2004 Volvo V70R Wagon Is Our Bring a Trailer Auction Pick

Fitted with a 300-hp turbocharged five-cylinder engine, this is one quick Volvo wagon.A six-speed manual, all-wheel drive, and a stiffened suspension with adaptive dampers highlight the mechanical package.Rare when new and more so now, this Volvo makes an unassuming classic.

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Sweden is the country that brought the world both sensible flat-pack furniture and also terrifying Viking raiding parties. Today’s pick from Bring A Trailer—which, like Car and Driver, is part of the Hearst Autos—embodies the spirit of both. It is that tastiest of Swedish delicacies, a practical Volvo wagon with a snootful of turbocharged Ragnarok under the hood.

Volvo started turbocharging its wagons back in the 1980s with the boxy 240. By the time this V70R rolled onto the scene, the Swedes had subtle performance down to a fine art. From the outside, this 2004 example looks reserved and handsome, devoid of the big grilles or cannon-sized tailpipes that you might find in a German performance machine.

The 17-inch five-spoke wheels and some “R” badging are the wink and nod to the cognoscenti. Otherwise, it’s your typical labradoodle transportation device.

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Better get that dog a racing helmet. From the factory, the V70R’s 2.5-liter inline-five was good for 300 horsepower, 295 pound-feet of torque, and a rippling snarl usually only found in Audi rallying machines. The power was fed to the ground through all four wheels, making the V70R both hugely grippy in the corners and unfazed by any inclement weather. Even better, shifting duties are handled by a six-speed manual—and check out that spaceball shifter.

These days, Volvo has shifted to a kinder, greener image, with plenty of EVs in the mix. This generation of V70R hails from a time when a Volvo station wagon competing in British Touring Car racing was a fairly recent memory. It’s as quick as a BMW M or Mercedes AMG product, but without shouting about the performance.

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With 139,000 miles on the odometer, this speedy Swede should still have plenty of life left. Upgrades to the brakes and a cat-back exhaust have been sourced from Volvo performance specialist IPD. There are a few cosmetic issues to be sorted out, including some repairs to the leather seats, although we dig the snappy blue interior.

Then settle in, marshal your 300 horses with that six-speed manual ‘box, and ride for Valhalla (along with your dog Spot). This no-reserve auction ends June 8.

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Contributing Editor

Brendan McAleer is a freelance writer and photographer based in North Vancouver, B.C., Canada. He grew up splitting his knuckles on British automobiles, came of age in the golden era of Japanese sport-compact performance, and began writing about cars and people in 2008. His particular interest is the intersection between humanity and machinery, whether it is the racing career of Walter Cronkite or Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki’s half-century obsession with the Citroën 2CV. He has taught both of his young daughters how to shift a manual transmission and is grateful for the excuse they provide to be perpetually buying Hot Wheels.