Described as having the essence of a sports car in the silhouette of a family car, Volvo is celebrating the 30th anniversary of the release of its iconic 850 T5-R this year.

Originally released in 1991 as a box-standard family sedan or wagon, the T5-R became the 850 on steroids, mixing everyday practicality with sports car performance and forming a new performance pathway for the brand.

The model was packed with a 2.3 litre turbocharged five-cylinder engine producing 165 kW and 330 Nm of torque in the manual model, with 300 Nm in the automatic model. Reaching 100 km/hr in 6.9 seconds, the model was also fitted with sports-tuned chassis, upgraded brakes and distinctive styling to give the look of a proper Volvo. The model was also fitted with 17-inch five-spoke alloy wheels wrapped in Pirelli P-Zero tyres to glue it to the road.

The car's iconic Cream Yellow shade was mostly chosen for its vehicles and was popular among enthusiasts and collectors. Other colours included Stone Black and Olive Green Metallic.

According to Volvo, it anticipated only building 1 000 examples of the T5-R. However, its overwhelming success meant that they produced 6 954 units, making it even rarer than the Porsche 911 at the time.

Today, Volvo says the spirit of the iconic model has lived on in its later performance-oriented models, including the XC90 and S80, which were fitted with Yamaha-developed 4.4-litre V8S. Its EX30 SUV model also reaches high speeds of 0-100km/h in 3.6 seconds.

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Speaking in a statement about the anniversary of the T5-R, Volvo Cars South Africa managing director Grant Locke said, "Legends like the 850 T-5R are a reminder of how Volvo has always embraced the challenge of delivering cars that excite the driver while maintaining our core principles of safety and usability."

He added, "Performance has always been in our DNA, and it's a heritage we continue to carry forward today."

Remembering an icon: Volvo celebrates 30th anniversary of inspiring 850 T5-R