Fast wagons make for a great combination of performance and practicality. And while it may surprise some, Volvo knows a thing or two about making them. Even before it created the Polestar division, it raced the 850R in the British Touring Car Championship with great fanfare. And there’s another speedy Swedish wagon available on Cars and Bids this week: a 2005 Volvo V70R.

The 2003-2007 Volvo V70R is a Q-ship luxury wagon

As sporty as the 850R was, it was hampered somewhat by its FWD nature. Plus, US-market models only came with the four-speed automatic. When Volvo released the V70R in 2003, though, it neatly corrected both of these issues.

Unlike the 850R, the Volvo V70R has AWD. And while the wagon was available with both a five-speed and later a six-speed automatic, Volvo also offered it with a six-speed manual. But these aren’t the only upgrades the V70R has over the 850R.

Under its hood, the Volvo V70R has a 2.5-liter turbocharged five-cylinder engine rated at 300 hp and 295 lb-ft. At least it does with the six-speed manual, Car and Driver reports. Automatic-equipped models only make 258 lb-ft. As a result, the manual V70R goes 0-60 mph in less than six seconds, Road & Track reports.

But Volvo didn’t just give the V70 more power to turn it into the V70R. It also has upgraded springs and anti-roll bars, as well as Brembo brakes and electronically-adjustable suspension, MotorTrend and R&T report. So, even though it corners and grips hard with minimal body roll, it still rides fairly comfortably, Autoweek reports. And it can run a slalom course faster than a contemporary Corvette, TruckTrend reports.

Plus, the Volvo V70R is still a luxury car. It has comfy, well-bolstered leather seats, an optional Dolby audio system, and plenty of airbags, The Drive and MT reports. Combine that with the wagon body and seating for five, and the V70R makes for a practical family hauler.

The 2005 Volvo V70R on Cars and Bids

The 2005 Volvo V70R currently listed on Cars and Bids has quite a few miles under its belt. Just over 203,000 of them, to be exact. However, as long as these wagons are maintained properly, that’s not really an issue, SuperStreet Online reports. And based on the service records Cars and Bids has provided, that seems to be the case with this V70R.

Mileage aside, this 2005 Volvo V70R isn’t exactly factory fresh. It has scratches, stone chips, scrapes, and dents scattered all around inside and out. Its front bumper has also been retouched to correct some cosmetic issues, and its left front fender was resprayed due to clear-coat failure. However, it has plenty of new parts, including window regulators, engine mounts, clutch, flywheel, sway bar links, throttle body, fuel and air filters, brake pads and rotors, and ignition coils.

Plus, this Volvo V70R has a few modifications. It has an upgraded Rein intercooler, a BSR exhaust, an Elevate cold-air intake, a skid plate, and ceramic window tinting. And inside it has an aluminum shift knob, as well as an aftermarket Kenwood head unit with Apple CarPlay and Bluetooth connected to a Helix amp and a Rockford Fosgate subwoofer. That’s in addition to the standard features, which include bi-xenon headlights with built-in washers and a rear spoiler.

It’s a reasonably-priced performance luxury wagon with a stick

As of this writing, this 2005 Volvo V70R is listed on Cars and Bids at $7500 with three days left in the auction. Admittedly, it is a rather high-mileage example. But manual examples are fairly rare. As of this writing, there are no manual V70Rs listed on Autotrader.

Plus, manual Volvo V70Rs often cost significantly more than this 2005 example. The average price on Bring a Trailer is closer to $15,000-$20,000.

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