{"id":588920,"date":"2026-04-07T22:24:32","date_gmt":"2026-04-07T22:24:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/588920\/"},"modified":"2026-04-07T22:24:32","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T22:24:32","slug":"a-tale-of-two-turbo-bricks-volvo-850-t-5r-245-glt-turbo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/588920\/","title":{"rendered":"A Tale of Two Turbo Bricks: Volvo 850 T-5R + 245\u00a0 GLT Turbo"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\tStay up to speed with stories written by drivers, for drivers.<\/p>\n

Get automotive news, DIY tips, market trends, in-depth car profiles, and more right in your email inbox.<\/p>\n

What is it about a fast wagon? The concept of a sporting family hauler has a unique appeal\u2014a study in contrasts, in dissonance. Like wearing a tuxedo T-shirt to the Met Gala, or putting black truffles on an otherwise plain cheeseburger. Consider this: Volvo built its reputation first on durability and later on safety. By the mid-1970s, when the Swedish brand really hit its international sales stride, Volvo\u2019s lineup was more frumpy than feisty. And that was part of the formula for success: solid, sober, safe. Sexy? Not so much.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Instances where Volvo actually embraced a bit of verve are rare, and as such, they\u2019ve become magnets for brand enthusiasts. We had the chance to briefly get behind the wheel of two such turbo bricks: the 1995 Volvo 850 T-5R and the 1982 245 GLT Turbo. Both are part of Volvo\u2019s U.S. heritage fleet but do not appear or drive like museum pieces; these cars look and feel like they get semi-regular use, which means they largely represent the kind of examples you\u2019d expect to find out in the wild.<\/p>\n

1982 Volvo 245 GLT Turbo<\/p>\n

\"\"Brandan Gillogly<\/a> <\/p>\n

Let\u2019s start with the elder statesman, the 1982 245 GLT Turbo, colloquially known as the 240 Turbo. We have a detailed 240 series Buyer\u2019s Guide<\/a> if you\u2019d like a complete deep dive going back to the initial 1974 launch, but we\u2019re going to pick up the story in 1980, when Volvo\u2019s rear-wheel-drive 240 series compact got a new, sporty trim: the Grand Luxe Touring. The so-called GLT replaced much of the 240\u2019s chrome trim\u2014on the doors, handles, and taillight sills, for instance\u2014with black. Aluminum-alloy 15-inch \u201cVirgo\u201d wheels were also standard.<\/p>\n

For 1981, a new turbocharged version of the fuel-injected B21 \u201cRedblock\u201d engine, known as the B21FT, arrived for 240-series sedans (244) and coupes (242). Known as the B21FT (F = fuel injection, T = turbo), this now-legendary 2.1-liter Redblock appeared in the 245 wagon for 1982, giving Volvo claim to one of the world\u2019s fastest longroofs at the time.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Brandan Gillogly<\/a> <\/p>\n

With the benefit of a Garrett AiResearch T3 turbo and its 6 psi of boost, the B21FT made about 130 horsepower and 155 lb-ft of torque. That was a hefty 25 hp or so more than the naturally aspirated B21F, putting this overhead-valve four-cylinder roughly on par with Lincoln\u2019s emissions-choked 302-cubic-inch V-8. (A later intercooled version of this engine cranked output as high as 162 hp and 181 lb-ft!) To handle the extra grunt, Volvo blessed the B21FT with forged connecting rods and redesigned pistons. That durability, combined with the low 7:5:1 compression, turned these engines into tempting platforms for tuning.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are probably a lot more turbocharged Redblock 240s now than Volvo ever built,\u201d argues editor-at-large Stefan Lombard, \u201cbecause it\u2019s a pretty straightforward DIY job with tons of thorough documentation. These engines are so overbuilt and so understressed, that with a few hundred bucks in materials, often sourced from junkyards, you and a couple friends can radically alter the performance of a 240 in a weekend.\u201d Indeed, you don\u2019t have to look hard to find build threads on enthusiast websites like Swedespeed or TurboBricks that boast 300 hp.<\/p>\n

Volvo USA\u2019s red-over-tan GLT Turbo offers no wacky aftermarket thrills. The engine and three-speed automatic with overdrive are authentic to 1982. Shifts are smooth and unobjectionable, but the optional four-speed manual would present a dose of extra driver engagement. Boost doesn\u2019t obviously \u201ckick in,\u201d but rather steadily climbs for smooth, even power delivery. The overhead-valve four-cylinder is neither charismatic nor particularly refined where NVH is concerned, but one is left with the sense that, like a cockroach, the hunk of steel will endure a nuclear detonation, if not the heat death of the universe. All to say, it\u2019s not a barn-burner, but the Turbo keeps up with modern traffic. You cannot say that of naturally aspirated 240s, the Galapagos Giant Tortoise of Pacific Northwest traffic.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Brandan Gillogly<\/a> <\/p>\n

