The Volvo 855 T5-R made its debut 20 years ago as the first dedicated performance estate model from Volvo. Polestar celebrated the anniversary by bringing the 855 T5-R together with its current heir, the V60 Polestar, to Huntington Beach, California, USA.
The Volvo 855 T5-R was introduced in 1994 and featured a turbocharged 2.3-liter five-cylinder engine which developed 240 hp and 330 Nm of torque, combined with a further developed chassis. The result was one of the fastest estate cars of its time and an iconic performance car. It was mated to a 4-speed automatic transmission which enabled the 1,600 kg wagon to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 7 seconds before hitting a top speed of 245 km/h.
For comparison, the V60 Polestar has a turbocharged 3.0-liter 6-cylinder engine that produces 350 hp and 500 Nm of torque. It is linked to a six-speed automatic transmission and an all-wheel drive system, which enables the car to sprint from 0-100 km/h in 4.9 seconds and hit an electronically-limited top speed of 250 km/h.
