Volvo V70 R | Spotted
The 850's classic status has long been assured - now it's time for the V70
There’s an easy way to tell which cars are becoming collectible in the UK, and that’s by tracking Japanese imports. Not those from the Japanese manufacturers, of course (there’s always been plenty of those) rather the European cars sold new in Japan and now over here. It usually points to demand from UK-based enthusiasts outstripping supply, meaning the additional cost of bringing a good, salt-free, right-hand drive car is worth it for the increase in value. From Megane 225 to Passat R36, you’d be surprised what turns up - and what can be bought 15 years old without any rust…
There have been plenty of fast Volvos imported from Japan over recent years as a sentimental fondness for the old 850s and V70s has taken hold. Moreover, because they were such great workhorses back in the day, precious few UK cars remained in collectable condition by the time they were becoming valuable, and so more pampered Japanese cars arrived. Even with the BTCC link, it seems unlikely many saw the T5 and its siblings becoming as desirable as they now are. Or owners probably wouldn’t have got rid of Shed money.
This V70 R would be a brilliant example of a Japanese import Volvo. It’s incredibly low mileage for a 2005 car, at 36,000, and as one of the later cars, it also benefits from the chassis changes introduced with the facelift. (Story goes that late Ford chassis guru Richard Parry Jones was going to run a V70 R for six months in the PAG days, only to be so disappointed by it he returned the car and helped Volvo overhaul it for the 2005 update.) It has the manual gearbox instead of the sluggish Geartronic, the Magic Blue paint looks good, the interior is fit for years more mile munching, and the advert is superb - two owners have lavished love on the old Volvo.
So it would be a brilliant import - but the V70 R is even better than that, as it’s an original, UK market car. This means the reams of history - three folders full of receipts, apparently - will be somewhat easier to read, and the provenance simpler to establish. If the choice is there, a good UK car is always going to be preferable to a good Japanese one.
This V70 has seemingly never wanted for anything in its 18-year life, and still doesn’t now. The first 11 services were carried out at the supplying dealer, and the original owner interviewed the second to ensure they were a suitable custodian for their beloved V70. (They were coming from another R, and this was going to be their 13th Volvo, so they passed the test.) The Michelin tyres on the unmarked alloys all have loads of tread, the history includes every MOT certificate as well as tax disc, and a couple of sympathetic upgrades - intercooler and intake pipe - should further enhance the charm of the five-cylinder turbo. There surely can’t be any better examples out there, imported or not. Only the best make it to the cover of Volvo Driver magazine, after all.
A new owner will pay for the privilege, of course. Part of the reason the R was so rare new was its expense; at launch in 2003, it was £38,000 before options. In today’s money, that’s £63,000. So, the advert’s claim of more than £65,000 probably isn’t an exaggeration. Nowadays it’s even rarer, with cars inevitably having fallen by the wayside in 20 years. So although it’s possible to buy a nice, imported car for around £12k, this UK R is more than £20k - £21,990, to be precise. But if ever there was a case where ‘find another’ is appropriate, this must be it. Seldom are Volvos this low mileage and this cherished, and we all know this era has many fans still out there. Only needs one of them to buy this, and with no interview required…
SPECIFICATION | VOLVO V70 R
Engine: 2,521cc, five-cyl turbo
Transmission: 6-speed manual, four-wheel drive
Power (hp): 300@5,500rpm
Torque (lb ft): 295@1,950-5,250rpm
MPG: 25.9
CO2: 256g/km
Recorded mileage: 36,081
Year registered: 2005
Price new: £37,665 (before options)
Yours for: £21,990
It followed on from several T5 estates that I had bought and sold and I expected it to be pretty much the same, but was pleasantly surprised.
It had done 200k but the original owner that I bought it from was a salesman, ploughing up and down the M1 mainly, and the history that came with the car was truly phenomenal.
Quite literally anything that could possibly go wrong had been addressed before it did go wrong, a true 'no expense spared' ownership.
It was the auto, which wasn't particularly suited to it imho but I advertised it for sale a few months later and had people ringing non-stop, eventually selling to for £2900 to the first guy who came to see it.
Always slightly disappointed with the amount of legroom for the driver, but perhaps that just me...
As someone who has bought and sold countless cars over the past 30 years, including starting my working career in the motor trade, it takes a lot in terms of pure uncastrated male bovine excrement to surprise me in a car listing these days. I really did believe I'd seen and heard it all, but no. I consider myself humbled.
Nice car, though.
This Volvo is 17 years old and hasn’t been used that much, so many the perishable parts will need replacing regardless of the low mileage. Surely the fact that it hasn’t been run with to such an extent, whoever does will find more and more things need doing.
This doesn’t matter if you are just going to keep as some kind of show car for a collection, but it’s a Volvo V70.
Really don’t get this at all
18 year old Volvo estate for 22k does seem rather ludicrous as most Volvos of that vintage are SOTW material, but someone obviously bought it, wonder what they paid for it ?
I am not sure I could pass up an M3, M5, 997, Jag X something Rs, various AMG Mercs, numerous RS Audis etc etc for a 300 bhp Volvo estate that was never that well received at the time from what I remember if spending 22 grand.
t what the next owner does with it as long as they pay what I want for it!18 year old Volvo estate for 22k does seem rather ludicrous as most Volvos of that vintage are SOTW material, but someone obviously bought it, wonder what they paid for it ?
I am not sure I could pass up an M3, M5, 997, Jag X something Rs, various AMG Mercs, numerous RS Audis etc etc for a 300 bhp Volvo estate that was never that well received at the time from what I remember if spending 22 grand.
Being cherished doesn’t mean being good. You’d be absolutely pathological to buy this over literally any of the accepted alternatives at the price.
Volvo's make lovely family barges for putting dogs and camping gear in but their "sportier" efforts are s
te. At least this one doesn't have the pitiful old 5 speed cuckbox, or the slightly less pitiful 6 speed cuckbox they got in the last year.Being cherished doesn’t mean being good. You’d be absolutely pathological to buy this over literally any of the accepted alternatives at the price.
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