8/14/2019 760 Turbo Road Test 1985

1/3

RoadTest

Volvo 760 Turbo

VOLVO has never traded on ahigh-performance image, relying

i nstead on its much-publicised

reputation for building safe andl ong-lasting cars. The controver-sially styled 700 series stayedwith this philosophy, but it had achassis of real ability - capableof accepting far more powerthan it was originally equippedwith.

Enter the 760 Turbo, poweredby a 2.3-litre turbochargedengine producing over 20 bhpm o r e t h a n t h e l a r g e r c a p a c i t y V 6that's fitted to the GLE, and over60 bhp more (55 per cent more)than the equivalent unblownversion fitted to the 740GL.

It is understandable that Audi,

Citroen and Saab - who do nothave the option of large capacitynormally aspirated engines -should rely on turbocharging toboost the power of their topmodels; forced induction is anexpedient (and cheap) way ofgetting more power from exist-

i ng engines. But Volvo has the2.8-litre "PRV" V6 engine, used

i n the 760 since the car's incep-tion. So why has Volvo chosen asmall capacity turbo "four" for itstop model?

Well, the four-cylinder enginei s of wholly Volvo manufacture,rather than being a shared "co-

operative" engine, and it makessense from the point of view ofrationalisation. At the moment,the V6 GLE is an automatic only,and the Turbo has a four-speedplus overdrive transmission, butan auto version of the Turbo is

i mminent and will be priced atover 1 7,000. Perhaps the V6engine will eventually disappear.

The 760 Turbo is not new, butthe engine has been completelyrevised for 1985, and is of Vol-vo's latest "low friction" design,with reduced bearing surfaceareas and lighter reciprocatingparts. Designated the B230ET( previously B23ET), it sharesonly the cylinder dimensions andmain operating features with itspredecessor.

I t has an iron block, aluminium

cylinder head and belt-drivensohc valve gear. Like Saab (withthe Turbo 16), Volvo uses an

i ntercooler to lower the chargetemperature, permitting a veryhigh compression ratio (9.0:1)for a turbocharged engine. Maxi-mum boost pressure is 0.7 bar(10 psi), compared with the 0.85bar that the Saab's APC systempermits, with a similar compres-sion ratio. A Bosch Motronicengine management systemgoverns all fuel injection and

i gnition requirements.As with many contemporaries,

i ncluding the Saab and CitronCX GTi Turbo, a Garrett T3 turbo-charger is used, together with aknock sensor for detonation

detection. The power output(177 bhp at 5700 rpm) com-pares favourably with the Saab900 APC (145 bhp) and Citron(168 bhp), but the Volvo's 1 87 l bft torque output is inferior to theCitron.

The engine is mated to a four-speed gearbox, with a Laycockoverdrive acting on fourth gear

- to give it effectively fivespeeds. This is in contrast to the"proper" five-speed gearbox fit-ted to the 740GL. Both carsshare the same final drive ratio,gearbox direct fourth gears and

i nternal ratios. But the 0.75:1

overdrive gives the Turbo slightlytaller gearing, at 25.2 mph/1 000 rpm.

The drive is taken to a live rearaxle, located with outboard trail-

i ng links, upper and lower armsattaching the differential casingto a rubber-mounted subframeproviding some fore and aftmovement, and a Panhard rodfor lateral location. Front sus-pension is by MacPherson struts,track control arms and tie rodsfor lower location, and an anti-roll bar. Coil springs are used allround, together with telescopicdampers - those at the rearbeing of the self-levelling type.

Steering is by power-assistedrack and pinion, and braking isservo assisted all-round discs -ventilated at the front.

At 14,850, the 760 Turbo isexactly the same price as the760 GLE auto, pitching it firmly

i n the performance executivesector occupied by cars like theRover Vitesse (15,465), BMW528i (14,035), Citron CX GTiTurbo (1 2,990) and Saab 900Turbo (13,490). But for its highcost, we would have included the

si milar power Audi 200 Turbo;the normally aspirated Audi

1 000D (12037) is a closermatch to the Volvo.

However one views the 760"sstyling, which was dictated verymuch by important US marketconsiderations, it is less efficientaerodynamically than today'sbest, boasting a Cd no better

than 0.39. But that doesn't seemto have affected UK sales, withover 4000 700-series Volvosbeing sold here last year, nearly800 of which were the Turbo.

