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Volvo celebrates 20 years since 850 wagons came to BTCC

This year Honda Yuasa Racing brought a station wagon back to the ranks of competitors in the British Touring Car Championship (its drivers currently sit in third and fifth place in the Championship). In 1994, however, Volvo was the first team to run an estate in the series that's one of the best for delivering close racing.
Rickard Rydell and Jan Lammers drove the duo of 850 Estates prepped by Tom Walkinshaw Racing, lining up at Thruxton and proving that the rumors of a wagon in the series weren't a joke. The team used that year for development, getting the 2.0-liter, 290-horsepower, naturally aspirated five-cylinder engine ready for the next year's proper assault. The team's best finish over the 21 races was a fifth place, and they took 14th overall.
Rules changes led Volvo to switch to the 850 sedan the following year, but all the right noises had been made with the wagon. Rydell drive on to a third-place overall finish in 1995, three years later he claimed the Championship title. You'll find details and reminiscing from Rydell in the press release below, as well as the full video with scenes from the glory days.

Volvo XC90 prototype spied for the first time ever

Despite its advanced age, the Volvo XC90 remains a highly competent luxury SUV. The design has aged nicely, and it's clear from the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety naming the big Volvo a Top Safety Pick + that the safety-minded Swedes behind it knew what they were doing. Still, even the finest cars need replacing, especially after nearly 12 years on sale.
Here we have the first spy shots of the next-generation XC90, under development somewhere cold (at this rate, it could be anywhere from Arvidsjaur to Atlanta). Now, as our spy photogs point out, this is the real deal, judging by all that camo over the vehicle. There's a production body under there, rather than this being a mule with the old vehicle's skin on top of it.
It's difficult to make out much because of all the camo, although there are some similarities to both the Concept XC Coupe from the Detroit Auto Show and a batch of teaser images we showed you earlier this year. We can see the greenhouse retains a shape similar to the current XC90, although the beltline climbs rather aggressively once past the C pillar, much like it does on the Concept XC Coupe. In back, Volvo has eschewed tall, vertical lights in favor of more conventional units, which we expect to be similar to what we saw in the teaser images. We'd bargain that there will be a traditional rectangular grille, like what you can see on the concept. The headlights, meanwhile, should wear T-shaped LED elements, like the teaser images.

Volvo updates Inscription packages for 2015 XC60, S80

Volvo is improving the luxury offered by the XC60 and S80 with upgrades to both models' Inscription packages for 2015. It is also making all of its models (other than the soon-to-be-replaced XC90) available with its new Drive-E engine family and Sensus infotainment system.
The Inscription package was previously available on both the XC60 and S80, but new upgrades include Sovereign Hide leather throughout their interiors, including on their instrument panels, seatbacks, center armrests and headrests. Inscription also adds wood inlaid trim and new floor mats. On the outside, the package is offered in Crystal White Pearl, Electric Silver and - exclusively for the S80 - Ember Black. The XC60 comes with 20-inch, ten-spoke wheels, and the S80 receives 19-inch wheels of the same design.
As part of its sponsorship of a yacht race, Volvo is also bringing the XC60 Ocean Race Edition to the US. Buyers will get their choice of black or blonde leather seats with orange stitching, a map of the race route on the rear load cover and the event's logo around the car.