No-reserve, manual Volvo 850 R | PH Auction Block

It’s happened to all of us. You know the kind of car that you’re looking for in the classifieds or auction listings, perhaps even just casually browsing, and you know what the dream specification is. It isn’t anything outrageous; you know that paint option is probably never going to come up, and those seats are impossible to come by. But there are a few boxes that ought to be ticked to make a good car into a great one. 

And does it happen? Does it heck. The car in question will have an auto when it really should have a manual (or vice versa!), it’ll be a weird colour, the history will be iffy or the price daft. So many are so close; precious few ever qualify as ideal candidates. But just listed on PH Auctions is something that really should appeal across the board: a Volvo 850 R. 

How can it, you’re thinking – it’s the saloon rather than the estate. Well yes, that’s true, but if you want to talk about touring car history it’s worth pointing out that the 850 wagon was, to be frank, a sub-par race car – and the saloon was much, much better. In 1994, Rickard Rydell was 13th in the BTCC with an 850 estate; with a four-door for the two following seasons, he was third in the championship. Here’s a proper tin-top tribute. It’s a manual car, too, which for the 250hp R meant a standard limited-slip diff from the factory; so many of those fast, five-cylinder Volvos are sullied with autos. Sure, the next owner might want a fresh gearknob (the original is looking a tad tired after however many millions of shifts); the important thing is having the manual. 

Need more good news? Great, there’s plenty to come. This 850 R has been with its current owner since 2000, with plenty of history for their time with the car. It had a new cambelt last year, which will be a big job out of mind for the next owner. There isn’t a single advisory on this year’s MOT ticket, and there isn’t a reserve. You read that right. This will sell for whatever the world is willing to pay for it, rather than some overly optimistic asking price (as so often happens with cool modern classics). 

Some may see the mileage (of 176,000) and the non-standard mechanical spec (the 850 is now around 300hp strong) as concerns, but come on. If ever there was a car to take miles and a bit more muscle, it’s a turbocharged ’90s Volvo. The power boost has come from nothing more intrusive than an ECU tickle, and the miles have been steadily accrued over the years. Indeed the R has only covered a couple of hundred miles between MOTs recently, so must be overdue some proper drives. Just look at the conditions of that driver’s seat – it’s more than fit for many, many more miles yet. 

See, told you – all the boxes ticked. Right colour, bodystyle, gearbox, history, everything. It feels like whoever submits the winning bid for this one is going to be a very happy PHer indeed. And the Volvo 850 R is 30 years old next year; best get planning an anniversary road trip…