\"\"Brandan Gillogly<\/a> <\/p>\n

\"\"Brandan Gillogly<\/a> <\/p>\n

Suspension is supple, neither stiff nor soft, but sudden side-to-side movements\u2014even with the GLT\u2019s thicker stabilizer bars\u2014expose the 240\u2019s middling athleticism. When it was new and reviewed by MotorWeek, John Davis noted the GLT Turbo\u2019s lack of rear-end grip under lateral load, saying, \u201cPerhaps this car wants to be much more of a sports car than it was ever designed for.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Otherwise, this specimen is typical 240 in its Nordic loveliness and livability. The seats are supportive and comfortable, particularly with the GLT\u2019s added bolstering. Thin pillars and lots of glass lend a feeling of airiness. When an entire college dorm room\u2019s worth of crap needs to be moved, the enormous cargo area is Valhalla.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Brandan Gillogly<\/a> <\/p>\n

The thin-rimmed steering wheel is pleasant to hold. Visibility through the windshield is outstanding, despite the hood\u2019s prodigious length. There is a Turbo boost gauge on the dashboard, but it functions much like daytime television: It\u2019s there, it\u2019s on, but you can safely ignore it without missing anything of substance. Despite the widespread use of plastic in this interior, which has weathered more than 100,000 miles, all of the switchgear and surfaces hold up well.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Brandan Gillogly<\/a> <\/p>\n

In period, this would have been a lovely car indeed to drive across several states. And at just under $14,000 when new ($47,000 today, or less than the average transaction price of a new car), it melded fantastic value with near-luxury accommodations. This, factored alongside the 240\u2019s reputation for toughness and safety, helps explain why Volvo sold more than 2.6 million of them globally over 19 years. So adored was the 240 that it was sold, for several years, alongside the 700 series that was supposed to supplant it.<\/p>\n

1995 Volvo 850 T-5R Wagon<\/p>\n

\"\"Brandan Gillogly<\/a> <\/p>\n

Now, the Cream Yellow young gun, the hallowed 850 T-5R. This model\u2019s story really begins in 1978, three years before the 240\u2019s GLT Turbo engine even arrived. Volvo \u201caim[ed] for the stars\u201d with a totally new vehicle concept dubbed Project Galaxy. The result was defined by four novel (for the brand) engineering elements: front-wheel drive featuring a transverse five-cylinder engine, a semi-independent and passive steering rear axle (known as the Delta-link), self-adjusting front seat belts, and a side-impact protection system (SIPS). By the time the 850 arrived in 1991, Project Galaxy was among the most\u2014if not the most\u2014expensive industrial engineering investments in Sweden\u2019s history. It entered the U.S. market for the 1993 model year.<\/p>\n

\"\"Brandan Gillogly<\/a> <\/p>\n

\"\"Brandan Gillogly<\/a> <\/p>\n

\"\"Brandan Gillogly<\/a> <\/p>\n

Given the long development gestation, there was a lot riding on the 850\u2019s success. Volvo\u2019s design team opted to minimize further risk by skinning the massive innovation package with a familiar look that didn\u2019t depart much from the outgoing 700 series. The strategy worked; Volvo\u2019s 850 was a hit right out of the gate, racking up enormous sales in the U.S. and Europe while collecting dozens of awards. Naturally, the company was keen to crow about this big win, and that pride took two forms: 1) Volvo entered the 850 wagon into the British Touring Car Championship in 1994, and 2) it developed a limited-run, high-performance variant known as the T-5R.<\/p>\n

\"\"Brandan Gillogly<\/a> <\/p>\n

When the 850 first arrived, it contained a 2.4-liter dual-overhead-cam workhorse making 168 hp. Officially known as the Volvo Modular Engine, this all-aluminum (block and head) inline five-cylinder came to be known as the Whiteblock, due to its light-colored appearance in contrast with its red-painted and cast-iron overhead-valve predecessor. The 850 Turbo turned up the brick wick to 222 hp from a 2.3-liter Whiteblock for 1994.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Volvo did not stop there. The limited-run T-5R sedan and wagon arrived for 1995, blowing away the international press with its 240-hp output from the same 2.3-liter turbo-five, beefed-up and lowered suspension, and sporty exterior design details. Porsche helped with tuning the so-called B5234T5 engine, which included an overboost feature to achieve the stated 18-hp bump; above 5100 rpm, the ECU permitted an extra 1.4 psi of boost (totaling 10.9 psi) to be available for 30 seconds. Amid clawing front wheels, the T-5R dispatched zero to 60 mph in 6.8 seconds, making it the quickest production wagon in America.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Brandan Gillogly<\/a> <\/p>\n

The hot-rod Swede drew comparisons in period car magazines with the 240-hp BMW M3 and 227-hp Audi S4. But even with its 0.86-inch lower stance, thicker antiroll bars, stiffer springs, and 205\/45 Pirelli P Zeroes on 17-inch alloy wheels, the T-5R was merely sporty in the most Volvo sense. Think university economics professor\u2026 who takes sabbaticals to pursue an avid cross-country skiing hobby. \u201cThe T-5R isn\u2019t a high-strung megacar that aims at the performance heavens,\u201d said Car and Driver<\/a> in 1995. \u201c[Volvo] focused on a few simple, notable tweaks to raise the performance bar of an already fine offering.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Brandan Gillogly<\/a> <\/p>\n

