Who doesn’t love a fast wagon?
Road & Track has a soft spot for fast wagons. There’s nothing better than seeing a car originally designed for convenience and utility turned into a hardcore track star capable of keeping up with some of the best modern performance vehicles. That’s why we love this video of a Volvo 850R chasing down a BMW M2 at the Nürburgring so much.
This footage comes to us from the driver of the 850R, who filmed their track day outing at the ‘Ring on Tuesday for us to enjoy. It shows the Nineties Volvo wagon getting hustled quick enough to keep up with a nearly-new M2 through an entire lap of the Nordschleife. The M2 has a slight edge over faster, more flowing parts of the track, but once things get technical, the Swedish brick has no trouble sticking to the back bumper of the sporty BMW.
This 850R is, of course, far from stock. It’s riding on KW V2 coilovers and uses stiffer anti-sway bars to minimize roll. There are upgraded brake pads and discs, as well as an LSD in the transaxle. Though the iconic five-spoke wheels are stock, they’re wrapped in Michelin racing slicks. The owner estimates the car weighs around 2850 pounds and currently produces 300 hp and 368 lb-ft of torque. Factor in some driving skill, and it’s not terribly surprising to see this thing keep up with an M2.
Keyword: Hop Onboard This Volvo 850R Wagon as it Chases Down an M2 at the Nürburgring