Ebay - 940 Sport Estate 1996 Red

[amaz'in]

I run a sports+ as my daily driver, there are more differences than many people realise, ok it's not major things and obviuosly Volvo were just raiding parts from their accessory brochure but I believe the list looks like this (i'm cheating as i have the Special sports edition Brochure here;

Rear roof spoiler
Black sports Grille
Colour coordintated bumpers and mirrors
Galaxy 16" alloys with 205/55 tyres
Roof rails

Anti theft alarm & immobiliser
Luggage Guard & Load cover

Locking differential
Lowered suspension with uprated shock absorbers
Glass sunroof
Load compensating rear suspension

960 type Ruched leather upholstery and leather covered wheel

Air con as standard
Boost kit giving 23 bhp boost on wide open throttle.

Special paint five colour options available (mine is Silver Sand).

Not sure if I have thrown up any new info here as such but it may be of interest to someone.

James

[emmdee]

Just a note of cynicism, albeit a good natured one...

What's so darn sporty about a black grille, colour co-ordinated bumpers and mirrors, roof rails, a luggage guard and load cover, a glass sunroof, leather upholstery, and "special paint" on a car? Surely it's the improved mechanical stuff that makes it a Sports Edition?

Sounds like salesmen spouting b******s, to me. "Glass sunroof", indeed!
m.d.

[gpl1968]

Originally Posted by amaz'in

I run a sports+ as my daily driver, there are more differences than many people realise, ok it's not major things and obviuosly Volvo were just raiding parts from their accessory brochure but I believe the list looks like this (i'm cheating as i have the Special sports edition Brochure here;

Rear roof spoiler
Black sports Grille
Colour coordintated bumpers and mirrors
Galaxy 16" alloys with 205/55 tyres
Roof rails

Anti theft alarm & immobiliser
Luggage Guard & Load cover

Locking differential
Lowered suspension with uprated shock absorbers
Glass sunroof
Load compensating rear suspension

960 type Ruched leather upholstery and leather covered wheel

Air con as standard
Boost kit giving 23 bhp boost on wide open throttle.

Special paint five colour options available (mine is Silver Sand).

Not sure if I have thrown up any new info here as such but it may be of interest to someone.

James

It's a shame they didn't fit cruise control, electronic climate control and electrically adjustable driver's seat that the CD model has

[gpl1968]

Originally Posted by emmdee

Just a note of cynicism, albeit a good natured one...

What's so darn sporty about a black grille, colour co-ordinated bumpers and mirrors, roof rails, a luggage guard and load cover, a glass sunroof, leather upholstery, and "special paint" on a car? Surely it's the improved mechanical stuff that makes it a Sports Edition?

Sounds like salesmen spouting b******s, to me. "Glass sunroof", indeed!
m.d.

The eggcrate grille is considerably lighter than the standard metal one and I suppose it would increase airflow to the intercooler.

[emmdee]

Okay, I'll take that one point, but why describe the colour of said grille in the options brochure? If Volvo wanted to make a sporty 940, why did they improve engine output, suspension, etc to make it go faster and handle better and then fill it with toys, aircon, bits, bobs, and other assorted heavy gadgetry?

Sports Edition, my codlings.... If anybody wants to drive a 13 year old 940 estate and pretend it's a sports car, I wish them the best of luck.
m.d.

[940SportsEdition]

emmdee
I think you really need to have ago in a sporsts edition, before you start making claims about it. Those that have them will like me know just what a difference they make, and owners of other more expensive and more sportyer looking cars will know just how much of a shock it is to be out run by a 13 yr old volvo estate. I assume you will no doubt think the same of the 850R which too was an 850 with toys and specisl colours, listed in the brochure but as everyone knows, they too are awsome cars.

[amaz'in]

Hi emmdee,

That's just what they called it...sorry my friend, don't shoot the messenger LOL I love mine, not for a sportscar characteristics of course, but a Limited slip diff and boost kit, sports suspension and big alloys really do make it a Brisk (ish) decent handling estate.