Performance isn't everythingi n this class, but the addition of a"Turbo" badge, however dis-creet, tends to raise expecta-tions. Volvo claims a maximumspeed of over 125 mph, com-bined with a 0 to 60 mph accel-eration time of 8.5 sec-so the760 should perform in the sameleague as a RoverVitesse or Cit-ron CX GTi Turbo.

Subjectively it does go well,

especially by the standards of al arge-bodied executive car. Itpulls lustily from around 2000rpm, and with considerably moresmoothness than one mightexpect from only four cylinders- yet off-boost performance isacceptable too. Unfortunately,this surge of power trails off noti-ceably further up the rev range,confirming that the engine hasbeen tuned for mid-range torque,

rather than sheer power.These impressions were under-

l i ned at the test track, when theVolvo came well short of match-

i ng its maker's claims. It recordeda mean maximum speed of"only" 115.8 mph (in overdrivefourth gear), and a 0 to 60 mph

acceleration time of 9.3 sec. Themakers could find nothing wrongwith the car to explain its lack-l ustre performance, so the fig-ures must stand.

Thus, theTurbo is quicker thanthe 760GLE Auto (113.4 mph,and 10.3 sec), but its perfor-mance is inferior to the CitronCX GTi (129.6 mph and 7.6 sec),Rover Vitesse (132.1 mph and7.1 sec) and Saab 900 Turbo(120.8 mph and 8.9 sec), though

it does out-accelerate the Audi1 000D (123.4 mph and 9.9sec).

I n the lugging stakes, theVolvo does better-with a fourthgear 30 to 50 mph time (7.0 sec)

8/14/2019 760 Turbo Road Test 1985

2/3

MOTOR ROAD TESTS ANNUAL 1985

Is a turbocharged four-cylinder engine good enough for Volvo'sflagship, or is the Swedish car maker simply complying with the dictatesof fashion? The 760 Turbo is the fastest Volvo Motorhas tested,but it is not the performance equal of a RoverVitesse or BMW 528i

beaten only by the CX GTi Turbo( 5.1 sec); corresponding figures

for the BMW 528i and RoverVitesse are 8.6 sec and 7.6 secrespectively. But in absoluteterms, all these cars - with theexception of the Audi - pull

.strongly from low engine speeds,minimising the Volvo's advan-

tage.Overall, the Turbo is still the

fastest Volvo Motor has tested,though the figures are very dis-appointing in the light of theexcellent performance of thenon-Turbo 740GL; this carachieved a maximum speed of1 09.7 mph, a 0 to 60 mphacceleration time of 10.6 sec

and a 30 to 50 mph time of 8.7sec.Our testers were not overly

enthusiastic about the overdrivegearbox, the advantage of "elect-ric" selection being outweighedby jerky engagement - so for asmooth change into overdrivefourth, you still need to dip theclutch. Otherwise, the four-speed

change has a satisfyingly robust,

if rather clunky action. It is capa-ble of fast changes, but theengine's heavy flywheel effectencourages a more leisurelyapproach. The ratios themselves

are widely spaced, allowing max-

i ma of 29, 55 and 87 mph in thel ower gears.With an overall consumption

of 20.0 mpg, fuel economy is notone of the Volvo's better points- though with the exception ofthe Audi (27.9 mpg), none of theother rivals can do significantlybetter. The calculated touringconsumption of 26.8 mpg showsthat a small improvement is pos-sible with more restrained driv-

i ng, and this Volvo does have theadvantage of a very large (82-l i tre) fuel tank.

Do not be deceived by the760's appearance: it is consid-

erably more wieldy than it looksand not in the least bit stodgy.Tipping the scales at 1 338 kg, iti s no heavier than comparablysized rivals, and nor does it feel it.I t doesn't lurch or roll to excess, itturns in promptly and displayscommendable grip. The basictrait is mild understeer, thoughl i ne composure can be affectedby mid-corner bumps. Somediscretion is needed when pow-ering out of tight corners in thewet - but even when the tail letsgo, the Volvo still handles in aconsistent, predictable way. Thepower steering is responsive and

sensibly weighted and, as theadverts claim, the 760 has an

i mpressively tight turning circle.The disadvantage of having a

l i ve axle - albeit a very welll ocated one - is more apparent

with the 760 Turbo than it waswith the 740. It is inclined to

thump over transverse ridges,and imparts a feeling of restless-ness over uneven surfaces.

