With apologies to the excellent Volvo enthusiast website SwedeSpeed.com, I titled this post to reflect the eye catching 2004 Volvo V70R on Cars & Bids.
Such a funky, gorgeous color that you wouldn't expect from the sensible Swedes.
I say the V70R should be on every enthusiast's list, particularly if you have a couple of kids and/or dogs to haul around. At their core they're family Volvo station wagons that are boosted by a 300hp turbocharged inline five cylinder engine and coupled with a trick adjustable suspension that Volvo dubbed 4C.
Just under 1,600 were sold in the USA for the 2004 model year, with the breakdown being 1,024 automatics and 541 manuals. Thanks for SwedeSpeed for the info on this. More information here.
Thus, seeing one of these pop up for sale is always a treat, as clearly not many were made. And this one appears to be just a bit extra special.
Flash Green exterior with the orange Atacama interior pair so well together, IMO. So unusual and yet somehow just....perfect.
Right off the bat, just LOOK at that color combination! Does it get any better than Flash Green over Atacama?
I certainly say no. This is THE color combination to have. Flash Green is an usual seafoam green that you would almost expect to be a Porsche Paint To Sample color, not something to be on a Swedish family wagon.
Then there's the Atacama leather interior, named after the famous South American desert. In person, it presents as more of an orange, and actually works really well with a number of exterior colors.
I spy, with my little eye, a manual shifter!
And this particular V70R has the best option there is....a manual transmission! Yes, what we have is a rare thing, a fast wagon that you can row your own gears in. It even has the best nickname ever: "Spaceball".
Interestingly, one other option (or maybe lack there of) is noted: no sunroof. Holy cow, this wagon is a slicktop!
I've seen a fair amount of V70Rs, but this is the first I can recall without a sunroof!
A Flash Green over Atacama manual V70R is already rare, but one without a sunroof has got to be unicorn status.
Looking at a Volvo sales brochure from the period, it's noted that the sunroof was part of the optional Premium Package, which also includes heated front seats. It appears those are also absent from this particular R, so we have a fairly low optioned car.
Now in the Porsche world, a car with a manual transmission and lack of comfort and luxury options is often labeled as "Enthusiast (or Driver's) Spec". Is this what we have here? It's sure shaping up to be.
Looking nice and tidy underneath. Aftermarket exhaust and sway bars clearly visible.
Diving even further into the listing, we find that the car's original suspension has been replaced with coilovers, with numerous other bits like bushing and sway bars added in, further enhancing the handling on this R.
It also has an aftermarket air intake and exhaust, providing the engine with a bit more breathing ability.
So to recap, what we have here is an already rare wagon, with a manual transmission, engine and suspension modifications, a lack of weight gaining options, in arguably the best color combination. Yes, I dub this "Enthusiast Spec Wagon" and say it deserves all the attention.
At time of writing this V70R is sitting at $20,250 with two days to go. I predict this will approach $30,000.
What about you? Would you own this or is there another wagon that has your attention?
