. | | | | Volvo range that could benefit from having the |
| After the 850 T-5R, the Swedish automaker | | | | “R” characteristics. Analysts say it is a |
| produced the 850 R. The latter was made even | | | | logical choice to create an R model for the S40 |
| more voluptuous and more powerful. After a | | | | and V50, not to mention the new C30. |
| short hiatus, the R range characteristics returned, | | | | But the automaker assures that it is not the end |
| gracing the S60 and V70. These vehicles became | | | | of the road for fast Volvos. According to |
| the ultimate performance car of Volvo. Today's | | | | Automotive News, Volvo's CEO Fredrik Arp said |
| Volvo S60 R and V70 R are equipped with highly | | | | that the brand would continue to work on new |
| advanced auto parts, equipment and accessories, | | | | performance models, but not to expect anything |
| sporting the Four-C adaptive chassis, upgraded | | | | soon. In the meantime, he points to the C30 T5, |
| Volvo brakes which are mated to an all-wheel | | | | S80 V8 and the forthcoming Volvo V70 T5 with |
| drive system built by Haldex. | | | | its 295-hp turbocharged version of the new |
| At 2.5-liters in displacement, the inline-five was | | | | straight-six engine as showing the direction for the |
| eclipsed by most of its competitors in size, but | | | | future of performance Volvos. |
| assisted by a high-pressure turbocharger its 300 | | | | |