Swedish heavy metal

It’s been a hot minute - my apologies. Between a raft of college work, commuting and a Boys from the Blackstuff box set, it’s a wonder I’ve managed to get out spotting at all. I’m glad I did, though, as a small sidestreet by Croke Park had this battle-scarred 850 waiting for me.

Sure, the pre-facelift’s arguably better looking, but this one’s still quite the peach, even if it’s been sitting still for over seven years. Stickers in the rear window advertise the long-dead BK Motors and Volvo’s then-new SIPS system (albeit barely), while moss sprouts from every crevice it can. The aerial’s also been snapped off along the way, with only a brave half-inch still hanging on.

Being a bottom-of-the-range 2.0-litre, it wasn’t much of a head turner compared to the curvier Continental offerings from Renault and Audi. That said, it was pretty handy in Super Touring guise; Tom Walkinshaw scored plenty of silverware with his pair of 850s, and no driver could butcher a front row start quite like Rickard Rydell, the Swede converting just four of his 12 pole positions in 1995. 

Rickard Rydell readies himself for lights out, 1995

I’ve always fancied an 850, and I’d gladly put up with any heartbreak if it meant I could snap one up on the cheap. Sadly, not even the murky depths of Marketplace can find one anywhere near me - although residents of Cherbourg can have this cherished estate model for just €250. Race you.