Damping is well controlled, andthe ride certainly improves atspeed but, ultimately it has toapologise for having a live axleamongst a class of predomi-nantly independently sprungrivals.

Sophistication certainly isn'tl acking in the 760"s brakingdepartment, the front ventilateddiscs being clamped by four-piston calipers (to allow a safer-

i n-the-event-of-failure "L" circuithydraulic split to be used). Our

testers found the firm brakepedal reassuring, but judged thebrakes slightly over-servoed.

For the money, the 760 Turboi s not an especially quiet car -but then the engine noise whichpredominates is not objection-able in character, and is certainlypreferable to the throbbiness ofthe V6. Upward gearshifts areaccompanied by a noticeablerumbling growl on the over-run- contrasting with the engine'sotherwise civilised behaviour.

With the 109 in wheelbase,the Volvo 760 could hardly notbe a roomy car, but it is no great

wonder of packaging, and lacksvital headroom (as a result of the

sun roof's intrusion) to suit tallerdrivers.

I n the back, the Volvo fareswell for the simple reason thatthe front seats have restrictedrearward movement, which flat-ters our "minimum rear legroom"measurement. Rear seat pas-sengers benefit from properfootwell heating, a central arm-rest, head restraints, and ofcourse rear seat belts.

Both front seats are heated,and the driver's is adjustable forboth height and tilt, giving shor-

ter drivers a commanding drivingposition. But taller drivers willfind the Volvo lacking in head-

257

8/14/2019 760 Turbo Road Test 1985

3/3

258

room, and the non-adjustablesteering column means that thewheel obscures part of the i nstru-ment binnacle. Making thingsworse, the throttle is further awayfrom the driver than the otherpedals - and has very longtravel. So overall, the 760 is notthe most comfortable car fordrivers, especially tall ones.

The instruments are clearlypresented with illuminated poin-ters. They include a centralspeedometer, flanked on eitherside by a tachometer (red-lined

at 6000 rpm) and an analogueclock, with smaller supplemen-tary dials covering water, fuelcontents and an uncalibratedturbo boost gauge.As one would expect, the

heater is both powerful and eas-

i l y regulated, but being a linkedsystem, the car quickly getsstuffy with the heater in use.There was no opportunity toassess the air conditioning, butthe fact that it's fitted gives theVolvo one advantage over all therivals we have listed. It is just oneof this car's impressive list ofstandard fittings. Fickle executive

car buyers expect electric win-dows, central locking, headlampwashers etc. The Volvo obliges,and it also has heated seats,heated door mirrors, an electricsunroof as well as the air condi-

tioning. All it lacks is a radio, but

Facia is welllaid out, butstereo is anexpensive extra.Clearinstruments butsteering wheelrim masksvoltmeter andboost gauge.Sunroof limitsheadroom fortaller drivers,despite frontseat's height

adjustment

the Mitsubishi-sourcedradio/tape player fitted to thetest car proved very satisfactory.And as a 489 listed extra, so itshould have done.

The interior is expensivelytri mmed in velour type cloth seattrim - Volvo calls it Plush. Thisextends to the door panel trims. Itl ooks well finished and strikes agood balance between luxury

and practicality. Leather trim isavailable as a no-cost option togive that luxury atmosphere.

As ever, much of the 760 Tur-

bo's appeal lies with its air ofruggedness and promise of lon-gevity, coupled with its maker'sconcern for occupant safety - ifthe adverts are to be believed.But these attributes are not easyto quantify, and buyers will haveto balance these potential advan-tages against the more easilyproven disadvantages the 760Turbo has in terms of perfor-mance, economy and indifferentpackaging.

I n many respects the 760Turbo proved better thanexpected, with a good enginematched to a surprisingly wieldy

chassis. But at the end of the day,it is a difficult car to justify interms of statistics. It is not theovertly sporting "limo" that thebadge suggests, more a plushexpress for people who likeVolvos.

Inclinedfour-cylinderengine isturbochargedand intercooled

and equippedwith BoschMotronicenginemanagementsystem. Not a

diy proposition !

MOTOR ROAD TESTS ANNUAL 1985