\"\"Brandan Gillogly<\/a> <\/p>\n

Even today, the T-5R has spunk. The five-cylinder loves to rev, and the resulting intake noise is textured and distinctive; with freer-flowing pipes, the exhaust sound might make a few members of our Volvo-loving editorial staff a bit weak at the knees. Unlike the GLT Turbo, there is a noticeable shove when boost hits, often accompanied by a slight tug of torque steer from the steering wheel\u2014221 lb-ft, if you\u2019re curious. Whereas the 240 keeps up with modern traffic, the 850 does so far more easily. The four-speed automatic\u2014standard on U.S. cars, which never got other markets\u2019 five-speed manual\u2014does a fine job of cog-swapping to keep the engine in its power band. A sport button can tell the automatic to hold gears longer between shifts.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Brandan Gillogly<\/a> <\/p>\n

There is a bit of initial push on turn-in, but the T-5R handles confidently, and the steering sends clear, satisfying feedback to your hands. The ride is even decent compared with today\u2019s ultra-stiff performance cars. With wood trim, leather seats, yellow-stitched floormats, and various bits of Alcantara to keep the driver company, the T-5R\u2019s interior is inviting as well as functional, if not as cavernous as the 245 GLT Turbo.<\/p>\n

\u201cA big part of the appeal of the 850 for me is just how good Volvo was across the board,\u201d says managing editor Eddy Eckart, who owned and modified an 850 Turbo for over a decade. \u201cIt\u2019s an incredibly comfortable long-haul car, could swallow a massive amount of cargo, and genuinely surprised me with how fun and balanced it was. And that sound\u2014the chortling demon of an uncorked Volvo five-cylinder, is one of the best around.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Brandan Gillogly<\/a> <\/p>\n

And whereas the 245 is almost brazenly unstyled, the T-5R is downright handsome. It gets a whole lot of attention. Some of that is due to the roof-mounted wing(!) and more aggressive front bumper lip, but the Cream Yellow launch color does a lot of heavy lifting. It was initially planned as the only T-5R hue for the global run of 2500 vehicles. Immense demand convinced Volvo to expand production, after which point black as well as olive green joined the palette.\u00a0<\/p>\n

So successful was the T-5R that Volvo essentially added it to the portfolio for 1996, naming it the 850 R and eventually introducing all-wheel drive when the 850 became the V70 in 1998. Yet despite that fact, the limited-run T-5R retains a cult-classic status that underscores its collectibility. Production totaled 6964 cars, with only 876 of those earmarked for the United States. The car we drove, from Volvo\u2019s collection, is one of 49 U.S. cars imported in Cream Yellow.<\/p>\n

Cost to Buy a Turbo Brick<\/p>\n

\"\"Brandan Gillogly<\/a> <\/p>\n

Not to ignore the 700-series turbo cars, but if it\u2019s between the two cars we drove, the 245 GLT<\/a> is more affordable. \u201cOur insured values of sedans and wagons reflect the same trend with 245 GLTs averaging around $16,300 and 850 T-5Rs averaging $19,000,\u201d observes Adam Wilcox, Hagerty Senior Information Analyst. \u201cHowever, the 850 T-5R has seen more growth in recent years, with insured values increasing 65% since 2021 vs. 30% for the 245 GLT.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the past five years, the median sale of a 245 GLT is 18% lower than an 850 T-5R. Top sales follow the same hierarchy: $24,407 for a 1983 245 GLT Turbo wagon in early 2023, and $27,300 for a five-speed 850 T-5R wagon in late 2021.<\/p>\n

\"\"Brandan Gillogly<\/a> <\/p>\n

\u201cBoth of these wagons are popular among young collectors, a strong indicator of future collectibility, says Wilcox. \u201cTwenty-five percent of 850 T-5Rs are owned by millennial and Gen Z collectors, and that figure is 23 percent for the 245 GLT Turbo. Compare that with Hagerty\u2019s entire book of insurance business, of which those younger demographics account for only 10 percent. Still, the largest owner share for both cars is from older generations: boomers at 39 percent for the 850 T-5R and Gen Xers at 40 percent for the 245 GLT Turbo.\u201d<\/p>\n

The best enthusiast cars tend to be the ones people actually use. Thus, these Volvo wagons are a boon: practical, distinctive in their styling, and enjoying plenty of parts and community support. Those itching for more of a classic \u201cold-car\u201d experience cannot go wrong with the infinitely charming 240, a defining car for the brand that anyone who lived through the 1980s remembers. The 850 is far more tractable in 2026 and handles more or less like a modern car, but it still evokes Volvo\u2019s sturdy squareness and \u201890s nostalgia. If you\u2019ve got bricks on the brain, you can\u2019t go wrong; these are (relatively) fast wagons that beg to be driven and enjoyed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Stay up to speed with stories written by drivers, for drivers. Get automotive news, DIY tips, market trends,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":588921,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[49,48,61,73286],"class_list":{"0":"post-588920","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-technology","8":"tag-ca","9":"tag-canada","10":"tag-technology","11":"tag-volvo"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/588920","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=588920"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/588920\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/588921"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=588920"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=588920"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=588920"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}