q-ship #07 - 1985-92 Volvo 745 Turbo

By John LeBlanc

Unless you've been hiding under a pile of Ford stock certificates lately, you're painfully aware that performance station wagons are back in vogue--no matter that the marketing wanks refuse to call them as such (Chrysler Pacifica, come on down!).

Volvo has had a long history of adding dollops of performance to their non-descript wagons, originating with the turbo-charged 245s all the way to the promising 300 hp V70 T5 R coming next year. Enthusiasts know that these swift Swedish bricks literally fly below the radar.

The stealth effect--and obvious utility--from the 745 Turbo's boxy rear more than makes up for the lack of chassis sophistication compared to contemporaries such as BMW's 525I Touring and the Volvo's fellow blown compatriot, Saab's 9000 Turbo. We consider the 745 Turbo to be the high point of rear-drive Volvos before the company caved into the front-wheel drive fad (Trust us, it's a fad - Ed.). Counter to most car designers' wet dreams, the black turtlenecks at Volvo actually get off doing wagons--the sedans seem to be a chore.

Compared to today's technology-laden vehicles, this Q-ship wagon's curb weight of 3194 lbs. is relatively light. Check out the 745 Turbo's 0 to 60 mph time below and you'll discover that the turbo-charged, DOHC 16-valve 2.3 liter engine can't move you off the line like previous featured straight-six.com Q-ships, but the standard 12 psi of turbo boost enables quick overtaking on the highway. The long wheelbase, traction-control-free, rear-wheel drive chassis allows plenty of fun for the knowledgeable--and snap-oversteer for the rookies. You can swap ends in a heartbeat with your foot firmly planted, so take it slow until you get the feel for it. Or not.

Standard issue 745 Turbos certainly fit the Q-ship moniker, but some enthusiasts' appreciation knows no bounds. Well-to-do enthusiasts such as David Letterman and Paul Newman have recognized the big Swede's stealthy qualities and have pushed the envelope a little further by upgrading to Ford HO 5.0 V8s in their engine bays. Doesn't that sound like fun?

We're going on record making our own claim that the 745 Turbo is our choice as our own Q-ship "segment buster." What a concept.

Engine
configuration inline 4
power 162 hp
torque 195 lb.-ft
displacement 2316 cc

Gear box
5 speed manual

Performance
0 - 100 km/h 8.4 sec
1/4 mile 16.6 sec
top speed 121 km/h (limited)

Current price: $5,892 U.S. (1992 model)
Q rivals: Saab 9000 Turbo, BMW 525I Touring
Anti-Q rivals: BMW M1, M-B 450 SLC
Q rating: 3/6