They are still one of the biggest estates out there, I have had most, Audi A6's etc, and to have a few nice toys to boot is most welcomed.

Yes of course Volvo just threw on parts form the extra's catalogue, probably had a big surplus of the bits, but isn't that what all manufacturers do?

My car is 12 years old or more, and back then if you wanted a decent big estate, there were few options, may be a little diiferent today.

She still looks good though, and is very practical too.

James

[emmdee]

Maybe there's just something about the idea of making a "sporty" 940 estate that somehow offends some deep-seated principle in my head...

All I'm questioning is the addition of lots of weighty stuff to a so called "sports edition". Usually manufacturers like to remove weight from sporty cars, don't they? I'm not saying it would be a crap car, just that a genuine sporty car wouldn't have a lot of the toys that the 940 Sport Edition appears to have.

Like I said, it sounds like Volvo suits trying to flog cars through the tried and trusted approach of appealing to middle aged men with the concept of MORE POWER!! An MX5 is a sports car, but not much use for a camping holiday in the Brecon Beacons. Mr Volvo-Suit's brainwave was to try and make the 940 seem less like a chugging wardrobe on wheels and more like the MX5, except that the traditional Volvo buying bloke happened to rather like the comfortable accoutrements that traditionally make Volvos really good cars and so these had to be kept. Unfortunately this meant a better equipped car mechanically, the benefits of which were somewhat reduced by the presence of the aforementioned toys.

I'm obviously a different "target market" as I value my Volvo for size and comfort, and really really wish I could get a good diesel 940 (plenty of space AND good MPG). Then again, I've never been drawn to fast cars.
m.d.

[1stRaven]

I think you need to see the 'sports' as a limited edition 940 much like the wentworth and other examples.

These limited editions just came with a collection of factory options as standard the same as any other version could if you spec'd it up. From my faint memory - I think the paint colours may of been special but not such on that.

The sports edition would of been better handling than a standard one due to the firmer lowering springs and with the turbo plus fitted, would of been a little quicker due to the 23bhp (as per the figure quoted in a previous post).

As for the grill - that would have no effect on the intercooler cooling since they stuck an air con condenser in front of it. It would of been more of a looks thing like the egg crate on a 740 turbo.

As sonyericsson has pointed out with the example of the 850R - It isn't that different to the 850 T5 apart from an extra 10bhp but has a collection of factory options to give it a different look. The only time it starts to get quite different is the v70R with the special suspension and 4wd systems.

[Blue 8]

Originally Posted by emmdee

Maybe there's just something about the idea of making a "sporty" 940 estate that somehow offends some deep-seated principle in my head...

All I'm questioning is the addition of lots of weighty stuff to a so called "sports edition". Usually manufacturers like to remove weight from sporty cars, don't they? I'm not saying it would be a crap car, just that a genuine sporty car wouldn't have a lot of the toys that the 940 Sport Edition appears to have.

Like I said, it sounds like Volvo suits trying to flog cars through the tried and trusted approach of appealing to middle aged men with the concept of MORE POWER!! An MX5 is a sports car, but not much use for a camping holiday in the Brecon Beacons. Mr Volvo-Suit's brainwave was to try and make the 940 seem less like a chugging wardrobe on wheels and more like the MX5, except that the traditional Volvo buying bloke happened to rather like the comfortable accoutrements that traditionally make Volvos really good cars and so these had to be kept. Unfortunately this meant a better equipped car mechanically, the benefits of which were somewhat reduced by the presence of the aforementioned toys.

I'm obviously a different "target market" as I value my Volvo for size and comfort, and really really wish I could get a good diesel 940 (plenty of space AND good MPG). Then again, I've never been drawn to fast cars.
m.d.

Sports edition fella, not performance edition i think your getting some what confused